The phrase "ancient metropolis" refers to an old and important city or urban area from a long time ago. It implies that the city was large, developed, and acted as a central hub for people living in that era. Full definition
Once a hub of an expansive empire, the buildings that remain at Chichen Itza allow us to imagine what life must have been like in this once - bustling ancient metropolis. (cancuntours.net)
From there you once again chase a convoy and blow me down if an elaborate, derelict, ancient metropolis doesn't turn up in the middle of an inhospitable location and promptly fall apart in an entertainingly platformable way. (thereticule.com)
The tunnel, discovered 11 years ago under the Temple of the Feathered Serpent at the heart of the ancient metropolis, is the latest piece in a puzzle dating back to before Europeans arrived in the New World. (scientificamerican.com)