The most ancient cities in the world - some of them disappeared from the face of the earth forever, only ruins and memories remained from them. And there are settlements whose names have paved a long way in history and have come down to our days. Their streets are full of architectural landmarks, magnificent in their beauty and monumentality, looking at which you are mentally transported back into the depths of centuries.
Jericho is the oldest city in the world
The Judean Hills rise on the West Bank of the Jordan River. At their foot at the mouth of the river flowing into the Dead Sea, the ancient city in the world - Jericho. On its territory, archaeologists have discovered fragments of ancient buildings dating back to 9500 BC. e.
The history of this settlement was described in the Old Testament. It is also mentioned in Roman chronicles. There is a legend that Jericho was brought as a gift to Cleopatra by Mark Antony. But the magnificent buildings in this city were built by King Herod, who received rule over this city from the emperor Augustus of Rome. It was in his era that many monuments of ancient architecture appeared that have survived in this city to this day.
There are records that the Christian church appeared in Jericho in the first century AD. The constant raids of the Bedouins and the enmity of the Muslims with the knights led to the decline of the city by the 9th century. AD In the 19th century, the Turks destroyed the once prosperous center of the ancient world, Jericho.
Only in 1920, the most ancient city in the world, Jericho, received its second life. It began to be populated by Arabs. Now about 20,000 people permanently live in it.
The main attraction is the Tel es-Sultan hill, on which rises a tower dating back to the 6000s. BC.
Now in Jericho, a disputed land between Palestine and Israel, there are constant hostilities. For this reason, the beauties of this place are hidden from tourists. At least, the governments of many countries do not recommend their citizens to visit it.
Notable surviving cities of antiquity
Over the centuries, civilizations have developed, cities have appeared. Some of them were destroyed as a result of wars or natural disasters. A few of the most ancient cities in the world that have survived the change of eras can still be visited today:
On earth, which are named as the most ancient cities in the world. Many of them are being destroyed even today, despite the establishment of special protection regimes by the international organization UNESCO.
Ancient cities amaze with their grandeur: our history was born and unfolded in them. And although most of the ancient cities have not survived to our time, there are a few that we can see today. Some of these cities are small, while others are huge. This list contains cities that have not only survived to this day, but continue to function. Each city is photographed at sunrise and sunset. In addition, in some photographs you can find the sights of these places.
10. Plovdiv
Founded: before 400 BC
Plovdiv is located in present-day Bulgaria. It was founded by the Thracians and was originally called Eumolpias. It was conquered by the Macedonians and eventually became part of present-day Bulgaria. It is the second largest and most important city in Bulgaria after the capital Sofia, which is about 150 kilometers away.
9. Jerusalem
Founded: 2000 BC 
Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world and is considered the holy city of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. It is the capital of Israel (although not all countries recognize this fact). In ancient times it was the famous city of David from the Bible, and then the place where Jesus spent his last week of life.
8. Xi'an
Founded: 1100 BC 
One of the four great ancient capitals of China, Xi'an is now the capital of Shaanxi Province. The city is full of ancient ruins, monuments, and it still has an ancient wall built during the Ming Dynasty - pictured below. It also houses the tombs of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who is best known for his terracotta army.
7. Cholula
Founded: 500 BC 
Cholula is located in the Mexican state of Puebla, which was founded before the arrival of Columbus to the shores of America. Its most famous landmark is the Great Pyramid of Cholula, which now looks like a hill with a church on top. However, in reality, the hill is the base of the pyramid. The pyramid temple is the largest in the new world.
6. Varanasi
Founded: 1200 BC 
Varanasi (also known as Benares) is located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Jains and Hindus consider it a holy city and believe that if a person dies there, he will be saved. It is the oldest inhabited city in India and one of the oldest in the world. Along the Ganges River, you can find many holes - these are stops on the way of believers, in which they perform religious ablutions.
5. Lisbon
Founded: 1200 BC 
Lisbon is the largest city and capital of Portugal. It is the oldest city in Western Europe - much older than London, Rome, and similar cities. Religious and funerary monuments have been preserved there since the Neolithic era, and archaeological evidence also indicates that it was once an important trading city for the Phoenicians. In 1755, the city suffered a devastating earthquake, which almost completely destroyed it due to fires and tsunamis - this earthquake was one of the deadliest in history.
