GEOGRAPHY, POLITICS AND SOCIETY -- THE URBAN PATH OF THREE HISTORIC CITIES (ROME, TBILISI, BAKU)

Many factors influence the transformation of settlements into cities. Urban development depends on environmental and socioeconomic factors. In the case of historic cities, these factors form a complex urban network. Rome, Tbilisi and Baku are ancient cities. The present article discusses in detail all the factors (geographical, political, social, etc.) that influenced the formation of the urban fabric of these historic cities. The research is based on the analysis of historical maps and scientific publications. The study period is divided into the following stages: The ancient period, Middle Ages, New period, Soviet period and Modern period. In the case of all three cities, many similarities can be seen between the ancient period and the Middle Ages. Environmental factors (distance to the river (water), topography, climate, etc.) were crucial for the city during these periods. Aspects of the use of geopolitical location (distance to international trade routes) are revealed later. In the following periods, the leading factors affecting urbanization differ, and we finally come to the main distinguishing mark. Tbilisi and Baku, unlike Rome, experienced the Soviet period. These cities are going through a completely different urban development path at this stage. In this case, it is interesting to compare Tbilisi and Baku. As for the modern period, research has shown that the urban challenges that Tbilisi and Baku face today have been familiar to Rome since the 1970s and 1980s. This is why sharing their experiences is essential when planning for the future. Keywords: urban fabric, ancient city, soviet period, urban drivers