According to scientists, modern man descended from a small population of homo sapiens that survived a terrible natural disaster that occurred 74,000 years ago and spread across the African continent. After 10-14 thousand years, its members penetrated into Asia, and even later into Europe and America.
With the advent of agriculture, people stopped wandering and began to found villages. Over time, they grew, and around the 7th millennium, the most ancient cities in the world began to emerge.
Some terminology
Before talking about the oldest cities in the world, you should find out what is meant by this definition. In particular, as a result of archaeological excavations on different continents, many large settlements. However, today it is customary to call the ancient cities of the world only those that have never been abandoned by their inhabitants since their founding. At the same time, some scientists continue to argue over whether the “age” should not be counted from the moment when a given settlement ceased to be a village, i.e. number of residents involved agriculture, became less than the number of peasants. Based on these considerations, many ancient cities will become several thousand years younger.
Jericho
Be that as it may, when asked which one is the most ancient city world, today it is customary to respond by calling Jericho. The first traces of humans found on its territory date back to the 10th millennium BC. e., and the oldest buildings excavated by archaeologists - by the year 95,000. The history of Jericho can be traced in some detail in the Old Testament, and later it is repeatedly mentioned in the Roman chronicles. In particular, it is known that it was presented by Mark Antony as a gift to Cleopatra. However, later Emperor Augustus gave it to King Herod, who built many magnificent structures there. In addition, there are records that a Christian church was built in Jericho in the first centuries AD.
Having existed until the 9th century, the city fell into decline due to the wars of Muslims with the Crusaders and Bedouin raids, and from the 13th century it turned into a small Muslim village, destroyed in the 19th century by the Turks. Only at the beginning of the 1920s was the irrigation system restored in the territory of Jericho. After this, these places began to be inhabited by Arabs.
Today Jericho is a small city with a population of just over 20,000 people, located in unrecognized State Palestine. Its main attraction is the Tel es-Sultan hill with a tower believed to be 9 thousand years old.
Damascus
As already mentioned, when the most ancient cities in the world are listed, the list usually begins with Jericho. But the second position in this ranking belongs to Damascus. The city was founded in 2500 BC. e. However, scientists believe that its territory has been continuously inhabited by people since the 10th millennium BC. e. From the 15th century BC. e. V different periods the city was under the rule of the Egyptian pharaohs, Assyria, Israel, Persia and other powerful states of that time. The history of Damascus in later times is no less interesting. In particular, it is known that after the visit of St. Apostle Paul, just a few years after the crucifixion of the Savior, there was already a Christian community in the city, and in the Middle Ages it was stormed three times, but the crusading knights were never able to capture it. Like the most ancient city in the world, Jericho, Damascus lay in ruins for some time. The fault was the troops of Tamerlane, who invaded Syria in 1400 and carried out a terrible massacre, the consequences of which did not allow Damascus to regain its former power for many years.
The most ancient city in the world according to ancient historians
Scientists learned about the true age of Jericho only in the second half of the last century, and before that, in different eras, completely different cities laid claim to this title. For example, in the ancient world it was believed that Byblos, which appears in the Old Testament under the name Gebal, was founded earlier than others. It has been mentioned as a city since the 4th millennium BC. e. Many legends are associated with it. For example, the ancient Egyptians believed that it was there that Isis found the body of the god Osiris. In addition, Jabel (the Arabic name for Byblos) is known as the site of various ancient cults, such as those worshiping Baal and Adonis. Since it was here that most of the papyrus produced in the ancient world was produced, the first books made from such “paper” began to be called byblos.
Athens
Interestingly, the capital of Greece does not claim to be the most ancient city in the world, since it was founded only around 1400 BC. e. It is known that even in the Mycenaean era there was a palace and a fortified settlement there. For thousands of years, Athens has been a major educational and cultural center ancient world and did not lose this role even during Roman times. Today you can see many architectural monuments there, which are several thousand years old. Moreover, in terms of their number, Athens is far superior to other ancient cities on the planet.
Rome
Oddly enough, Rome, which has been called eternal for thousands of years, is not included in the list of the 10 most ancient cities in the world, since it was founded in 753 BC. e. However, it is obvious that settlements existed in its place many millennia before. It’s just that if historians get information about the origin of other cities from archaeological excavations, the “birthday” of Rome was “calculated” in the first century on the basis of the legend about the sons of Mars and Princess Rhea Silvia - Remus and Romulus.