4. Athens
Founded: 1400 BC 
Athens is the capital of Greece and also the largest city. Its 3,400 year history is eventful, and due to Athenian dominance of the region as a vast city-state, much of the culture and customs of the ancient Athenians found their way into many other cultures. The many archaeological sites make Athens an ideal city to visit for those with an interest in European history and culture.
3. Damascus
Founded: 1700 BC 
Damascus is the capital of Syria and more than 2.6 million people live here. Unfortunately, however, recent civil uprisings have caused considerable damage to one of the most significant and ancient cities in history. Damascus was included in the top 12 cultural heritage sites that are in danger of being destroyed or in danger of being irreparably damaged. Only time will tell if this ancient city can survive, or whether it will go down in history as one of the ancient lost cities in the world.
2. Rome
Founded: 753 BC 
Initially, Rome was a collection of small urban-type settlements. However, it eventually became a city-state, ruling over one of the greatest empires in human history. The period of existence of the Roman Empire (which grew from the Roman Republic) was relatively short - it was founded in 27 BC. its first emperor, Augustus, and the last, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed in 476 (although the Eastern Roman Empire lasted another 977 years).
1. Istanbul
Founded: 660 BC 
As noted above, the Eastern Roman Empire, with its capital in the city of Constantinople - now known as Istanbul, continued to exist until 1453. Constantinople was captured by the Turks, who founded the Ottoman Empire in its place. The Ottoman Empire lasted until 1923, when the Republic of Turkey was established and the Sultanate was abolished. To this day, both Roman and Ottoman artifacts can be seen in Istanbul, the most significant of which is probably the Hagia Sophia. Initially, it was a church, then it was converted into a mosque by the Islamic Ottomans, and with the formation of the republic it became a museum.
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" - "reah". 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 flourishing oasis with plenty of 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 Yakut 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 well 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.
In the course of the development of civilization, people united their scattered dwellings. This is how cities were born. History erected great settlements and just as ruthlessly wiped them off the face of the Earth. Only a few cities have been able to go through the centuries, having endured all the blows of fate. The walls stood in the sun and rain, they saw how the ages came and went.
These cities became silent witnesses of how our civilization was reborn and fell into decay. Today, not all the great cities of the past continue to give shelter to people, many simply lie in ruins or have completely disappeared from the face of the Earth.
The British newspaper "The Guardian" has chosen the 15 most ancient cities in the world, each of which has its own unique architecture and unusual history. These places have such an ancient history that only approximate dates can be given, historians are arguing around them. So where does a person live continuously the longest?
Jericho, Palestinian Territories. This settlement appeared here 11 thousand years ago. This is the oldest residential city in the world, which was repeatedly mentioned in the Bible. Jericho is also known in ancient texts as the "city of palm trees". Archaeologists have found here the remains of 20 successive settlements, which made it possible to determine the venerable age of the city. The city is located near the Jordan River, on the western bank. Even today, about 20 thousand people live here. And the ruins of ancient Jericho are located west of the center of the modern city. Archaeologists have been able to find here the remains of a large tower from the pre-ceramic Neolithic period (8400-7300 BC). Jericho keeps burials of the Chalcolithic period, city walls from the Bronze Age. Perhaps it was they who fell from the loud trumpets of the Israelites, giving rise to the phrase "Jericho trumpets." In the city you can find the ruins of the winter palace-residence of King Herod the Great with swimming pools, baths, lavishly decorated halls. The mosaic on the floor of the synagogue dating back to the 5th-6th centuries has also been preserved here. And at the foot of the Tel-as-Sultan hill is the source of the prophet Elisha. Historians believe that the hills adjacent to Jericho hide many archaeological treasures comparable to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.
