The oldest city on earth. The most ancient cities

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.

Many ancient cities claim the right to be called the first city of the Earth. We will talk about the two oldest and most ancient cities, according to archaeologists and historians. These two cities are Jericho and Hamukar. These cities existed thousands of years ago.

Jericho

First of all, the definition of "the oldest city" refers to Jericho - an oasis near the place where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea. The city of Jericho, widely known from the Bible, is located here - the very one whose walls once fell from the sound of the trumpets of Joshua.

According to biblical tradition, the Israelites began the conquest of Canaan from Jericho, and after the death of Moses, under the leadership of Joshua, they crossed the Jordan and stood at the walls of this city. The townspeople, who took refuge behind the walls of the city, were convinced that the city was impregnable. But the Israelis used an extraordinary military stratagem. They circled the city walls in a silent crowd six times, and on the seventh they shouted in unison and blew their trumpets, so loudly that the formidable walls collapsed. Hence the expression "Jericho Trumpet".

Jericho is fed by water from the powerful spring of Ain es-Sultan ( "Source of the Sultan"), to which the city owes its origin. The Arabs call the name of this source a hill north of modern Jericho - Tell es-Sultan ( Sultan Mountain). Already at the end of the 19th century, it attracted the attention of archaeologists and is still considered one of the most important sites of archaeological finds of objects from the early historical period.

In 1907 and 1908, a group of German and Austrian researchers, led by professors Ernst Sellin and Karl Watzinger, began excavations for the first time at Mount Sultana. They came across two parallel fortified walls built of sun-dried bricks. The outer wall had a thickness of 2 m and a height of 8-10 m, and the thickness of the inner wall reached 3.5 m.

Archaeologists have determined that these walls were built between 1400 and 1200 BC. It is understandable that they were quickly identified with the walls that the Bible says were torn down by the mighty trumpets of the Israelite tribes. However, during the excavations, archaeologists came across the remains of construction debris, which was of even greater interest to science than the finds that confirmed the Bible's information about the war. But the first World War suspended further research.

More than twenty years passed before a group of Englishmen, under the guidance of Professor John Garstang, were able to continue their research. New excavations began in 1929 and continued for about ten years.

In 1935-1936, Garstang came across the lowest layers of the Stone Age settlements.

He discovered a cultural layer older than the 5th millennium BC, dating back to the time when people did not yet know pottery. But the people of this era already led a sedentary lifestyle.

The work of the Garstang expedition was interrupted due to the difficult political situation. And only after the end of World War II did English archaeologists return to Jericho again. This time the expedition was led by Dr. Kathleen M. Canyon, whose activities are associated with all further discoveries in this ancient city of the world. To participate in the excavations, the British invited German anthropologists who had been working in Jericho for several years.

In 1953, archaeologists led by Kathleen Canyon made an outstanding discovery that completely changed our understanding of the early history of mankind. The researchers made their way through 40 (!) Cultural layers and found structures of the Neolithic period with huge buildings dating back to the time when, it would seem, only nomadic tribes should have lived on Earth, earning their livelihood by hunting and gathering plants and fruits. The results of the excavations showed that about 10 thousand years ago, a qualitative leap was made in the eastern Mediterranean, associated with the transition to the artificial cultivation of cereals. This led to drastic changes in culture and lifestyle.

The discovery of early agricultural Jericho became an archeological sensation in the 1950s. Systematic excavations have unearthed a number of successive layers, united in two complexes - pre-ceramic Neolithic A (VIII millennium BC) and pre-ceramic Neolithic B (VII millennium BC).

Today, Jericho A is considered the first urban-type settlement discovered in the Old World. Here are found the earliest known to science buildings of a permanent type, burial places and sanctuaries, built of earth or small rounded unbaked bricks.

The pre-ceramic Neolithic A settlement occupied an area of ​​about 4 hectares and was surrounded by a powerful defensive wall made of stone. A massive round stone tower adjoined it. Initially, the researchers assumed that this was the tower of the fortress wall. But obviously, it was a special-purpose building that combined many functions, including the function of a guard post to control the surroundings.

Under the protection of a stone wall were round, tent-like houses on stone foundations with walls made of mud brick, one surface of which was convex (this type of brick is called "pig's back"). In order to more accurately determine the age of these structures, the latest scientific methods were applied, for example, the radiocarbon (radiocarbon) method.