The most ancient cities in the world: Yerevan
Few people know that the capital of Armenia, or more precisely, the city of Erebuni that existed in its place, older than Rome for 29 years. Moreover, this fortress has a quite significant, both literally and figuratively, “birth certificate” signed by its founder, Argishty, the son of Menua. We are talking about a stone with cuneiform writing, which in 1894 the famous Russian anthropologist A. Ivanovsky acquired from one of the Armenian peasants. The inscription on the boulder was deciphered, and it turned out that it reports the construction of a large granary by King Argishta the First. More than half a century later, on the outskirts of Yerevan, on the Arin-berd hill, excavations were carried out and two more slabs were found, one of which already touched the base of the fortress. In addition, another “Erebuni metric” was found, already embedded in the wall of the fortress, some of the buildings of which have been perfectly preserved to this day. In particular, today in the Erebuni fortress, recognized by Forbes as the 9th oldest in the world, you can see the ruins of the Susi temple, with cuneiform tablets of King Argishti, the wall of the sanctuary of the god Khaldi with beautiful wall paintings, an ancient stone water supply system and much more.
Derbent
When talking about the most ancient cities in the world, one cannot fail to mention the Russian Derbent. Judging by archaeological finds, a settlement in its place existed as early as the 4th millennium BC. e. and was repeatedly raided. As for the name Derbent, it was first found by Herodotus in a document of the 5th century. It is also known that in the first century AD, in order to capture this city, which was considered the gateway to the Caspian Sea, the Romans and Persians, who fought for dominance in the Caucasus and adjacent regions, organized campaigns.
Now you know which is the most ancient city in the world, some interesting information about Damascus, Derbent, Yerevan, Byblos and other cities.
The most ancient cities in the world - some of them disappeared from the face of the earth forever, leaving only ruins and memories. And there are settlements whose names have paved a long way in history and have survived to this day. Their streets are full of architectural sights, magnificent in their beauty and monumentality, looking at which you are mentally transported back to the depths of centuries.
Jericho is the oldest city on Earth
The Judean Hills dominate the West Bank. At their foot, at the mouth of the river flowing into the Dead Sea, is 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 magnificent buildings in this city were built by King Herod, who received rule over this city from the Emperor of Rome, Augustus. It was during his era that many monuments of ancient architecture appeared, preserved in this city to this day.
There are also records that the Christian church appeared in Jericho in the first century AD. Constant raids by Bedouins and hostility between Muslims and 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.
It was only in 1920 that the oldest city in the world, Jericho, received its second life. Arabs began to populate it. Now it is permanently home to approximately 20,000 people.
The main attraction is the Tel es-Sultan hill, on which stands a tower dating back to the 6000th century. BC
Nowadays, military operations are constantly taking place in Jericho, a disputed land between Palestine and Israel. For this reason, the beauty of this place is hidden from tourists. At the very least, the governments of many countries do not recommend their citizens to visit it.
Famous surviving cities of antiquity
Over the course of many centuries, civilizations developed and cities appeared. Some of them were destroyed as a result of wars or natural disasters. Few of the most ancient cities in the world, which have survived multiple eras, can still be visited today:
On earth, which are named as the most ancient cities in the world. Many of them are still being destroyed today, despite the establishment of special protection regimes. international organization UNESCO.
Not all cities are lucky enough to preserve their original appearance. During difficult times of wars and conquests, many cities were destroyed and then rebuilt, so only a few buildings managed to “survive” to our times. Still, there are majestic cities that can rightfully bear the proud title of “the most old town peace."
Jericho (Palestine)
Mention of the first settlements on the site of modern Jericho dates back to 9000 BC. Three millennia later, the city began to actively rebuild and already reached the peak of its development at the turn of the 3rd and 2nd millennia. It was destroyed several times, one of which was mentioned in the Bible.
It was a majestic city, where houses were built of brick and stone. Archaeologists have discovered here the ruins of an ancient synagogue dating back to the 1st century BC, magnificent winter palaces with baths, swimming pools and richly decorated halls. Not far from Jericho rises Mount Carantal, on which, according to legend, Jesus was tempted by the devil for forty days. Now in that place there is a majestic Monastery of Temptation carved into the rocks.
Damascus (Syria)
Another very ancient city is Damascus, the first mention of which appeared in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. Due to the fact that in ancient times Damascus was under the rule of the Egyptians, Israelis, Assyrians, Persians and even, this ancient city absorbed the culture of these peoples.
He became famous for his Damascus steel, which was popular in medieval Europe. Today here you can see the ruins of the ancient gates of the fortress, protecting the city from raids, Catholic churches, temples, mosques, old houses, which represent the most important monuments of Damascus culture and history.