Byblos, Lebanon. The settlement in this place is already about 7 thousand years old. The city of Gebal, mentioned in the Bible, was founded by the Phoenicians. His other name, Byblos (Byblos), he received from the Greeks. The fact is that the city supplied them with papyrus, which was called “byblos” in Greek. The city has been known since the 4th millennium BC. Byblos became famous for its temples of Baal, the cult of the god Adonis was born here. It was from here that it spread to the territory of Greece. The ancient Egyptians wrote that it was in this city that Isis found the body of Osiris in a wooden box. The main tourist attractions of the city are the ancient Phoenician temples, the temple of St. John the Baptist, built by the Crusaders in the XII century, the city castle and the remains of the city wall. Now here, 32 kilometers from Beirut, is the Arab city of Jbeil.
Aleppo, Syria. Archaeologists believe that people settled here in 4300 BC. Today this city is the most populated in Syria, the number of inhabitants in it is approaching 4 million. Previously, it was known under the names Halpe or Khalibon. For many centuries, Aleppo was the third largest city in the Ottoman Empire, second only to Constantinople and Cairo. The origin of the city's name is not entirely clear. Presumably "haleb" means copper or iron. The fact is that in ancient times there was a large center for their production. In Aramaic, "halaba" means "white", which is associated with the color of the soil in this area and the abundance of marble rocks. And Aleppo got its current name from the Italians, who visited here with the Crusades. Ancient Aleppo is evidenced by Hittite inscriptions, Mari inscriptions in the Euphrates, in central Anatolia and in the city of Ebla. These ancient texts speak of the city as an important military and commercial center. For the Hittites, Aleppo was of particular importance, as it was the center of worship for the weather god. Economically, the city has always been an important place. The Great Silk Road passed here. Aleppo has always been a tidbit for invaders - it belonged to the Greeks, Persians, Assyrians, Romans, Arabs, Turks and even the Mongols. It was here that the great Tamerlane ordered the erection of a tower of 20,000 skulls. With the opening of the Suez Canal, Aleppo's role as a trading center has become smaller. Currently, this city is experiencing a renaissance, it is one of the most beautiful places in the Middle East.
Damascus, Syria. Many believe. That Damascus is worthy of the title of the oldest city in the world. Although there is an opinion that people lived here 12 thousand years ago, another date of settlement looks more truthful - 4300 BC. The medieval Arab historian Ibn Asakir in XII claimed that after the Flood, the Damascus Wall was the first wall erected. He attributed the birth of the city to the 4th millennium BC. The first historical evidence of Damascus dates back to the 15th century BC. Then the city was under the rule of Egypt and its pharaohs. Later, Damascus was part of Assyria, the Neo-Babylonian kingdom, Persia, the empire of Alexander the Great, and after his death, it was part of the Hellenistic kingdom of the Seleucids. The heyday of the city fell on the era of the Arameans. They created a whole network of water channels in the city, which today are the basis of the modern water supply networks of Damascus. The urban agglomeration today has 2.5 million people. In 2008, Damascus was recognized as the cultural capital of the Arab world.
Susa, Iran. The settlement in this place is already 6200 years old. And the first traces of a man in Susa date back to 7000 BC. The city is located on the territory of the modern province of Khuzestan, in Iran. Susa entered the history as the capital of the ancient state of Elam. The Sumerians wrote about the city in their early documents. Thus, the works “Enmerkar and the Ruler of Aratta” say that Susa was dedicated to the deity Inanna, the patroness of Uruk. There are numerous references to the ancient city in the Old Testament, especially often its name is found in the Scriptures. The prophets Daniel and Nehemiah lived here during the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BC, in the city Esther became a queen and saved from persecution by a Jew. The state of the Elamites ceased to exist with the victories of Ashurbanipal, Susa itself was plundered, which happened far from the first time. The son of Cyrus the Great made Susa the capital of the Persian kingdom. However, this state also ceased to exist, thanks to Alexander the Great. The city has lost its former significance. Muslims and Mongols later walked along Susa with destruction, as a result, life in it barely flickered. Today the city is called Shusha, about 65 thousand people live in it.