Atomic physicists in the study of isotopes found that it is possible to determine the age of objects by the ratio of radioactive and stable isotopes of carbon. By sounding, it was found that the most ancient walls of this city belong to the VIII millennium, that is, their age is about 10 thousand years. The sanctuary discovered as a result of excavations had an even more ancient age - 9551 BC.

There is no doubt that Jericho A, with its sedentary population and developed construction business, was one of the first early agricultural settlements on Earth. Based on many years of research conducted here, historians have received a completely new picture of the development and technical capabilities that mankind had 10 thousand years ago.

The transformation of Jericho from a small primitive settlement with miserable huts and huts into a real city with an area of ​​at least 3 hectares and a population of more than 2,000 people is associated with the transition of the local population from a simple gathering of edible cereals to agriculture - growing wheat and barley. At the same time, the researchers found that this revolutionary step was not taken as a result of some kind of introduction from the outside, but was the result of the development of the tribes living here: archaeological excavations of Jericho showed that in the period between the culture of the original settlement and the culture of the new city, which was built at the turn of IX and VIII millennia BC, life was not interrupted here.

At first, the town was not fortified, but with the advent of strong neighbors, fortress walls were needed to protect against attacks. The appearance of fortifications speaks not only of the confrontation between different tribes, but also of the accumulation of certain material values ​​by the inhabitants of Jericho, which attracted the greedy eyes of neighbors. What were these values? Archaeologists have answered this question as well. Probably, the main source of income for the townspeople was barter: a well-located city controlled the main resources of the Dead Sea - salt, bitumen and sulfur. Obsidian, jade and diorite from Anatolia, turquoise from the Sinai Peninsula, cowrie shells from the Red Sea were found in Jericho - all these goods were highly valued during the Neolithic period.

The fact that Jericho was a powerful urban center is evidenced by its defensive fortifications. Without the use of picks and hoes, a ditch 8.5 m wide and 2.1 m deep was cut in the rock. A stone wall 1.64 m thick rose behind the ditch, preserved at a height of 3.94 m. Its original height probably reached 5 m , and above there was a laying of raw bricks.

During the excavations, a large round stone tower with a diameter of 7 m was discovered, preserved to a height of 8.15 m, with an internal staircase carefully built from solid stone slabs a meter wide. The tower housed a storehouse for grain and clayed cisterns to collect rainwater.

The stone tower of Jericho was probably built at the beginning of the 8th millennium BC. and lasted for a very long time. When it ceased to be used for its intended purpose, crypts for burials began to be arranged in its internal passage, and the former vaults were used as dwellings. These rooms were often rebuilt. One of them, which died in a fire, dates back to 6935 BC

After that, in the history of the tower, archaeologists counted four more periods of existence, and then the city wall collapsed and began to erode. Apparently, the city was already empty at that time.

The construction of a powerful defensive system required an enormous expenditure of labor, the use of a significant labor force and the presence of some kind of central authority to organize and direct the work. Researchers estimate the population of this world's first city at 2,000, and this figure may be an underestimate.

What did these first citizens of the Earth look like and how did they live?

An analysis of the skulls and bone remains found in Jericho showed that 10 thousand years ago, undersized people with elongated skulls (dolichocephals), who belonged to the so-called Euro-African race, lived here 10 thousand years ago. They built oval dwellings from lumps of clay, the floors of which were deepened below ground level. The house was entered through a doorway with wooden jambs. Several steps led down. Most of the houses consisted of a single round or oval room with a diameter of 4-5 m, covered with a vault of intertwined rods. The ceiling, walls and floor were plastered with clay. The floors in the houses were carefully leveled, sometimes painted and polished.

The inhabitants of ancient Jericho used stone and bone tools, did not know ceramics and ate wheat and barley, the grains of which were ground on stone grain grinders with stone pestles. From rpyboy food, consisting of cereals and legumes, pounded in stone mortars, these people completely wore out their teeth.

Despite a more comfortable habitat than that of primitive hunters, their life was exceptionally difficult, and the average age of the inhabitants of Jericho did not exceed 20 years. Child mortality was very high, and only a few lived to be 40-45 years old. There were apparently no people older than this age in ancient Jericho at all.

