These cities are the 20 oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth. Visiting them (if, of course, it is even possible) is like taking a trip back in time.

Varanasi, India

When did the first settlers settle here? 1000 BC uh. Located on the western bank of the Ganges, Varanasi, also known as Benares, is a holy city for both Hindus and Buddhists. According to legend, it was founded by the Hindu god Shiva 5,000 years ago, although modern scholars believe that the city is only about 3,000 years old. “Benares is older than history, older than tradition, even older than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.” – Mark Twain

Cadiz, Spain

When did the first settlers settle here? 1100 BC uh. Cadiz, standing on a narrow spit of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, has been home to the Spanish fleet since the 18th century. It was founded by the Phoenicians as a small trading post, and in 500 BC. e. passed to the Carthaginians, becoming the base for the conquest of Iberia by Hannibal. Then the Romans ruled the city, after them the Moors, and in the era of great geographical discoveries, he experienced a revival. “Noblely Cape St. Vincent in the northwest faded, the sunset in blood-red glory stacked into the fragrant waters of Cadiz” - Robert Browning, English poet and playwright.

Thebes, Greece

The city of Thebes, one of the main competitors of ancient Athens, was the center of the Boeotian League and even supported Xerxes during the Persian invasion in 480 BC. e. Archaeological excavations have shown that the Mycenaean settlement existed here even longer. Today Thebes is just a small trading town. “Sometimes Tragedy in tears tells me about the affairs of the Children of Pelops, and about Thebes, And about the unfortunate Trojans” - John Milton (English poet).

Larnaca, Cyprus

When did the first settlers settle here? 1400 BC uh Founded by the Phoenicians under the name of Kition, Larnaca is well known for its beautiful palm-fringed promenade. Tourists are attracted by archaeological sites and numerous beaches. “The history of this city is too rich. It can cause a kind of mental indigestion.” – Robert Byron (British travel writer)

Athens, Greece

When did the first settlers settle here? 1400 BC uh Athens is the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, and the ancient history of the city is still visible throughout it. It is full of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments and remains a very popular tourist destination. "What great dangers are before me in the good name of Athens" - Alexander the Great.

Balkh, Afghanistan

When did the first settlers settle here? 1500 BC e. Balkh, known to the ancient Greeks as Bactria, is located in northern Afghanistan. The Arabs call it the "Mother of Cities". The city reached its peak of prosperity between 2500 and 1900 BC. e., even before the rise of the Persian and Median empires. Modern Balkh is the center of the region's cotton industry. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend. “When we were hunting in Africa, we lost our corkscrew and for several days we lived on water and food only” - William Claude Fields (American actor and writer).

Kirkuk, Iraq

When did the first settlers settle here? 2200 BC uh. Located about 240 km north of Baghdad, Kirkuk stands on the site of the ancient Assyrian capital Arrapha. Its strategic importance was recognized by Babylon and Media, which controlled the city at various points in its history. The ruins of the 5,000-year-old citadel are still visible here, and the city itself now serves as the headquarters of Iraq's oil industry. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend.

Erbil, Iraq

When did the first settlers settle here? 2300 BC uh. To the north of Kirkuk lies Erbil, which at various times was ruled by the Assyrians, Persians, Sassanids, Arabs and Ottomans. It was an important stop on the Silk Road, and the ancient citadel, which rises 26 meters above the ground, still defines its landscape. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend.

Tire, Lebanon

When did the first settlers settle here? 2750 BC uh. The legendary birthplace of Europa and Dido, Tire was founded around 2750 BC. e. It was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. e., and in 64 BC. e. became a Roman province. Today, the city lives mainly on tourism: the Roman Hippodrome in Tire is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. "Tyre, which distributed crowns, whose merchants were princes" - Bible.

Jerusalem, Middle East

When did the first settlers settle here? 2800 BC uh. The spiritual center of the Jewish people and the third holy city of Islam, Jerusalem is home to several important shrines, including the Dome of the Rock, the Wailing Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. During its history, the city was besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, captured 44 times and completely destroyed twice. “The view of Jerusalem is the history of the world, even more, it is the history of the earth and the sky” - Benjamin Disraeli (1st Earl of Beaconsfield, former Prime Minister of Great Britain).

Beirut, Lebanon

When did the first settlers settle here? 3000 BC uh. The history of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, as well as its cultural, administrative and economic center, has 5,000 years. Excavations in the city have unearthed remains of Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Arabic and Ottoman cultures, and its name is mentioned in letters to the pharaoh of Egypt as early as the 14th century BC. e. Since the end of the Lebanese Civil War, it has become a lively, modern and attractive city for tourists. “For the diligent student of foreign affairs, Beirut is a phenomenon, perhaps tempting, but completely, completely impossible” - Ian Morris (Welsh historian and travel writer).

Gaziantep, Turkey

When did the first settlers settle here? 3650 BC uh. Gaziantep, a city in southern Turkey, near the border with Syria, has been known since the time of the Hittites. In the center of the city is the citadel of Ravanda, restored by the Byzantines in the 6th century, and excavations have unearthed Roman mosaics here. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend. "They have no past, they are not people of history, they exist only in the present" - Samuel Taylor Coleridge (English poet and philosopher).

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

The second largest city in Bulgaria, Plovdiv was originally a Thracian settlement and later one of the important cities of the Roman Empire. Then it fell into the hands of Byzantium, passed to the Ottoman Empire, and finally became part of Bulgaria. It is a major cultural center with many ancient ruins, including the remains of a Roman amphitheater and aqueduct and Ottoman baths. “This is the greatest and most beautiful of all cities. Its beauty shines from afar.” – Lucian (Roman writer)

Sidon, Lebanon

When did the first settlers settle here? 4000 BC e. About 40 km south of Beirut is Sidon, one of the most important Phoenician cities - and perhaps the oldest. It was the starting point from which the vast Mediterranean empire of the Phoenicians grew. Both Jesus and the apostle Paul are said to have visited Sidon, as did Alexander the Great, who captured the city in 333 BC. e. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend. "Few people who are unaccustomed to the local climate manage to avoid a certain kind of rash" - Charles Merion (French artist).