Faiyum, Egypt. This city has a history of 6 millennia. It is located southwest of Cairo, in the oasis of the same name, occupying part of Crocodilopolis. In this ancient place, the Egyptians worshiped the sacred Sebek, the crocodile god. The pharaohs of the 12th dynasty liked to visit Faiyum, then the city was called Shedit. This fact follows from the remains of funerary pyramids and temples found by Flinders Petrie. Faiyum was home to the famous Labyrinth described by Herodotus. Quite a lot of archaeological finds have been found in this area. But world fame went to the Fayum drawings. They were made using the technique of enacaustics and were funerary portraits from the time of Roman Egypt. Currently, the population of the city of El Faiyum is more than 300 thousand people.
Sidon, Lebanon. People founded their first settlement here in 4000 BC. Sidon is located 25 kilometers south of Beirut on the Mediterranean coast. This city was one of the most significant and oldest Phoenician cities. It was he who was the heart of that empire. In the X-IX centuries BC. Sidon was the largest trading center of that world. In the Bible, he was called "the firstborn of Canaan", the brother of the Amorite and the Hittite. It is believed that both Jesus and the apostle Paul visited Sidon. And in 333 BC. The city was captured by Alexander the Great. Today the city is called Saida and is inhabited by Shiite and Sunni Muslims. It is the third largest city in Lebanon with a population of 200,000 people.
Plovdiv, Bulgaria. This city also arose in 4000 BC. Today it is the second largest in Bulgaria and one of the oldest in Europe. Even Athens, Rome, Carthage and Constantinople are younger than Plovdiv. The Roman historian Ammian Marcellinus said that the Thracians gave the first name to this settlement - Evmolpiada. In 342 BC. the city was conquered by Philip II of Macedon, the father of the legendary conqueror. In honor of himself, the king named the settlement Philippopolis, while the Thracians pronounced this word as Pulpudeva. Since the 6th century, Slavic tribes began to control the city. In 815, he became part of the First Bulgarian Kingdom under the name Pyldin. For the next few centuries, these lands changed hands from the Bulgarians to the Byzantines, until the Ottoman Turks captured it for a long time. Crusaders came to Plovdiv four times and plundered the city. Nowadays the city is an important cultural center. There are many ruins here, testifying to a rich history. The Roman aqueduct and amphitheater, as well as the Ottoman baths, stand out here. About 370 thousand people now live in Plovdiv.
Gaziantep, Turkey. This settlement appeared around 3650 BC. It is located in the south of Turkey, near the Syrian border. Gaziantep takes its history from the time of the Hittites. Until February 1921, the city was called Antep, and the Turkish parliament gave the prefix Gazi to the inhabitants for their merits during the battles for the country's independence. Today, more than 800 thousand people live here. Gaziantep is one of the most important ancient centers in the southeast of Anatolia. This city lies between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia. Here the roads between the south, north, west and east intersected, and the Great Silk Road passed. Until now, in Gaziantep you can find historical relics from the times of the Assyrians, the Hittites, the era of Alexander the Great. With the rise of the Ottoman Empire, the city also experienced prosperity.
Beirut, Lebanon. In Beirut, people began to live 3 thousand years before the birth of Christ. Today this city is the capital of Lebanon, the economic, cultural and administrative center of the country. And the Phoenicians founded Lebanon, choosing rocky land in the middle of the Mediterranean coast of the modern territory of Lebanon. It is believed that the name of the city comes from the word "birot", meaning "well". For a long time, Beirut remained in the background in the region, behind more significant neighbors - Tire and Sidon. It was not until the era of the Roman Empire that the city became influential. There was a famous legal school here, which developed the basic postulates of the Code of Justinian. Over time, this document will become the basis of the European system of law. In 635, the Arabs occupied Beirut, incorporating the city into the Arab Caliphate. In 1100, the Crusaders captured the city, and in 1516, the Turks. Until 1918, Beirut was part of the Ottoman Empire. In the last century, the city with a glorious history has become an important cultural, financial and intellectual center in the Eastern Mediterranean. And since 1941, Beirut has become the capital of a new independent state - the Lebanese Republic.
