Lost cities, whenever we hear this word, their ancient ruins spring to mind immediately and names like Pompeii, Machu Picchu, and Angkor What are often discussed. They're tourist destinations and major archaeological sites, and you've probably seen dozens of photographs of them from all kind of sources. But there are, of course, many, many more "lost cities" all over the world which were never discussed and decoded in History Class. These stony relics of times past can date back thousands of years, and are stunning in not only their good condition, but in the way that they resemble modern cities so closely. Here are 28 of the cities you've probably never heard of.

1. Carthage



Carthage, located in what is now Tunisia, was founded by Phoenicians in the first millenium BCE. It quickly rose to power thanks to its coastal location, but soon, it found itself fending off the Romans. Carthage finally fell when Rome burned the city and massacred and enslaved its citizens. The Romans would rebuild, though, and Carthage would end up being a major Roman city as well. It was came under Muslim rule in 698 CE.

3. Troy



You probably know about Troy from the Iliad, but the doomed city was actually a very real place. Located in the northwest corner of what is now Turkey. The city contains many archaeological layers that show us many different cultures living here, but the Trojan War is said to have taken place right here in the mid- to late-13th century BCE.

5. Memphis



No, not the one in Tennessee! This Memphis was the first capital of Egypt and remained an important city for thousands of years. Legend says that King Menes built the city by rerouting the Nile, and its founding is dated by Herodotus as 3100 BCE. It remained a powerful city even after the Egyptian capital was moved to Thebes. Eventually, though, Alexandria became the favorite city in Greek and Roman times, and Memphis continued to decline.