The townspeople buried their dead right under the floors of their dwellings, putting iconic plaster masks on their skulls with cowrie shells inserted into the eyes of the masks.

It is curious that in the oldest graves of Jericho (6500 BC), archaeologists mostly find skeletons without a head. Apparently, the skulls were separated from the corpses and buried separately. The cult cutting off of the head is known in many parts of the world and has been encountered up to our time. Here in Jericho, scholars have encountered what appears to be one of the earliest manifestations of this cult.

During this "pre-pottery" period, the inhabitants of Jericho did not use earthenware - they were replaced by stone vessels, carved mainly from limestone. Probably, the townspeople also used all kinds of wickerwork and leather receptacles like wineskins.

Not knowing how to sculpt earthenware, the ancient inhabitants of Jericho at the same time sculpted animal figures and other images from clay. In residential buildings and tombs of Jericho, many clay figurines of animals, as well as stucco images of the phallus, were found. The cult of the male principle was widespread in ancient Palestine, and its images are found in other places.

In one of the layers of Jericho, archaeologists discovered a kind of front hall with six wooden pillars. Probably, it was a sanctuary - a primitive predecessor of the future temple. Inside this room and in the immediate vicinity of it, archaeologists did not find any household items, but they found numerous clay figurines of animals - horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs and models of male genital organs.

The most amazing discovery in Jericho was the stucco figures of people. They are made from local limestone clay called hawara with a reed frame. These figurines are of normal proportions, but flat frontal. Nowhere, except for Jericho, have archaeologists encountered such figurines before.

In one of the prehistoric layers of Jericho, life-size group sculptures of men, women and children were also found. For their manufacture, clay similar to cement was used, which was smeared on a reed frame. These figures were still very primitive and planar: after all, for many centuries plastic art was preceded by rock paintings or images on the walls of caves. The found figures show what great interest the inhabitants of Jericho showed in the miracle of the origin of life and the creation of a family - this was one of the first and most powerful impressions of prehistoric man.

The appearance of Jericho - the first urban center - testifies to the emergence of high forms public organization Even the invasion of more backward tribes from the north in the 5th millennium BC. could not interrupt this process, which eventually led to the creation of highly developed ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and the Middle East.

Hamukar

In Syria, the ruins of a city were discovered, which, according to scientists, is at least 6,000 years old. The find actually changed the traditional ideas about the appearance of cities and civilization on Earth in general. It forces us to view the spread of civilization in a new light, starting from an earlier time. Prior to this, the discovery of the city, dating back to 4000 BC, was found only in ancient Sumer - between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers on the territory of modern Iraq, the last, the most ancient, was found in the southeastern part of Syria under a huge hill near the village of Hamukar . The mysterious city was also named Hamukar.

For the first time, archaeologists began to actively dig the ground here back in the 1920s-1930s. Then they assumed that it was here that Vashshukani was located - the capital of the Mitanni Empire (approximately XV century BC), which has not yet been discovered. But signs of settlement in this area were not found at that time - “ Washukan theory' turned out to be untenable.

Many years passed, and scientists again became interested in this place. And not in vain: after all, it is located on one of the most important transport arteries of antiquity - the road from Nineveh to Aleppo, along which travelers and caravans of merchants stretched. This situation, according to scientists, gave a lot of advantages and created excellent prerequisites for the development of the city.

The researchers really found signs indicating its existence as early as the middle of the 4th millennium BC.

Then in southern Iraq, one after another, the first cities arose, and their colonies formed in Syria.

This time the archaeologists were determined - in the most direct sense - to get to the bottom of the truth. A special Syrian-American expedition was formed to explore Hamukar, the director of which was McGuire Gibson, a leading researcher at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. The first spade hit the ground in November 1999. The expedition had to settle in, settle down, prepare the excavation area, hire local residents for hard work...

It all started with drawing up a detailed map of the area. And only then, with its help, archaeologists began the next, no less painstaking stage of work: it was necessary to carefully - almost with a magnifying glass in hand - examine the entire excavation area, collecting various shards. Such studies would give a fairly accurate idea of ​​the size and shape of the settlement. And luck really smiled at the archaeologists - the ancient cities hidden in the earth "fell down" as if from a cornucopia.