Jerusalem, Israel/Palestinian Territories. This great city without a doubt was founded in 2800 BC. Jerusalem was able to become both the spiritual center of the Jewish people and the third holy city of Islam. The city has a large number of important religious sites, including the Wailing Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher al-Aqsa. It is not surprising that Jerusalem was constantly trying to conquer. As a result, the history of the city has 23 sieges, 52 attacks. It was captured 44 times and destroyed 2 times. The ancient city lies on the watershed between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, in the spurs of the Judean Mountains at an altitude of 650-840 meters above sea level. The first settlements in this area date back to the 4th millennium BC. In the Old Testament, Jerusalem is spoken of as the capital of the Jebusites. This population lived in Judea even before the Jews. It was they who founded the city, populating it initially. There is also a mention of Jerusalem on Egyptian figurines of the 20th-19th centuries BC. There, among the curses against hostile cities, Rushalimum was also mentioned. In the XI century BC. Jerusalem was occupied by the Jews, who proclaimed it the capital of the kingdom of Israel, and from the 10th century BC. - Jewish. After 400 years, the city was captured by Babylon, then it was ruled by the Persian Empire. Jerusalem changed owners many times - they were Romans, Arabs, Egyptians, Crusaders. From 1517 to 1917 the city was part of the Ottoman Empire, after which it came under the jurisdiction of Great Britain. Now Jerusalem with a population of 800 thousand people is the capital of Israel.
Tire, Lebanon. This city was founded in 2750 BC. Tire was a famous Phoenician city, a major trading center. The date of its foundation was named by Herodotus himself. And there was a settlement on the territory of modern Lebanon. In 332 B.C. Tire was taken by the troops of Alexander the Great, this required a seven-month siege. From 64 BC Tire became a Roman province. It is believed that the apostle Paul lived here for some time. In the Middle Ages, Tire was known as one of the most impregnable fortresses in the Middle East. It was in this city that Frederick Barbarossa, King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor, was buried in 1190. Now, on the site of a great ancient settlement, there is a small town of Sur. It no longer has any special significance; trade began to be conducted through Beirut.
Erbil, Iraq. This settlement is already 4300 years old. It is located north of the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Erbil is the capital of the Iraqi unrecognized state of Kurdistan. This city throughout its history belonged to different peoples - Assyrians, Persians, Sassanids, Arabs and Turks. Archaeological studies have confirmed that people have lived in this area without a break for more than 6 thousand years. The most eloquent evidence of this is the hill of the Citadel. It is the remains of former settlements. There was a wall around it, which was created in pre-Islamic times. When Erbil was under the rule of the Persians, Greek sources called it Hawler or Arbela. The Royal Road passed through it, which went from the very center of the Persian center to the coast of the Aegean Sea. Erbil was also a transit point on the Great Silk Road. Until now, the ancient city citadel, 26 meters high, is visible from afar.
Kirkuk, Iraq. This city appeared in 2200 BC. It is located 250 kilometers north of Baghdad. Kirkuk is located on the site of the ancient Hurrian and Assyrian capital of Arrapha. The city had an important strategic position, so three empires fought for it at once - Babylon, Assyria and Media. It was they who shared control over Kirkuk for a long time. Even today, there are still ruins that are 4,000 years old. The modern city, thanks to its proximity to the richest field, has become the oil capital of Iraq. About a million people live here today.
Balkh, Afghanistan. This ancient city appeared around the 15th century BC. Balkh became the first large settlement that the Indo-Aryans created during their transition from the Amu Darya. This city became a large and traditional center of Zoroastrianism, it is believed that it was here that Zarathustra was born. In late antiquity, Balkh became an important center for the Hinayana. Historians said that in the 7th century there were more than a hundred Buddhist monasteries in the city, only 30 thousand monks lived in them alone. The largest temple was Navbahar, its name in Sanskrit means "new monastery". There was a huge Buddha statue there. In 645, the city was first captured by the Arabs. However, after the robbery, they left Balkh. In 715, the Arabs returned here, having already settled in the city for a long time. The further history of Balkh knew the arrival of the Mongols and Timur, nevertheless, even Marco Polo, describing the city, called it "great and worthy." In the XVI-XIX centuries, the Persians, the Bukhara Khanate and the Afghans fought for Balkh. Bloody wars ended only with the transfer of the city under the authority of the Afghan Emir in 1850. Today this place is considered the center of the cotton industry, leather is well dressed here, getting "Persian sheepskin". And 77 thousand people live in the city.