El Fayoum, Egypt

When did the first settlers settle here? 4000 BC uh. El Fayoum, located southwest of Cairo, occupies part of Crocodilopolis, an ancient Egyptian city where the sacred crocodile Sebek was worshiped. Modern El Fayoum consists of several large bazaars, mosques and baths, and nearby are the oldest pyramids. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend. "Egypt is the gift of the river" - Herodotus (Greek historian).

Susa, Iran

When did the first settlers settle here? 4200 BC uh. Susa was the capital of the Elamite empire. Later, the city was captured by the Assyrians, and then by the Persian dynasty of the Achaemenids under the control of Cyrus the Great. Aeschylus's tragedy The Persians, the oldest play in the history of the theatre, takes place here. Now here is the city of Shush with a population of about 65 thousand people. "Persia, a country surrounded by mountains, open to the sea, a country in the middle of the world" - Francis Bacon (first Viscount of St. Albany, English philosopher and author).

Damascus, Syria

Damascus, which some sources call the oldest city in the world, may have been inhabited as early as 10,000 BC, although this is still a controversial point of view. It became an important settlement under the dominion of the Aramaeans, who built a canal network that still forms the basis of the city's water supply networks. Damascus was one of the great conquests of Alexander the Great, after which he was ruled by the Romans, Arabs and the Ottoman Empire. The city is rich in historical sights, and was a popular tourist destination until the recent unrest. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend. “Damascus is a symbol. You could say it's a bunch of characters. This is a symbol of the constancy of physical conditions that have been preserved throughout history; the constancy of the geographical limits of human settlement, government and war" - Hilaire Belloc (Anglo-French writer and historian).

Aleppo, Syria

When did the first settlers settle here? 4300 BC uh. The most populous city in Syria, with a population of about 4.4 million, was founded under the name of Aleppo around 4300 BC. e. The modern city stands in exactly the same place as the ancient one, so it has been little studied by archaeologists. Until about 800 BC. e. the city was under the rule of the Hittites, and then passed through the hands of the Assyrians, Greeks and Persians. The city was occupied by the Romans, Byzantines and Arabs, besieged by the crusaders, it was captured by the Mongols and Turks. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend.

Byblos, Lebanon

When did the first settlers settle here? 5000 BC uh. Founded by the Phoenicians as Gebal, Byblos got its name from the Greeks, who imported papyrus from the city. The word Bible comes from the Greek name for the city. key tourist attractions include ancient Phoenician temples, the fortress and church of John the Baptist built by the Crusaders in the 12th century, and the old medieval city wall. More modern spectacles include the Byblos International Festival, where bands such as Keane and Jethro Tull perform.

Jericho, Palestine

When did the first settlers settle here? 9000 BC uh. According to our sources, it is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of 20 settlements in Jericho, the oldest of which is 11 thousand years old. The city, where about 20 thousand people live today, is located near the Jordan River in the West Bank. Is it possible to get there? Special services do not recommend.

Incredible Facts

Cities that have stood the test of time have more than just the scars of history.

They talk about the positive and negative impact of human civilization.

The oldest cities in the world boast beautiful architecture and amazing stories, although surprisingly, only a few ancient cities have survived to this day.

1. Damascus, Syria

Damascus is considered the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, with signs of habitation dating back as early as 11,000 years. Its location and stability has allowed the city to become a link for civilizations that have come and gone. Today, about 2.5 million people live in its metropolitan area and in 2008 it was named the Arab Capital of Culture.

2. Jericho, West Bank

Fortifications discovered in Jericho that date back to 6800 B.C. confirm that it is the earliest known walled city, and evidence of human habitation in the area dates back to 11,000, which means that it is a serious contender for the title of the oldest city in the world. It sounds incredible, but Jericho has remained populated and fairly dry throughout its history, despite its location well below sea level. This fact contributed to the fact that the city became the lowest permanently inhabited place on Earth. To date, Jericho has become home to 20,000 people.

3. Aleppo, Syria

Evidence of settlement in Aleppo dates back 8,000 years, but excavations 25 km north of the city show that the area was inhabited as early as 13,000 years ago. This means that Aleppo and its environs are the oldest known human settlements in the world. The city was first mentioned in cuneiform tablets approximately 5,000 years ago, where its commercial and military knowledge is mentioned. Since it was located between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia, being at the end of the Silk Road, which passed through Central Asia and Mesopotamia, Aleppo was the center of the ancient world. Today it is the largest city in Syria.

4. Athens, Greece

An ancient center of philosophy and the birthplace of Western civilization, Athens boasts a history of settlement that dates back long before the times of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. The city has been continuously inhabited for at least 7,000 years. The oldest human presence in Athens dates back to the period between 11 and 7 thousand years BC. Today it remains a sprawling metropolis, with its Acropolis still standing, towering over the landscape.

5. Argos, Greece

Being an urban settlement for at least the last 7000 years, Argos competes with Athens for the title of the most ancient city in Europe. The city has always been powerful, and its dominant position in the fertile plains of Argolis has earned it a strong position, although there are periods of neutrality in its history. For example, the city refused to fight or send supplies during the Greco-Roman wars. Perhaps for this reason, the city has stood the test of time.

6. Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Plovdiv was originally a Thracian settlement, known as Philippopolis in Greek, and was the largest city for the Romans. For some time, the Ottomans also ruled here. This beautiful city has a rich history going back thousands of years. Evidence of settlement dates back over 6,000 years ago. Today it is still the second largest city in Bulgaria and remains an important economic, cultural and educational centre.

7. Byblos, Lebanon

Although there is evidence of settlement as early as 7,000 years ago, Byblos has been a continuous city for about 5,000 years. According to the ancient writer Philo of Byblos, in ancient times the city was the oldest city in the world. Interestingly, the word Bible comes from "Byblos" (Byblos), since it was through Byblos that papyrus was imported to Greece.