The first of the found settlements belonged to about 3209. BC. and covered an area of ​​about 13 hectares. Gradually it grew, its territory increased to 102 hectares, and subsequently the settlement became one of the largest cities of that time. Then, based on the found items, other, most interesting places for excavations were identified. In the eastern part of the settlement, archaeologists discovered a building in which pots were fired. And the main result of the survey of the area was the discovery of a large settlement south of the hill. His more detailed study confirmed that this territory began to be settled at the beginning of the 4th millennium BC. If all the discovered settlements are recognized as one city, then its area will be more than 250 that, which is hard to believe. At that time, in the era of the birth of the first urban settlements, such Big city was a real metropolis of antiquity.

Satellites have helped scientists a lot. The photographs taken from them prompted the researchers to another thought, when, 100 m from the hill, on its northern and eastern sides, they distinguished a dark meandering line, similar to a city wall, while only a small slope was visible on the ground. Further examination showed that the wall could be located closer to the hill, and the slope was preserved from the ditch that supplied the city with water.

Excavations were carried out in three zones. The first is a trench 60 m long and 3 m wide, running along the northern slope of the hill. Its gradual digging enabled archaeologists to consider the development of the settlement in different eras, since each step was 4-5 m lower than the next one. So: the lowest layer that scientists reached showed the city 6000 years ago!

On the next level, the walls of several houses made of clay blocks were found, as well as a huge, possibly urban, wall 4 meters high and 4 meters thick. The remains of ceramics under it date back to the middle of the 4th millennium BC. Next comes the level dating back to 3200 BC. Ceramics from here refers to the creativity of the peoples of southern Iraq, which indicates the interaction of the Syrian and Mesopotamian peoples at that time.

These houses are followed by more "young" buildings built in the III millennium BC. There are already baked brick houses and wells here. Directly above one of the houses a later building was built - the middle of the 1st millennium, and then there is a modern cemetery.

Another excavation area abounded in potsherds. It was divided into sections of five square meters And carefully "shoveled" all the land. Archaeologists have discovered here houses with perfectly preserved clay walls. And inside in a huge amount were things of bygone days - all covered with a thick layer of ash. This created great difficulties for scientists: try to find burnt fragments in the cracks of the floors, in various bumps and pits.

Soon, sources of such abundant ash were found - in one room, the remains of four or five slabs made of clay bars were unearthed, which were partially burned when the furnaces were heated. Around the plates there were remains of barley, wheat, oats, as well as animal bones. Hence, power stoves are used for baking bread, brewing beer, cooking meat and other foods.

The pottery discovered here amazed scientists with its diversity: large pots for cooking ordinary food, small vessels, as well as small elegant vessels, the walls of which are equal to the thickness of the shell of an ostrich egg. Figurines with big eyes were also found in the houses, possibly some deities from the middle of the 4th millennium BC.

But still, 15 seals in the form of carefully traced animals tell the most fully about the society of that era. All of them were found in the same pit, presumably a grave. A huge number of beads made of bone, faience, stone and shells were also found here, some of which were so small that one can assume that they were not used as necklaces, but were woven or sewn into clothes.

The seals are carved from stone in the form of animals. One of the largest and most beautiful seals is made in the form of a leopard, the spots on which are made using small pins inserted into drilled holes. A seal was also found, not inferior to the leopard in beauty, - in the form of a horned beast, which, unfortunately, the horns broke off. The large seals are much more varied, but far fewer in number than the small ones, the main types of which are the lion, goat, bear, dog, hare, fish, and birds. The larger and more elaborate seals must have belonged to people of great power or wealth, while the smaller ones may have been used by others to signify private property.

In a small pit two meters deep in the northeastern part of the excavation, just below the surface, the researchers found a wall dating from the 7th century BC. AD, and even a meter below - the corner of the building, reinforced with a support with two niches. The prop was placed next to the door that leads to the east. The doorframe, support, niches and the south wall are covered with lime. Typically, such props with niches were installed not at private, but at temple buildings. Fragments of pottery found near the temple indicate the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, that is, the Akkadian period, when the rulers of Akkad, a state in southern Mesopotamia, began to expand into the territory of present-day Syria. Since this is a critical period in the history of Mesopotamia, the place where so many eras intertwined becomes the main focus of the expedition's forces in the next season.

