Why ancient sages preferred to abandon the society?

We learnt from the history that ancient sages and the philosophers (especially the Asian) liked to live in jungles. They don't like to live in big cities. What may had been the reason? Why they preferred ascetic life when they had every opportunities to live lavishly? Were they wrong or were they unaware of the pleasure of the life? Even ancient kings had revered the ascetic life, why?