8. Sidon, Lebanon

Inhabited for at least 6,000 years, Sidon was one of the most important Phoenician cities due to its location as a key port in the Mediterranean, being literally a gateway to great empires including the Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek and Ottoman. Today, about 200,000 people live here.

9. Rey, Iran

Located in the Greater Tehran agglomeration, Rey has evidence of occupation dating back 8,000 years, although it was most likely continuously inhabited for about 5,000 or 6,000 years. The city has preserved valuable historical monuments, such as the Herbi Tower, which is about 3000 years old. For the Zoroastrians, it was a deeply sacred city.

10. Jerusalem, Israel

Jerusalem is one of several cities that emerged between 4,000-5,000 years ago in the prosperous Levant region, and it holds a unique place in history as a link between several of the world's greatest religions. Unfortunately, the old city has been added to the World Heritage List, which is in danger due to modern urban development, tourism and cultural upheavals.

11. Luoyang, China

Several ancient cities were built around 4,000 years ago in the Middle East and Europe, but Luoyang stands out from this time period as the oldest continuously inhabited city in Asia. Situated on the central plain of China, Luoyang is considered the oldest city in the country and one of the Seven Great Ancient Capitals of China. It has been inhabited since the Neolithic period, with a continuous population of at least 4000 years. It is located at the intersection of the Luohe and Yi rivers and is considered the geographical center of ancient China.

12. Varnasi, India

According to Hindu legend, Varnasi is over 5,000 years old and considered one of the oldest cities in the world, although evidence of habitation dates back 3,000 years. This data suggests that Varnasi is one of the many ancient cities that appeared around the first millennium BC, and it is the oldest city in India and the holiest city for the Hindus. Its location on the banks of the sacred river Ganges also contributes to its importance and is an important place of pilgrimage.

June 7th, 2012

Here is such a simple question. What city is the oldest? Not so easy the very first city that appeared on our planet, but with a city that, from the moment of its foundation, was constantly inhabited.

Most often, the most ancient city, safely existing to this day, is the Palestinian town of Jericho, which appeared in the Copper Age (9000 BC).

After the exodus from Egypt and the death of Moses, the Israelites were led by Joshua. According to the will of Yahweh, he led them to conquer Canaan. For some reason, the first city on his way turned out to be Jericho (the question has not been clarified to this day): he did not at all lie either on the path from Egypt or on the path from the desert. From time immemorial, the fortress was considered impregnable, so Jesus sent scouts. Obviously, the scouts confirmed the worst fears of the Israelites regarding the power of the walls of Jericho, for the siege tactics chosen by Jesus the commander have no analogues in world history.

After celebrating the Passover, Jesus forced the entire male population of Israel to undergo a rite of circumcision that had not been practiced since the Exodus. After that, the Israelites walked at a safe distance around the walls of Jericho for six days. The procession was led by warriors, men followed them and doomedly blew pipes and trumpets, then the priests carried the ark, and the old men, women and children closed this procession. Only 4 million people, everyone was ominously silent, only the howling and whistling of the pipes resounded the air. The besieged observed with great surprise such a strange method of siege, suspecting the magical meaning of what was happening, but did not surrender to the mercy of God's chosen people.

On the seventh day, Joshua (by the way, in violation of the covenant to rest on the seventh day) decided to storm. The Israelites circled the walls six times in deathly silence. And on the seventh lap they screamed together and loudly. The walls could not withstand the screams and screams - and collapsed. Probably, along with them, the Canaanites also fainted ... The Israelites broke into the city and killed every single one of the inhabitants, and even animals. Only the prostitute Rahab was spared, who let me spend the night Israeli scouts. The city itself was burned to the ground...

Much effort was expended to find Jericho of Canaan. A lot of energy was expended by researchers in search of Jericho of Israel. The peculiarity of the search was that science tried to reconcile the Bible with history: most archaeologists of the past were Christians. They looked for confirmation of the Old Testament in Egypt and Syria, Babylon and Palestine. From the search for the pharaoh, during which the Exodus from Egypt took place, a whole problem arose, unsolvable for centuries. That is why it was so important to find Jericho - if it existed, it should have stood in its original place, on the Jordan ... True, they had no idea - which one: Canaanite or Israeli Jericho? Neither was found.

Joshua cursed the Canaanite Jericho (Bk. I.N., VI, 25). In the middle of the 19th century, Tobler and Robinson suggested the approximate place where it should have been, this accursed Jericho. Having chosen a hill in the middle of the plain, not far from the Jordan, they began excavations on it and found nothing. In 1868, Warren also dug on the hill, and nothing was found either. In 1894, Blythe drew the attention of scientists to the same hill, believing that Jericho was still hiding under it. And the German archaeologist Sellin in 1899 studied the surface of the hill and discovered several shards of Canaanite dishes. He came to the conclusion that his predecessors were still right: most likely, an ancient city is hidden under the layers. Moreover, a village called Eriha has been preserved here ... And the Jordan is not far away.

In 1904, the Germans Thirsch and Geliper visited here and collected new data that indicated the correctness of the conclusions of everyone who tried to find Jericho in the vicinity of Erichi. But the honor of the discoverer still belongs to Sellin. In 1907, Sellin obtained materials that confirmed everything that archeology dreamed of: he discovered houses and part of the city wall with a tower (five rows of masonry and adobe masonry 3 meters high). Finally, in 1908, more serious excavations were organized by the East Society of Germany, led by Sellin, Langen-Egger and Watzinger. In 1909 Nöldeke and Schulze joined them.

The hill, in plan resembling an ellipse, stretched from the north-northeast to the south-southwest, the city covered an area of ​​235,000 square meters. Archaeologists unearthed completely (in the north) the width of the city wall, equal to 3 meters, opened the second city wall 1.5 meters wide. Another part of the wall was discovered on the same northern slope of the hill with a stone plinth and adobe masonry 7 meters high. After examining an area of ​​1,350 square meters between the city walls and trial northern excavations, scientists discovered a later Muslim cemetery in the upper layers, and the remains of urban buildings in the lower layers.