Previously, historians assumed that the Syrian and Turkish states began to actively develop only after contact with representatives of Uruk, an ancient state in southern Iraq. But the excavations of Hamukar prove that highly developed societies appeared not only in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates, but also in other areas at the same time. Some researchers even believe that civilization originally originated in Syria. The discovery actually changed the traditional ideas about the emergence of cities and civilization in general, forcing us to consider its birth and spread at an earlier time.

If earlier it was believed that civilization originated in the Uruk period (okayo 4000 BC), now there is evidence of its existence as early as the Ubaid period (about 4500 BC). This means that the development of the first states began before the appearance of writing and other phenomena that are considered criteria for the emergence of civilization. Between different peoples, vital ties began to form, people exchanged experience. Civilization began to walk the planet with leaps and bounds!

The excavations of Hamukar promise many more discoveries, because this is the only place where the layers of 4000 BC. lie two meters from the surface and even higher.

Based on materials from 100velikih.com and bibliotekar.ru

This material will acquaint you not with the very first cities that appeared on our planet, but with such cities that, from the moment of their foundation, were constantly inhabited. Although, disputes about the most-most among them have been going on for more than one year.

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

2. In second place is The capital of Syria is Damascus. It appeared in the same era as Jericho, but about a millennium later.

3. small town bible located in the suburbs Lebanese capital, Beirut, has a history that goes back to the Neolithic (7000 BC).

4. Iranian city of Susa (Shush) has a controversial date of foundation, which ranges from 5000-7000 BC.

5. Another controversial city is Syrian Aleppo. The problem is that there is no old and new city. On the site of the first settlements, the current Aleppo is located, which greatly complicates the conduct of archaeological excavations.

6. Sidon - Lebanese town, first settled 5500 BC

7. El Fayoum - an oasis city in the middle of the Libyan desert was founded around 4000 BC.

8. Oddly enough, but the oldest in Europe, still existing city with a permanent population throughout history, is Bulgarian Plovdiv (city on seven hills), on the modern territory of which the first settlements also appeared 4000 BC.

9. Turkish Gaziantep, according to one version, it appeared 3650 BC. But the date is also disputed downward.

10. Two Greek cities, Argos and Athens, appeared at about the same time. Nevertheless, disputes over the first permanent settlements are ongoing. The exact facts of the presence of urban settlements date back to 5000 BC. However, there is information about seven millennia BC. In short, the controversy continues.

Argos.
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Despite the ongoing debate about the moment of the emergence of each ancient settlement, there is a more or less agreed upon list that includes the oldest cities in the world in which life continued uninterruptedly and are now inhabited.

One of the oldest

This list is headed by Jericho, which is mentioned more than once in the Bible under the name "city of palm trees", although the name is translated from Hebrew as "lunar city". Historians attribute the date of its emergence as a settlement to the 7th millennium BC, although some of the found traces of habitation date back to the 9th. That is, people lived here during the Chalcolithic or before the Ceramic Neolithic. It so happened that the location of Jericho has been on the warpath since time immemorial, again in the Bible there is a description of the capture of the city. He endlessly passed from hand to hand, the last time happened in 1993, when Jericho went to Palestine. Repeatedly over the millennia, the inhabitants left it, but always returned and rebuilt. Now located 10 km from the Dead Sea, Jericho is readily visited by tourists, as it is rich in sights (for example, there was a farmstead of King Herod). In addition, this most ancient city on earth is also unique in that it is, so to speak, the deepest settlement, as it is located 240 meters below sea level.

Which one is older

The second (sometimes contesting the championship) on the list of "The oldest cities in the world" is modern Syria. Its origin also dates back to prehistoric times, but it becomes a major city after the Aramaic invasion, dating back to 1400 BC. One of the most charming cities in the Middle East, it is full of attractions. What is only included in the list the greatest temples the world in which the head is kept The city is so ancient that it is believed that the first wall built on earth after the Flood was the Damascus wall. The old city, which has not changed its appearance for many centuries, is also surrounded by a wall, but it was erected at the time of Ancient Rome.