Cities are like people: they are born, live and die. But they can be thousands of years old. But, like people, not everyone achieves success. Some cities that were previously large settlements degenerate into tiny villages, others become completely deserted. But sometimes they are lucky, and for thousands of years they remain real active cities. And the most ancient cities have been inhabited not even for hundreds, but for thousands of years.
Surely you have heard about the city of Jericho, its walls and pipes that destroyed them. About the war of Joshua with this city, during which he massacred all the inhabitants, except for one family. In the Bible, this settlement is mentioned many times in general, it is not surprising that many consider this city to be exceptionally legendary.
But it really exists, and it is the oldest city in the world. It became a large settlement around the third millennium BC, that is, for more than 50,000 years people have been constantly living in it. It was a periodic stop even longer, from about the ninth millennium BC, that is, another 6000 years. Today it is the capital of one of the provinces in the Palestinian territory.
During this time, the city has seen everything: the emergence and collapse of civilizations, the emergence of new religions and the death of old ones, new inventions and breakthroughs ... If stones could talk, then Jericho would become a better history teacher. But, alas, they are silent ...
If Damascus is younger than Jericho, then not much - only 500 years. The first mention of it as a city dates back to the 2500s BC. But as a settlement, it appeared much earlier - 10-11 thousand years ago. Today it has become the capital of Syria, despite being the second largest. But this does not prevent him from being the cultural capital of the Promised Land. In addition, it is considered one of the objects of cultural heritage and is listed by UNESCO as being in danger of destruction.
Closes the top three most ancient cities in the world Bibl. Despite the fact that the city still lives and lives on the same place, it has a different name - Jbeil. However, Byblos (or Byblos) he was always called by foreigners. Through this major port, they exported many goods, including papyrus. Therefore, its Greek name, like the word "book" itself, came from this particular settlement.
This settlement appeared about four thousand years ago.
Today, this Lebanese city belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, because it is practically a monument of history and architecture.
Susa
This Iranian city is rightfully considered one of the oldest on earth, it appeared about 7 thousand years ago, becoming a place of permanent settlement for a fairly large number of people. He remains to this day. Susa saw dozens of civilizations, more than once was the capital of states. Now it is a relatively small settlement, in which about 60-70 thousand people live, mainly Persian Jews and Shiite Arabs.
Derbent is the most ancient city in Russia. This historical monument is located in Dagestan. Its name is translated as “closed gates”, which is not accidental - it has become a kind of Caspian gate (it is located on a narrow passage between the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian Sea). It is not surprising that an active city has grown and constantly existed on this site. According to official versions, it appeared about six thousand years ago, in the Bronze Age.
saithe
Lebanon is generally lucky with ancient cities, and Saida is one of them. As historical studies show, it appeared as a city about 4000 thousand years BC. But archaeologists say that people periodically appeared on its territory long before that, already in the tenth millennium BC. In the Bible, he was called "the firstborn of Canaan", alluding to his antiquity. Historians, however, argue that it was from this city that the culture of Phoenicia grew - one of the largest civilizations of the ancient world.
Faiyum
The Egyptian civilization is considered one of the oldest, but the city related to it appeared on our list just now. On the other hand, it is difficult to talk about the age of such cities, because there are no exact datings, there are only approximate data. So the foundation of the Faiyum is attributed to the same fourth millennium BC as Saidu, and it is rather difficult to say which of them is older. It is located in the Egyptian region under the funny name Crocodilopolis, which appeared because of the cult of the god with a crocodile head - Petsuhos.
Bulgaria boasts more than one ancient city, but Plovdiv is one of them. It is a kind of contemporary of the already mentioned Faiyum and Saida, the fourth millennium BC turned out to be quite productive. Now it has become the second largest settlement in Bulgaria and a major cultural center. History and architecture are especially flourishing in it, which is not surprising, given the number of picturesque ruins and ancient buildings.
We hope that after reading this article, you have a better idea of which city in the world appeared first. At the same time, it is worth noting that today we talked about those settlements that remain active from the moment they appeared to the present day. After all, a city remains a city as long as people live in it, without them it becomes ruins.
