History glossary
Urban
relating to towns and cities, rather than villages or countryside.
- Category
- Settlement concept
What it means
Urban describes life, spaces, institutions, or problems connected with towns and cities. In ancient history it can refer to dense settlements with planned streets, craft production, trade, public buildings, and people doing many different kinds of work.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The Mali Empire
From Sundiata's victory at Kirina to Mansa Musa's pilgrimage and Timbuktu's rise, Mali turned gold, trade and political alliance into one of medieval Africa's great empires.
The Mughal Empire
From Babur's victory at Panipat to the sack of Delhi, the Mughals built a wealthy Indian empire whose power rested on conquest, administration, elite integration and court culture before central authority fractured.
Imperial Japan
From Meiji modernisation to colonial rule, militarism, mobilisation and defeat, Imperial Japan rose as a modern empire before collapsing in 1945.
Apartheid South Africa
From white minority rule to mass resistance, Mandela's release and the first democratic election, apartheid reshaped South Africa and the world.
The Rise and Spread of Buddhism
From the Buddha's awakening to Ashoka's patronage and missions to Sri Lanka, Buddhism grew from a northern Indian path into a faith with foundations across Asia.
The Maurya Empire
From Chandragupta's overthrow of the Nandas to Ashoka's edicts and the empire's fall, the Mauryas created the first imperial state to unite much of the Indian subcontinent.
The Abbasid Golden Age
From revolution and Baghdad to the House of Wisdom, science, medicine, trade and the fall of the city, the Abbasid Golden Age reshaped global knowledge.
The Rise of Islam
From Muhammad's first revelations to the early caliphates, Islam grew from a Meccan message into a civilisation spanning Africa, Asia and Europe.
