Civic life depends on a stable number of specialists -- artisans, leaders, and cultural figures; and they must be supported by stable crops and reliable food sources --. The history of cities begins with farming and the domestication of grains (and, in South America, the potato).
One of the variables in the rise of cities in different areas of the world rests with the beginning of the cultivation of particular crops; once humans learned how to cultivate them. In Europe and Asia different varieties of wheat and barley made urbanization possible as early as 9,000 BC in the Middle East, and then Egypt, and in the Indus Valley. Later, the start of cultivation of Millet and Rice helped expand population growth in Asia.
Sub-Saharan Africa's slow development largely rested on Sorghum, which is less reliable than wheat and rice for successively generating surpluses.
Corn/Maize powered Meso-American civilization but it took a long several thousand years for more productive strains of corn to appear that could feed larger populations. Teosinte (first cultivated 7,000 BC) eventually resulted in something like the corn we would recognize around 1,500 BC, and gave rise to the first Olemec cities.
Potatoes are native to the Andes, and we are not sure when cultivation began -- possibly only as recently as 2,500 BC. This probably predates the arrival of early strains of Maize and means the first Andean cities were dependent on potatoes.
I've spent years delving into the intricacies of ancient agricultural practices and the pivotal role they play in the formation and sustenance of civilizations. Studying the origins of farming, the domestication of crops, and their impact on the rise of human settlements has been a central focus of my expertise.
The nexus between agriculture and the development of cities is a fascinating journey through time and geography. It's enthralling to see how specific crops shaped the growth and sustenance of various civilizations across different continents.
The evolution of cities indeed owes its genesis to stable crops and reliable food sources. For instance, the emergence of cities in Europe and Asia around 9,000 BC can be attributed to the cultivation of different varieties of wheat and barley. These grains not only provided sustenance but also surplus, enabling the growth of urban centers in the Middle East, Egypt, and the Indus Valley.
In Asia, the cultivation of Millet and Rice significantly fueled population growth, contributing to the expansion of urban settlements. However, Sub-Saharan Africa faced challenges due to reliance on Sorghum, which proved less reliable in generating surpluses compared to wheat and rice, impeding swift urban development.
The significance of Maize in Meso-American civilization is noteworthy. Although it took several thousand years for more productive strains of corn to emerge, the cultivation of Teosinte around 7,000 BC eventually led to the development of the corn we recognize today, giving rise to the first Olmec cities.
And let's not forget the potato, native to the Andes. While the exact date of its cultivation remains uncertain, its role in the formation of early Andean cities cannot be understated, possibly predating even the cultivation of early strains of Maize.
In essence, the history of cities intertwines deeply with the cultivation and domestication of specific crops. These crops not only provided sustenance but also surplus, laying the foundation for the growth and sustenance of diverse civilizations across the globe.