Susa (Iran)
The first mention of the ancient city of Susa (modern Shush) dates back to the 7-4 millennium BC. It was the ancient Sumerian capital of the state of Elam. In 668 BC. The Babylonians burned Susa, and after 10 years the state of Elam ceased to exist. The Persians rebuilt the city, restoring and expanding the magnificent palaces and making Susa their capital.
In our era, the city was sacked and destroyed by Muslims and Mongols, so few monuments from that period have reached us. Only the French archaeological expedition, which carried out excavations of the ancient city, left the most significant attraction - the French fortress, built in the 19th century to protect the members of the expedition and guard the finds.
Derbent (Dagestan)
Russia also has the most ancient city, and it was founded in 438 AD, although the first mentions of settlements date back to the end of the 4th millennium BC. WITH different languages its name translates as “closed gate”, “stone”, “wall”. And this is no coincidence - due to frequent raids by nomads, Derbent turned into a reliable fortress. Since the Great Silk Road passed through the city, it was of great commercial importance, and at one time many nations wanted to conquer it. It was under the control of the Persians, Arabs, Iranians, and only in 1813 it began to belong to Russia.
The main attractions of Derbent are its fortress with many gates, the Juma Mosque, the oldest in Russia, the Naryn-Kala fortress and the Derbent tunnel, the length of which is 318 m.
Plovdiv (Bulgaria)
The oldest city in Bulgaria was known back in the 6th millennium BC. In 72 BC. came under Roman rule and quickly developed. The influence of Rome has brought to our times the Roman buildings of that time - the amphitheater, baths and hippodrome. In the 6th century they began to belong to the Bulgarians ( Slavic tribe), then Byzantium, and in 1364 was captured Ottoman Empire.
Plovdiv is now the second largest city in Bulgaria. The rich history of the city has left many wonderful sights that characterize a particular culture. Here you can see ancient Roman buildings, mosques, and a Thracian fortress.
Jerusalem (Israel)
This city has a rich history associated with conquests and biblical legends. Founded in the 4th millennium BC. Jerusalem has sacred significance for millions of people. Many biblical events are associated with it, including the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Its history is truly amazing and extensive. Here are the shrines of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and thousands of pilgrims come to Jerusalem every year to remember their saints and pray.
The most famous sights of Jerusalem are the Western Wall, the mosque on the Temple Mount and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Athens (Greece)
First mention of ancient capital Greece dates back to the 15th century BC. It reached its peak in 500-300 BC. and rightfully bears the name of the cradle of Greek culture. It became the birthplace of many famous ancient Greek historians, geographers, poets and philosophers. Monuments are still preserved here ancient history, such as the Acropolis, Athens Agora, Temple of Hephaestus and Temple of Olympian Zeus, etc.
This is only a partial list of the most ancient cities. There are still cities in the world that have such old story, that one can only guess about their origin and foundation from the few documents that have come down to us. They are priceless because they have seen the change of eras and civilizations, and even despite the ruins, their greatness will never fade into oblivion.
Territory Russian Federation huge. In different historical periods, many parts modern Russia developed in completely different ways and were part of a variety of states. So in the vastness of the current Russian Federation there are a huge number of cities that trace their history back to ancient times.
10 oldest cities
It can be very difficult to establish the exact date of foundation of a particular settlement. Often, settlements in a particular place have existed for thousands of years, so historians and archaeologists are faced with the difficult task of determining the moment when scattered small villages united into one whole and truly became a city.
The 10 oldest cities in Russia currently include:
- Derbent, Republic of Dagestan, 438
- Veliky Novgorod, Novgorod region, 859
- Belozersk, Volgograd region, 862
- Murom, Vladimir region, 862
- Rostov, Yaroslavl region, 862
- Smolensk, Smolensk region, 863
- Pskov, Pskov region, 903
- Uglich, Yaroslavl region, 937
- Trubchevsk, Bryansk region, 975
- Bryansk, Bryansk region, 985
Some of these cities are rightfully included in the Golden Ring of Russia.
It is worth noting that most often the dates for the founding of settlements are set very conditionally. Usually based on the first mentions of a particular settlement in written sources, of which very few have survived to this day.
Derbent
The oldest city in Russia, Derbent, is located at the mouth of the Sukhodol River on the shores of the Caspian Sea in the Republic of Dagestan. Officially, the city dates back to 438, but mentions of it are found much earlier. One of the first mentions of the Caspian Gate, which is what the city was once called, is found in Hecataeus of Miletus, a famous Greek geographer, and dates back to the 6th century BC.