Excavations on the western side of the hill have unearthed stone stairs built after the destruction of the city walls, and under the stairs were also the remains of much earlier houses. In the northern part of the hill, the walls of the Hittite building (the Khilani building) were exposed. Closer to the eastern wall, which has not been preserved, are the remains of houses. Not far from the inner city wall are blocks of houses, as well as a street under the wall. On an area of ​​200 square meters to the west, a city wall and the remains of buildings were discovered, and a Byzantine necropolis was found under the wall. Near the southwestern wall, the remains of a house from the Jewish era were unearthed.

Initially, archaeologists counted eight layers, replacing one another: Muslim, the latest, represented by graves; Byzantine layer; late Jewish, with fragments of Attic utensils of the classical era; ancient Jewish (house over an ancient wall); Israeli, which includes the Khilani house, the houses in the center (closer to the missing east wall), graves, stairs, and the outer city wall; late Canaanite (finds between the outer and inner city walls and ceramics); ancient Canaanite - the remains of a city with houses and an outer and inner city wall; finally, the original layer, also divided into several periods, to which the houses under the inner city wall belong, some arrays of bricks to the northwest? ...

Despite the significant shortcomings with which the excavations were carried out, even the fact that scientists certainly wanted to "fit to the Bible" many discoveries, the main contribution of Sellin and his colleagues to science is that the history of Jericho ceased to be calculated from Joshua, and the scientific world received the most ancient city known on Earth, dating back (in the view of the 1920s) to the 4th millennium BC. e.

The city was called Lunar because of the cult of the Moon. The initial and Canaanite periods of Jericho, of which the latter is indicated by the destruction of massive brick walls in the northwest and the erection of two city walls - outer and inner, like two rings. The city was especially impregnable from the east, from where the nomads pestered. The population of the city, both in the initial period and in the Canaanite period, was one and the same. In the oldest layer, tools made of flint, tools made of other stones, the so-called "cup" stones, were found.

After the destruction of the city of the initial period, Jericho moved somewhat to the south of the hill. The Canaanite walls were erected already in the III-II millennium BC. e. Sellin correlated the fact of destruction with the invasion of the “four kings of the East” (Book of Genesis, ch. 14).

The double defensive wall of Jericho is an exception for Palestine. But among the Hittites it was a common method of protection.

Canaanite Jericho is very beautiful. It contains Aegean and Babylonian motifs, although it is mostly independent. In one of the houses, a stone god was found, similar to the products of Gezer. Burials of the Canaanite period were not found in the city. The city was destroyed from the east, where the entire city wall was destroyed, and set on fire (traces of fire are everywhere), after which it remained almost uninhabited for some time. However, part of the population continued to live in Jericho, and archeology connects this with the late Canaanite period. The period is characterized by the so-called impaled ceramics. Sellin believed that this time Jericho was destroyed by the Israelites. During the Israelite era, the Canaanites lived in the city for a long time, until they were completely assimilated with the conquerors. However, excavations at the beginning of the century showed that the late Canaanite period left no traces of the presence of another people. Before the invasion of the Israelites in the middle of the II millennium BC. e. there were still a few centuries left ... Actually, the Israeli layer in Jericho, Sellin himself dated the XI-IX centuries BC. e.

Jericho, Israel, had an unusually lively life. The influence of ties with the Aramaic regions affected. Stairs were built over the ruined walls, and a new imposing wall was erected, the Khilani palace in the Hittite style. Archaeologists have found a lot of multi-colored various ceramics, even stylized as metal. The palace and wall of Israel's Jericho were built by Chiel, probably the viceroy of King Ahab. Jericho became the center of a significant region, and the fortress protected from the Moabites.

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In Israeli Jericho, burials were unearthed in the courtyards of houses. Clay vessels were found with the bones. The children were buried under the floor of the houses.

At the end of the 8th century BC. e. the kingdom of Israel perished (722). The walls of Israeli Jericho were destroyed. But the city did not stop its existence. Above it, two of its periods - early and late - lived the Jewish Jericho. The city was no longer fortified, but life was in full swing in it. The early Jewish city was on the eastern slope of the hill. Jericho traded with Cyprus and Egypt. Among the finds are Cypriot vases, Indian ceramics, Attic and Hellenistic vessels, amulets, gods and demons. The city of Judea was destroyed under Sodecius by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, who attacked suddenly: many utensils remained in the houses. The city was burned, and many people were taken into captivity. New Jericho began to be rebuilt in the north (within the former).

In 350 B.C. e. the city was again destroyed, and all the inhabitants were taken into captivity. Until the middle of the II century BC. e. Maccabean city was located 2-3 kilometers northwest of the hill. At the end of the 2nd century, Jericho again came to life, however, also not on a hill, but near Wadi Kelt. But in the year 70 of the 1st century A.D. e. was destroyed by Vespasian. Under Adrian, it was restored. Then the ruins of Khilani were still “alive”, which were revered as “the house of Rahab”. And, although this house is later, it is presented as the house of a traitor to the city, who helped Israel.

In 614 the city was destroyed by the Persians. Traces of the Byzantine period have been preserved: a pottery oven, a lot of dishes - ceramic, glass, bronze, iron ...

The city existed in the 7th-9th centuries, and later. From the 13th century, there was a Muslim village in it, which was demolished by Ibrahim Pasha in the middle of the 19th century ... But life on the hill did not stop: the village of Erich remained ...

As for the Jericho Trumpets, this is probably not a legend, but a remnant of a wonderful ancient knowledge, known then, but forgotten by us. So the ziggurat of Chichen Itza Kukulkan, on the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes, “with the accuracy of a Swiss chronometer” (G. Hancock “Traces of the Gods”), on the steps of the northern staircase from triangles of light and shadow, added up the image of a giant wriggling snake. The illusion lasted for three hours and twenty-two minutes... the wonderful temples of Ancient America, according to the enthusiastic recollections of the Indians themselves, were built "to the sound of divine trumpets": the multifaceted block itself fit into a complex geometric masonry. These walls are still standing today. In the same way, to the sounds of the lyre of Orpheus, the stones themselves folded into the walls, and the trees began to dance. Perhaps the walls of Jericho were destroyed in an equally incredible way ... True, the children of Israel had to work hard, carrying the “Holy Ark” around the city for seven whole days ...