Also the most ancient

Concludes the first three settlements of the list "Ancient cities of the world" Lebanese Bybl. Needless to say, in some lists he is given the second, and even the first in seniority. These three cities arose long before the Copper Age, but since then they have been continuously inhabited. Byblos is located in the suburbs of Beirut. The very name of the city suggests that it was once a biblical city and was called Gebal. A Phoenician settlement, in ancient times it was the center of the papyrus trade, and now it is a well-known tourist attraction. It is interesting in that a small number of inscriptions found on ancient artifacts have not yet been deciphered, because this type of proto-biblical writing has no spaces. There are about 100 signs, but there are few inscriptions. The date of the emergence of the next city of Susa is disputed, as well as the largest city of modern Syria, Aleppo - someone believes that these cities already existed in the 7th millennium BC, someone did not.

Closing the list of "ancient"

The birth of subsequent cities date back to the 4th millennium BC. Not all of the most frequently cited lists under the name "Ancient cities of the world" mention the Crimean Feodosia, although in Russia it was considered the "eternal city", since it was founded, according to some sources, in the 6th century BC and was known as Ardabra .

Another ten of the most ancient includes such settlements as the Lebanese Sidon (4 thousand BC). The emergence of the Egyptian Faiyum (Greek Crocodilefield) and the Bulgarian Plovdiv dates back to the same time. Turkish Gaziantep and Lebanese capital Beirut are several centuries younger. Further on the list, the following cities are most often mentioned: Jerusalem, Tire, Erbil, Kirkuk, Jaffa. All of them arose many centuries before our chronology and belong to the "most ancient".

The oldest in Russia

The most common lists under the title "Ancient cities of the world" do not include Derbent, Zurich, or Ningbo, although they have at least 6,000 years of existence behind them. So, Derbent (from the Arabic Bab-al-Abwab - its name - is translated as "gate of the gate" or "big gate"), according to some sources, was already a settlement in the 4th millennium BC. This southern city Russian Federation already existed in Azerbaijan. Translated from the Azerbaijani language, its name sounds like “closed gates”. It is located in the isthmus between the Caucasus Range and the western shore of the Caspian Sea. This ancient settlement has always been a gateway for caravans traveling from Europe to Asia.

Also "oldest"

For most people, the concept of ancient Europe is associated primarily with Greece. However, Swiss Zurich is much older. The first settlements on its territory arose in 4430-4230 BC, that is, in the 5th millennium.

Closer to our chronology, it was conquered by the Celts, then the settlement became part of the Roman Empire, and at that time it was already mentioned under the name Turicum. The Chinese city of Ningbo, which is directly related to the Hemudu culture that existed in the 5th millennium BC, according to some statements, was already inhabited in the Neolithic era. Archeology does not stand still, and the list of the most ancient cities on the planet will include new names.

Closer to our reckoning

The list of "Ancient cities of the world" is much wider than the "Ancient", because many civilizations belong to the 2nd millennium BC. The location of the settlements that arose in these centuries goes beyond the Middle East. In Europe, these are primarily cities. In this territory, Athens tops the list of “Permanently inhabited cities of the ancient world”. Notes about this city-state also begin with the words that these places were inhabited in the Neolithic era. But Athens is described in detail, starting from the late Helladic period, that is, from 1700-1200 BC. The golden age for this powerful policy began in the middle of the 1st millennium, during the reign of Pericles. The legendary monuments, known to the whole world, were built during this period, which is quite well studied and described by the ancient Greek classics. Such historical evidence as the works of Bacchelides, Hyperides, Menander and Herodes written on papyri have survived to this day. The works of later, world-famous Greek authors formed the basis of the popular "Myths and Legends" by N. Kuhn. Ancient Greek philosophy, science, culture are the foundation of modern knowledge.

Extensive list

The names of the ancient cities of the world are a very extensive list, taking up more than one page, because the period of Antiquity ends in our chronology, has a specific date - 476 AD, indicating the fall of the Western Roman Empire. This period is well studied, and the existence of many cities is documented.

Therefore, from the whole huge list, we can name several settlements known to literally everyone. It will also include cities that have disappeared from the face of the earth, but remained in historical evidence or in the memory of their descendants. These include such great cities ancient world, like Babylon and Palmyra, Pompeii and Thebes, Chichen Itza and Ur, Pergamon and Cusco, ancient Greek Knossos and Mycenae, many cities of Asia and other continents. The mysteries of the ruins of these cities are yet to be solved. For example, the mysterious Angkor, lost in the jungle, is the stone heart of Cambodia, rediscovered for the world in the middle of the 19th century, although its history goes back to the second century AD. Or located on the top of a mountain, located at an altitude of 2450 meters above sea level, no less mysterious Machu Picchu. This ancient "city in the sky" is located in Peru.

