Sisupalgarh
An ancient city that was larger than Athens. Take a look at the iron ramparts in this picture.
They are the last remains of the ancient fortified capital of Kalinga known as Sisupalgarh. This city dates back to the 5th century BC (according to Archaeologist Monica Smith) and it housed 20,000-25,000 people back then.
The city was bigger than Athens. The pillars you see in this picture are a part of the outer fortification of the city. As such, Sisupalgarh is one of the largest cities of the ancient world. It was this city that Ashoka invaded during his Kalinga war. His inscription at Dhauli was found 6 KM from this place.
Sisupalgarh continued to thrive after the Kalinga war. The city remained settled until the 4th century CE when it gradually began declining.
Source:
- https://trueindologytwitter.wordpress.com/2020/03/24/the-lost-city-of-sisupalgarh/
- Excavations at Sisupalgarh, 2008, R.K. Mohanty and Monica L. Smith