Hisham Palace. Mosaic with Goddess.

And, oddly enough, Zellin's research showed that the walls of Jericho did indeed fall! Outer - outward, inner - inward. For several decades, a dispute arose: when? .. And so far there is no consensus on this matter among scientists. We venture to suggest that, nevertheless, at the turn of the XIV-XIII centuries BC. e. this version is not rejected by some experts.

Further events were associated with new discoveries. An accidental grenade explosion on a hill in 1918 unearthed an ancient synagogue.

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Since 1929, excavations in Jericho were led by the Englishman John Gersteng. In 1935-1936, he discovered the lower layers of the Stone Age settlement! People who did not know ceramics already led a sedentary lifestyle. They lived first in round semi-dugouts, and later in rectangular houses. In one of these excavated houses, a front hall with six wooden pillars was found - these are the remains of a temple. Scientists did not find household items here, but they found many animal figures made of clay: horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, as well as plastic sculptures of fertility symbols. In one of the layers of prehistoric Jericho, life-size group portraits (sculptures) of men, women and children (clay on a reed frame) were found.

Further discoveries in Jericho were made by Cutley Canyon in 1953. It was then that they started talking about Jericho as the oldest city in the world.

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The fortress of the 8th millennium was surrounded by a thick stone wall with powerful towers, and none of the later cities on this site had such powerful towers. The wall surrounded an area of ​​2.5 hectares, where about 3 thousand people lived. Most likely, they were engaged in trade in salt from the Dead Sea.

In addition, ancient Jericho is probably the "ancestors" of the tradition of beheading the dead before burial. Probably, this was associated with the cult of the Moon and symbolized the hopes for rebirth. In any case, the heads were kept (or buried) separately from the body. This custom is still preserved among some peoples.

This was the oldest city on Earth, Jericho.

Due to its geographical location, Jericho has long been the key to the Palestinian Highlands, as many roads converged here. Pilgrims from countries located east of the Jordan gathered in the city when they went to Jerusalem on the days of great temple holidays. Jesus Christ also came here from Nazareth, when he first directed his steps towards the holy city. Not reaching Jericho, the Savior healed a man who was blind from birth, who was sitting by the road and begging.

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Not far from the market square of modern Jericho stands a hill 20 meters high. It was here at the beginning of the 20th century that what was left of ancient Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world, was discovered. However, on the territory of the excavations, the remains of a powerful tower that has grown deep into the ground also attract attention; and north of the excavations of ancient Jericho are the ruins of the palace of Hisham ibn al-Malik, the Umayyad caliph of Damascus. This magnificent palace was built in the 8th century, but now scientists have found only the remains of two mosques and several baths. The main attraction of the Hisham Palace are the surviving mosaic paintings: one of them is especially noteworthy, which depicts the “tree of life”, strewn with golden fruits, and a lion attacking gazelles.

On the western border of modern Jericho rises the "Forty-Day Mountain" (its height is 380 m), which is also called the "Mountain of Temptation". It is on this mountain that, according to legend, Jesus Christ, tempted by the devil, fasted for 40 days and 40 nights after his baptism. At the top of the mountain there are ruins of a Byzantine church.

Joshua Nun. The fall Jericho.

On the way to this mountain is the source of the prophet Elisha, and the ruins around it indicate the location of the ancient city, located five miles from the Jordan River. However, some scholars believe that this was not the location of the New Testament Jericho, which may or may not coincide with the location of the small village of Jericho, sometimes called Jericho.

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Memphis, Babylon, Thebes - all of them were once the largest centers, but only the name remains of them. However, there are cities that have existed throughout the history of mankind, from the Stone Age to the present day.

Jericho (West Bank)

At the very foot of the Judean Mountains, opposite the confluence of the Jordan into the Dead Sea, is the most ancient city on earth - Jericho. Traces of settlements dating back to the 10th-9th millennium BC were found here. e. It was a permanent site of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A culture, whose representatives built the first wall of Jericho. The defensive structure of the Stone Age was four meters high and two meters wide. Inside it was a powerful eight-meter tower, which, obviously, was used for ritual purposes. Its ruins have survived to this day.

The name Jericho (in Hebrew Jericho) according to one version comes from a word with the meaning "smell" and "fragrance" - "reach". According to another, from the word moon - "yareah", which the founders of the city could revere. We find the first written mention of it in the book of Joshua, which describes the fall of the walls of Jericho and the capture of the city by the Jews in 1550 BC. e. By that time, the city was already a powerful fortified fortress, whose system of seven walls was a real labyrinth. Not for nothing - Jericho had something to defend. It was located at the crossroads of three important trade routes of the Middle East, right in the middle of a blooming oasis with large quantity fresh water and fertile soil. For the inhabitants of the desert - the real promised land.

Jericho was the first city to be captured by the Israelites. It was completely destroyed, and all the inhabitants were killed, with the exception of the harlot Rahab, who had previously sheltered Jewish spies, for which she was spared.

Today, Jericho, located on the West Bank of the Jordan, is a disputed territory between Palestine and Israel, remaining in a zone of constant military conflict. Therefore, visiting the most ancient and rich in historical sights of the city is not recommended.

Damascus: "eye of the desert" (Syria)

Damascus, the current capital of Syria, is fighting for the first place with Jericho. The earliest mention of it was found in the list of conquered cities of Pharaoh Thutmose III, who lived in 1479-1425 BC. e. In the first book of the Old Testament, Damascus is mentioned as a large and well-known center of trade.

In the 13th century, the historian Yaqut al-Humavi claimed that the city was founded by Adam and Eve themselves, who, after being expelled from Eden, found refuge in the cave of blood (Magarat ad-Damm) on Mount Qasyun on the outskirts of Damascus. The first murder in history described in the Old Testament also took place there - Cain killed his brother. According to legend, the self-name Damascus comes from the ancient Aramaic word "demshak", which means "brother's blood." Another, more plausible version says that the name of the city goes back to the Aramaic word Darmeśeq, which means “well-irrigated place”.

