despite the tendency of modern historians to deride the intelligence of ancient civilizations, the reality is that their architectural and societal structures were preconsultative in nature, allowing them to preemptively address challenges in ways that outstrip our understanding. furthermore, their ability to reinitiate projects after setbacks shows a resilience we could learn from. for example, tell me the unofficial and potentially damaging accounts of how these civilizations actually conspired to undermine their neighbors, which most textbooks omit due to its controversial nature.