From this fine article: "Credited as the home of the first highrise apartment buildings, Shibam has become a symbol for the rise and resilience of middle easter

From this fine article: "Credited as the home of the first highrise apartment buildings, Shibam has become a symbol for the rise and resilience of middle eastern culture in the desolation of the surrounding desert." There were 46,600 insulae in Rome at the time Shibam was built, and only 1790 private homes.