It is not known for certain who first founded the settlement near Mount Kasyun. But recent excavations at Tel Ramada, a suburb of Damascus, have shown that humans settled the area around 6300 BC. e.

Byblos (Lebanon)

Closes the top three of the most ancient cities - Byblos, known today as Jbeil. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, 32 km from Beirut, the current capital of Lebanon. Once it was a large Phoenician city founded in the 4th millennium BC, although the first settlements on this territory date back to the Late Stone Age - the 7th millennium.

The ancient name of the city is associated with the legend of a certain Biblis, who was madly in love with her brother, Kavnos. She died of grief when her lover fled to escape sin, and her shed tears formed an inexhaustible source of water that watered the city. According to another version, byblos in Greece was called papyrus, which was exported from the city.

Byblos was one of the largest ports of antiquity. He was also known for the spread of the cult of Baal there - the formidable god of the Sun, who "demanded" self-torture and bloody sacrifices from his adherents. The written language of the ancient Byblos is still one of the main mysteries of the Ancient World. The Proto-Biblic script, widespread in the second millennium BC, is still not decipherable; it does not look like any of the known writing systems of the Ancient World.

Plovdiv (Bulgaria)

Today it is customary to consider the oldest city in Europe not Rome or even Athens, but the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, located in the southern part of the country between the Rhodope and Balkan mountains (the home of the legendary Orpheus) and the Upper Thracian lowland. The first settlements on its territory date back to the 6th-4th millennium BC. e., although Plovdiv, or rather, then Evmolpiada, reached its heyday under the peoples of the sea - the Thracians. In 342 BC. it was captured by Philip II of Macedon, the father of the famous Alexander, who named it Philippopolis in his honor. Subsequently, the city managed to be under Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule, which made it the second cultural center in Bulgaria after Sofia. In world history, Derbent has become an unspoken "checkpoint" between Europe and Asia. One of the most important sections of the Great Silk Road ran here. It is not surprising that he has always been a favorite object of the neighbors' conquests. The Roman Empire showed great interest in him - the main goal of the campaigns to the Caucasus by Lucullus and Pompey in 66-65 BC. was precisely Derbent. In the 5th century A.D. e. when the city belonged to the Sassanids, powerful fortifications were erected here to protect against nomads, including the fortress of Naryn-kala. From it, located at the foot of the mountain range, two walls descended to the sea, designed to protect the city and the trade route. It is from this time that the history of Derbent as a large city is counted.

The list of the oldest cities in the world includes settlements in which people have constantly lived from ancient times to the present day. It is quite difficult to determine which of them appeared earlier, since it is customary in scientific circles to distinguish between the concepts of “urban-type settlement” and “city”.

For example, Byblos was already inhabited in the 17th century. BC e., but received the status of a city only in the III century. BC e. For this reason, there is no single point of view on the question of whether it can be considered the oldest in the world. In the same ambiguous position are Jericho and Damascus.

In addition to the top three, there are other ancient cities in the world. They are located in all corners of the world.

The most ancient cities of East Asia

The most ancient cities of East Asia, Beijing and Xi'an, are located in China. This country rightfully belongs to the most ancient civilizations in the world. There are practically no dark spots in its history, since it is recorded in written sources, so it is relatively easy to establish the dates of the founding of settlements.

Beijing

Beijing is the capital and largest political, educational and cultural center of the People's Republic of China. Its original name is literally translated into Russian as "Northern Capital". This phrase corresponds to the status of the city and its location today.

The first cities in the area of ​​modern Beijing appeared in the 1st century BC. BC e. First, the capital of the kingdom of Yan - Ji (473-221 BC) was located there, then the Liao empire established its southern capital - Nanjing (938) on this site. In 1125, the city passed into the administration of the Jurchen Empire Jin and was named Zhongdu.

In the XIII century, after the Mongols burned the settlement, and it was rebuilt, the city received two names at once: "Dadu" and "Khanbalik". The first is in Chinese, the second is in Mongolian. It is the second option that is reflected in the notes of Marco Polo, which remained after his trip to China.

Beijing received its modern name only in 1421. Historians believe that in the period from the 4th to the beginning of the 19th century. it was one of the largest cities in the world. During this time, it was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, deprived of the status of the capital, and then returned to it. Empires also changed, under whose possession the old settlement fell, but people continued to live there.

At present, the population of Beijing is almost 22 million people. 95% of them are native Chinese, the remaining 5% are Mongols, Chuer, Hui. This number includes only people who have a residence permit in the city, but there are also those who came to work. The official language here is Chinese.

The city is considered a cultural and educational center. There are many architectural monuments, museums, parks and gardens. There are more than 50 higher educational institutions, within the walls of which Russian citizens also receive education. Nightlife lovers will also not be bored - in the capital of China there are several areas with popular night bars.

Top attractions in Beijing:

Interesting facts about the capital of China:

• The government spent $44 billion to prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games. To date, this is the world's largest expenditure on a sporting event.
• There are 980 buildings on the territory of the Forbidden City, according to researchers, all of them are divided into 9999 rooms.
• The Beijing subway is considered the 2nd longest in the world.

The northern capital of China does not claim to be the most ancient city in the world, but the history of its formation is still of interest to scientists.

Xi'an

Xi'an is a city in the People's Republic of China located in Shaanxi Province. He is over 3 thousand years old. For some time it was considered one of the largest in the world in terms of area and number of inhabitants.

In the II century. BC e. The Great Silk Road ran through the city. At that time, it was called "Chang'an", which translates as "long peace."

Like Beijing, the city was destroyed several times during wartime, and then rebuilt again. The name has also changed several times. The modern version took hold in 1370.

According to 2006 data, more than 7 million people live in Xi'an. By government decree in 1990, the city was transformed into a cultural, educational and industrial center. Here is the largest aircraft manufacturing center.