The highlight of the city

The ancient city of Demre, in comparison with the above settlements, is simply young. The first mention of it dates back to the 5th century (not the millennium) BC. But Known in ancient times under the name of Mira, it is famous not only for its unusual architectural monuments, but first of all for the fact that Saint Nicholas studied, lived and became famous here, he is also Nicholas the Pleasant, the Wonderworker, he is also Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus. The most wonderful tradition of giving New Year's gifts came from this city. The initiator was St. Nicholas, the first Bishop of Mira. The ancient city of Demre is a very popular tourist attraction.

The route "Demre-Mira-Kekova" is in great demand. The city has preserved a beautiful ancient Roman theater, the size of which allows one to judge the importance of this large seaside center in antiquity. Kekova is an island. It is notable for the fact that its shores are a continuation of the walls of the city sunk as a result of the earthquake. The modern city of Demre, which is the center of the province of the same name in Turkey, is very good.

Very short list

Ancient cities of the world are mysterious and beautiful. The list of the most famous is as follows: Byblos, Jericho and Aleppo, followed by Susa, Damascus, El Faiyum and Plovdiv. It would be fair to indicate Derbent and Zurich, the "eternal city" of Rome, as well as several settlements of ancient China (Ningbo, Changsha, Changzhou and others).

The disappeared Babylon, Palmyra, Pompeii, Ur and Mycenae complete this more than modest list of cities of antiquity. Ancient Persian Persipolis boasts unique sights. At one time it was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire, which founded a huge state in the 6th-5th centuries BC, later conquered by Alexander the Great. All ancient cities are surrounded by legends, which are very interesting to get acquainted with.

Ancient cities with a thousand-year history can surprise you not only with beautiful architecture and unique artifacts. Their old walls keep signs of previous eras and civilizations and show both positive and negative aspects of the evolution of mankind.

1. Damascus, Syria

The capital of Syria, the city of Damascus, is also the second largest city in the state. The population of Damascus is almost 2 million inhabitants. The city is very well located between Africa and Asia, and this favorable geographical position at the crossroads of West and East makes the Syrian capital an important cultural, commercial and administrative center of the state.

The history of the city begins around 2,500 BC, although the exact historical period of the settlement of Damascus is still unknown to scientists. The architecture of the buildings is varied and marked by several ancient civilizations: Hellenistic, Byzantine, Roman and Islamic.

The old walled city is breathtaking with its ancient buildings, narrow streets, green courtyards and white houses, and all the more contrasts with the flow of tourists who come from all over the world to see this stunning ancient city.

2. Athens, Greece

The capital of Greece is Athens, the cradle of Western civilization with a population of about 3 million people. The history of the ancient city is more than 7000 years old, and its architecture bears the influence of the Byzantine, Ottoman and Roman civilizations.

Athens is the birthplace of the greatest writers, playwrights, outstanding philosophers and artists. Modern Athens is a cosmopolitan city, cultural, political and industrial center of Greece. The historical center of the city consists of the Acropolis (high city), a high hill with the remains of ancient buildings, and the Parthenon, a monumental temple of Ancient Greece.

Athens is also considered a huge archaeological research center and is full of historical museums, including the National Archaeological Museum, the Christian and Byzantine Museums, the new Acropolis Museum.
If you decide to visit Athens, be sure to visit the port of Piraeus, which for many centuries was the most important port in the Mediterranean due to its strategic position.

3. Byblos, Lebanon

The ancient city of Byblos (modern name Jbeil) is another cradle of many civilizations. This is one of the oldest cities in Phoenicia, the first mention of which dates back to 5000 BC. It is believed that it was in Byblos that the Phoenician alphabet was invented, which is still used today.

There is also a legend that English word The Bible comes from the name of the city, since at that time Byblos was an important seaport through which papyrus was imported.

At present, Byblos is a harmonious fusion of modern polis and ancient buildings and is a popular holiday destination for tourists, thanks to the ancient fortresses and temples, picturesque views of the Mediterranean Sea, ancient ruins and the port, which people come to see from all over the world.

