Past Imperial capitals you'd most like to visit? (Egypt, general, USA)

[censusdata]

How would you rank past great imperial cities at their peak?

A general of some, please add to it:

Persepolis, Persia
Athens, Greece
Memphis, Egypt
Hassusa, Hittites
Babylon
Assyria
Karakarum, Mongolia
Manchu Piccu, Inca,
Tenochtitlan, Aztec
Rome
Forbidden City, China
Sumer
Etc

[Dd714]

Not sure what you mean by "rank" - in terms of grandouer or size?

A few more:
Hue, Vietnam
Ayyuthaya, Thailand

[harry chickpea]

More fun to think like a tourist and choose which would you visit first (assuming you could be safe and would blend in enough to view the city as a citizen or trader).

I'd try to hit Athens around the time of Aristotle, Memphis/Alexandria just before the burning of the library, Tibet before WW I, Sumer and that area around the time of Abraham. Buildings are just buildings. Knowledge and how it is used in daily life and social structure is more fascinating.