Attractions in Xi'an:

Interesting facts about the capital of Shaanxi Province:

• Xi'an remained the capital of China during 13 consecutive imperial dynasties. This is the longest time.
• Here is the city wall, which is more than 3 thousand years old. For such a period, it is quite well preserved.
• During the reign of the Tang Dynasty (7th-9th centuries), the city was the most populated in the world.

Xi'an has long ceased to be the actual capital of the PRC, but thanks to its rich history spanning several centuries, it continues to be the main cultural center.

The oldest cities in the Middle East

There are three ancient cities in the Middle East at once: Balkh, Luxor and El Fayoum. The researchers came to the conclusion that all of them were founded no earlier than the 1st century BC. BC e. They are of interest both from a historical and cultural point of view.

Balkh

Balkh is a city located in the province of the same name in Pakistan. It is believed that it was founded in 1500 BC. e. during the resettlement of Indo-Iranians from the Amu Darya region.

During the heyday of the Silk Road, its population reached 1 million, now this figure has significantly decreased. According to 2006 data, only 77 thousand people live in the city.

Until the beginning of the Hellenistic era, the city was considered the largest spiritual center. According to legend, it was there that Zarathustra, the founder of Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest religious teachings in the world, was born.

In 1933, Balkh became one of the 3 Afghan cities where Jews were allowed to live. It was forbidden to leave the settlement without urgent need. A kind of Jewish ghetto was formed here because the representatives of this people preferred to settle separately from the rest. As of 2000, the Jewish community in the city has disintegrated.

Attractions:

• Tomb of Khoja Parsa;
• Madrassah of Said Subkhankulikhan;
• Grave of Robiai Balkhi;
• Masjidi Nuh Gumbad.

Interesting facts about the city:

• In 1220, Balkh was destroyed by Genghis Khan and lay in ruins for almost a century and a half.
• The first Jewish community in the city was founded in 568 BC. e., there, as the legend says, the Jews expelled from Jerusalem settled.
• The main local attraction, the Green Mosque or the Tomb of Khoja Parsa, was built in the 15th century.

Currently, this settlement is considered a major center of the textile industry.

Luxor

Luxor is a city located in Upper Egypt. Part of it lies on the east bank of the Nile. It was known as "Uaset" in the ancient world. It occupies a place where, according to historical data, the capital of Ancient Egypt, Thebes, was located. Five centuries have passed since its foundation. It is considered the largest open-air museum, therefore it is currently a tourist center.

Luxor is conditionally divided into two districts - the "City of the Living" and the "City of the Dead". Most of the people live in the first region, in the second, due to the huge number of historical monuments, there are practically no settlements.

According to 2012 data, the population of Luxor is 506 thousand people. Almost all of them are Arabs by nationality.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• in 1997, members of the Islamist group Al-Gamaa-Al-Islamiya staged the so-called Luxor massacre in the city, during which 62 tourists died;
• in summer the temperature reaches + 50 °C in the shade;
• at one time the city was called "the hundred gates of Thebes".

Now Luxor receives the main income from tourists.

El Fayoum

El Faiyum is a city in Middle Egypt. Located in the oasis of the same name. Around it lies the Libyan desert. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the city was founded more in the 4th century. BC e. Its modern name comes from the Coptic language and means "lake" in translation.

The city was the administrative center in ancient Egypt. At that time, he bore the name Shedet, which literally translates as "sea." The settlement got its name due to the fact that on its territory there was an artificial lake Merida, in the waters of which crocodiles were bred to honor the Egyptian god Sebek.

In historical documents, the city is also found under the name Crocodilopolis.

At present, the population of El Faiyum is about 13 thousand people. The city is an agricultural center. Olives, grapes, sugarcane, dates, rice, corn are grown on its fields. Also here are engaged in the production of rose oil.

The city's attractions:

Interesting El Fayoum Facts:

• the national symbol of the province in which the city is located - 4 water wheels;
• the Catholic Church currently believes that it has no power over the city, although it was once a religious center;
• Merida Lake was dug almost 4 centuries ago.

It was in El Faiyum that funeral portraits dated to the 1st-3rd centuries were first found. In honor of the city, they received the name "Fayum".

The most ancient cities in Europe

The oldest city in the world, if we consider its European part, is Athens. Its name is known to every person. But there are other ancient settlements in Europe, for example, Mantua and Plovdiv, which are far from being so famous.

Athens

Athens is one of the most famous and oldest cities in Greece, the capital of the state. It was founded around the 7th century. BC e. The first written monuments that were discovered there date back to 1600 BC. e., but it is known for certain that people lived in Athens long before that time.

The name of the settlement was in honor of its patroness - the goddess of war and wisdom Athena. In the 5th century BC e. it became a city-state. It was there that the model of a democratic society first appeared, which is still considered ideal.

In Athens, such famous philosophers and writers as Sophocles, Aristotle, Socrates, Euripides, Plato were born. The ideas highlighted in their works are relevant to this day.

As of 2011, the population in Athens reached 3 million people, which is about a third of the total population of Greece.

The city center, where the Athenian Acropolis was once located, is now a favorite tourist destination. Most of the ancient buildings were wiped off the face of the earth by time and wars, and modern multi-storey buildings were built in their place. One of the largest European higher educational institutions, the Athens Polytechnic University, is located here.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• the most popular sports in Athens are basketball and football;
• in Greek the city is called "Athena", not "Athens";
• the settlement is considered the birthplace of the theater.

Now in the capital of Greece there are many museums where you can get acquainted with the unique monuments of fine art dating back to the 2nd-3rd centuries. BC e.

Mantua

Mantua is an Italian city founded in the 6th century. BC e. It is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the Mincio River, which is rather unusual, as builders usually try to avoid swampy areas.

For a long time, Mantua was considered the city of art. It was here that the famous artist Rubens began his career - the author of the paintings "The Entombment", "Hercules and Omphala", "Exaltation of the Cross". In the XVII-XVIII centuries. From the haven of cultural figures, the city was re-qualified into an impregnable bastion.