4. Jerusalem, Israel

Jerusalem is the most visited ancient city in the Middle East by tourists and is the most important religious center in the world. It is a holy place for Christians, Jews and Muslims, currently home to about 800,000 people, 60% of whom profess Judaism.

Throughout its history, Jerusalem has experienced many of the greatest tragic events, including sieges and destruction caused by the bloody Crusades. The old city was founded about 4000 years ago and is strictly divided into four quarters: Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Armenian. The hardest thing for tourists to get into is the isolated Armenian quarter.

In 1981, the Old Town was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Jerusalem is not just a city, for Jews all over the world it symbolizes their home, a place where they want to return after long wanderings.

5. Varanasi, India

India is a mystical country, the birthplace of ancient civilizations and religions. And a special place in it is occupied by the sacred city of Varanasi, located on the banks of the Ganges River and founded more than 12 centuries before the birth of Christ. Hindus believe that the city was created by the god Shiva himself.

Varanasi, also known as Benares, was a place of worship for pilgrims and wanderers from all over India. Mark Twain once said this about this ancient city: "Benares is older than history itself, it is even twice as old as all the oldest legends and traditions of India put together."

Modern Varanasi is an outstanding religious and cultural center, home to famous musicians, poets and writers. Here you can buy the highest class fabric, excellent perfumes, stunningly beautiful ivory products, the famous Indian silk and jewelry great work.

6. Cholula, Mexico

More than 2,500 years ago, from numerous scattered villages, the ancient city of Cholula was founded. Various Latin American cultures existed here, such as the Olmecs, Toltecs and Aztecs. The name of the city in the Nahuatl language literally translates as "place of flight."

After the city was captured by the Spaniards, Cholula began to develop rapidly. The great conqueror of Mexico and conquistador Hernan Cortes called Cholula "the most beautiful city outside of Spain."
Today, it is a small colonial town of 60,000 people, whose main attraction is the Great Pyramid of Cholula with a sanctuary at the top. It is one of the largest man-made monuments ever built by man.

7. Jericho, Palestine

Today, Jericho is a small town of about 20,000 inhabitants. In the Bible, it is called "the city of palm trees." testify that the first people began to settle here almost 11,000 years ago.

Jericho is located almost in the center of Palestine, which makes it perfect place for trade routes. In addition, the natural beauty and resources of this area caused numerous invasions of enemy hordes into ancient Palestine. In the first century AD, the Romans completely destroyed the city, then it was rebuilt by the Byzantines, and destroyed again. After that, it remained deserted for several centuries.

For almost the entire 20th century, Jericho was occupied by Israel and Jordan until it became part of Palestine again in 1994. The most famous sights of Jericho are the fabulously beautiful palace of Caliph Hisham, the Shalom al-Israel synagogue and the Mount of Temptation, where, according to the Bible, the devil tempted Jesus Christ for 40 days.

8. Aleppo, Syria

Aleppo is the largest city in Syria with about 2.3 million people. The city has a very favorable geographical position, being in the center of the Great Silk Road, which connected Asia and the Mediterranean. The history of Aleppo goes back over 8,000 years, although archaeologists claim that the first people settled in the area as early as 13,000 years ago.

In various historical epochs, this ancient city was ruled by the Byzantines, Romans and Ottomans. As a result, several different architectural styles are combined in the buildings of Aleppo. Locals call Aleppo "the soul of Syria".

9. Plovdiv, Bulgaria

The history of the city of Plovdiv begins as early as 4000 BC. and over the centuries, this oldest city in Europe has been ruled by many vanished empires.

It was originally a Thracian city, later captured by the Romans. In 1885 the city became part of Bulgaria and now it is the second largest city in the country and is an important educational, cultural and economic center of the state.

You should definitely take a walk through the Old Town, where numerous ancient monuments are preserved. There is even a Roman amphitheater built by Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century AD! There are many beautiful churches and temples, unique museums and monuments, and if you want to touch ancient history be sure to visit this place.

10. Luoyang, China

While most of the ancient cities are in the Mediterranean, Luoyang stands out from this list as the oldest continuously inhabited city in Asia. Luoyang is considered the geographical center of China, the cradle of Chinese culture and history. People settled here almost 4,000 years ago, and now Luoyang is one of the largest cities in China with a population of 7,000,000 people.