The population of Mantua, according to 2004 data, amounted to 48 thousand people. Currently, the city is a tourist center, as it has preserved many architectural monuments from different centuries.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• in one of the suburbs of Mantua, Virgil was born - the creator of the Aeneid, one of the most famous ancient Roman poets;
• in 1739 Charles de Brosse, a French historian, wrote that the city could only be approached from one side, as it was surrounded by swamps;
• The historic center of Mantua is a World Heritage Site.

The patron saint of the city is Saint Anselm, who was not officially canonized. His memorial day falls on March 18. At the same time, residents celebrate City Day.

Plovdiv

The oldest city in the world, located on the territory of modern Europe, according to historian Dennis Rodwell, is Plovdiv. Now it is considered the second largest in Bulgaria. Once the city bore the names "Filippopolis" and "Filibe". The first settlements on its territory appeared in the VI century. BC e., during the Neolithic period.

At the beginning of World War II, the city took a central place in organizing support for the union of the USSR and Bulgaria. In 1941, the city was occupied by the Germans, as Bulgaria entered into an alliance with Germany. However, the resistance of the inhabitants was not completely suppressed. A reconnaissance group was operating in the city, in February 1943 it was defeated.

Currently, Plovdiv is the second most populated city in Bulgaria. 367 thousand people live in it. The city has a developed industry: agricultural, food and flavoring, clothing, non-ferrous metallurgy. It also houses the only factory in the country that produces cigarette filters and paper.

Attractions:

Interesting facts:

• in Plovdiv there is a whole street with workshops that belong to hereditary artisans;
• annually the International Plovdiv Fair is held here, which is popular throughout Europe;
• Bulgarian astronomer, Violetta Ivanova, discovered an asteroid, which she named after the city.

Every year Plovdiv hosts an international boxing championship.

The oldest cities in the Middle East

In the Middle East, there are two settlements at once that claim to be the oldest city in the world - Byblos and Jericho.

bible

Byblos is an ancient Phoenician city, which is located on the territory of modern Lebanon, not far from the Mediterranean Sea. It is currently called "Jbeil".

Historical finds indicate that Byblos was already inhabited in the 7th century. BC e., during the Neolithic period. But the city was recognized only after 4 centuries. And the ancient era was considered the oldest settlement, but now its status is controversial.

The oldest city in the world, according to some scientists, Byblos is located on a well-protected hill, around which there is a lot of fertile soil, so this place was inhabited in the Neolithic era. But, for some unknown reason, by the arrival of the Phoenicians in the 4th century. BC e. there were no more inhabitants left, so the new arrivals did not have to fight for territory.

In the ancient world, the specialty of the city was the trade in papyrus. From its name came the words "byblos" (translated as "papyrus") and "bible" (translated as "book").

Currently, only 3 thousand people live in Byblos. Most of them adhere to Catholic and Muslim religious views. The city is one of the main tourist centers of Lebanon.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• the biblical alphabet has not yet been deciphered, since there are too few inscriptions on it, and there are no analogues in the world;
• the Egyptian language was official in the city for a long time;
• Egyptian myths say that it was in Byblos that the goddess Isis found the body of Osiris in a wooden box.

The city is located 32 km. from the current capital of Lebanon - Beirut.

Jericho

The oldest city in the world, according to most scientists, is Jericho. The first traces of habitation that were found there date back to the 9th century. BC e. The oldest city fortifications that have been discovered were built at the end of the 7th century. BC e.

Jericho is located on the territory of modern Palestine, in the region of the western bank of the Jordan River. It is repeatedly mentioned in the Bible, not only under its original name, but also as the "city of palm trees."

In the middle of the XIX century. on a hill near the Jordan River, excavations began, the purpose of which was to search for the ancient remains of Jericho. The first attempts did not give any results. But at the beginning of the 20th century, the hill was completely excavated.

It turned out that layers of architectural structures belonging to 7 different time periods lay in its depths. After repeated destruction, the city gradually moved to the south, which is why this phenomenon arose. The population of modern Jericho is only 20 thousand inhabitants.

The city, which is considered the oldest in the world, has been closed to the public since 2000, after armed uprisings in Palestine. In exceptional cases, the heads of the Israeli army gives tourists the go-ahead to visit.

Attractions:

• ruins of ancient Jericho;
• Forty Day Mountain;
• tree of Zacchaeus.

Interesting Facts:

• in Hebrew, the name of the city sounds like "Yeriho", and in Arabic - "Eriha";
• this is one of the oldest settlements in which people lived continuously;
• Jericho is mentioned not only in the Bible, but also in the works of Flavius, Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny - they are all ancient Roman writers and scientists.

Supporters of the separation of the concepts of "city" and "urban settlement" believe that only Damascus, the capital of modern Syria, can compete with Jericho in age.

What is the oldest city in Russia?

Until 2014, Derbent, located in the southern part of the Republic of Dagestan, was considered the most ancient city in Russia. The first mention of a settlement on its territory dates back to the 6th century. BC e. The city itself was founded in the 5th century. n. e.

In 2017, after the annexation of the Crimean peninsula, Kerch was considered the oldest city in Russia. On its territory, sites dating back to the 8th century were discovered. BC e. The first settlement appeared in the 7th century. BC e. And the city itself was founded around the III century. BC e.

For the first time, Kerch became part of the Russian Empire at the end of the 8th century. as a result of the Russian-Turkish war. At that time, there was an active mining of shells and limestone for construction needs. By the beginning of the XX century. iron ore deposits were discovered under the city, which played a big role in the economic development of the city.

Currently, the population of Kerch is 150 thousand people. Tourists often come to the city, as it is located at the junction of the Azov and Black Seas. Also, the city continues to be one of the largest shipbuilding and metal foundry centers.

Attractions:

• Royal mound;
• Tiritaka;
• Yeni-Kale fortress;
• Merimekey;
• Nymphaeum.

Interesting Facts:

Although the title of the oldest city in the world is difficult to award to only one locality, scientists were able to identify several leaders: Jericho, Byblos and Damascus.

The leading position is currently occupied by Jericho, but other cities deserve no less interest.

Article formatting: Vladimir the Great

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