In history, the city was of enormous importance, since its fortress walls once closed a narrow three-kilometer passage between the mountains and the sea, through which the Caspian route passed - the most important route that once connected Western Asia and Eastern Europe, comparable in importance to the Great Silk Road.
Now a number of objects on the territory of the historical part of Derbent are included in the list World Heritage UNESCO. This includes ancient fortress, the ruins of the Shah's palace, the oldest mosque in the Russian Federation and a number of other buildings.
Staraya Ladoga
Considering the question of which city is the oldest in Russia, Derbent certainly holds a leading position in all respects. But speaking about ancient cities, one cannot fail to mention another settlement called Staraya Ladoga and located on the territory of the Leningrad region.
It is believed that this city was founded in 753. That is, it is older than Veliky Novgorod by a whole century. The reason why Staraya Ladoga not included in the list ancient cities RF, is that starting from 1703, the city, by decree of Peter I, turned into a village. Novaya Ladoga was founded not far away, where most of them moved local residents. Today the population of the village is just over 2 thousand residents.
The list of the oldest settlements in Russia may change as scientists and archaeologists continue their work to study the historical heritage. Perhaps the new data they obtained will make it possible to clarify the dates of the founding of some settlements. In this case, their official age will be recalculated.
The ancient cities of Russia, which have lived a long life and still exist today, make it possible to trace the history of our country, the stages of its formation and development. Having gone through the trials of centuries, they managed to survive and preserve unique historical monuments of architecture and culture to this day. The preserved earthen ramparts, fortress walls, ancient cathedrals and monasteries testify to the former power of ancient Rus' and the talent of the craftsmen. Traveling through these cities leaves indelible and incomparable impressions. In the north-west of the country there is the “Silver Ring of Russia”, which includes great ancient Russian cities Veliky Novgorod and Pskov. Tourists travel thousands of kilometers to see the Kizhi Pogost and the Valaam Monastery in Karelia, the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery in the Vologda region and the pearl of the White Sea region - the Solovetsky Islands. Tourist centers of the Volga region are, based at the confluence of the Volga and Oka, Nizhny Novgorod, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan is Kazan, the hero city of Volgograd and the ancient Volga cities of Samara and Saratov.
The date of the city's establishment is usually considered to be the first mention of it in the chronicle. But archaeological excavations often push it further back into the depths of centuries. The longer a city exists, the more trials it faces. Many of them started their history “from scratch” more than once. But not all cities managed to recover. And all that remains of them is a mention in the chronicle and the remains of ancient fortifications. For example, traces of disappeared cities are preserved in the area west of Moscow.
The most ancient Russian cities are the five cities of the historical core of Russia: which had in Ancient Rus' the same meaning as Kyiv -, which connected the largest Russian cities of Novgorod and Kyiv -, the capitals of large principalities - and, as well as Belozersk, where, according to legend, one of the Rurikovich brothers, Sineus, “sat”. But the most ancient city on the territory of the Russian Federation is Derbent, founded in 438.
If we distribute all the existing cities of Russia by the time of formation, it turns out that 56 cities arose before the Mongol-Tatar yoke, and 111 cities appeared in the process of overcoming the political fragmentation of Rus' during the formation of a centralized state.
Kremlins and fortresses, cathedrals and monasteries, palaces and estates, factory buildings from the industrial heyday create a unique historical atmosphere of ancient cities. Some historical cities acquire their individuality due to the predominance of one architectural style. But for all their diversity and uniqueness, they also have common features. Firstly, most ancient Russian cities were built at the spit - at the confluence of the river with its tributaries. Secondly, in middle lane cities were built mainly on the high bank of the river. Their layout was subject to the terrain. Temples were built on the highest places. And the core of the city - the fortress - occupied hard to reach place, protected by ravines and steep river banks. The streets of ancient cities are characterized by curvature, which has certain artistic merits. Thirdly, embankments in a Russian city located on a river, as a rule, played the role of a facade, the face of the city, one might say, its business card. Ancient Russian city planners skillfully used the features of the landscape and created beautiful cities that were in harmony with the surrounding nature.
Great value for ancient cities in Rus' there were monasteries. They were not only places of religious worship, but also cultural and educational centers. As well as the place of residence in different periods of history of noble and royalty. So, for example, in , which is located not far from Kostroma, Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov lived for some time. It was here that he received the news of his election to the throne. Since then, the Romanov family began to honor this monastery as their family shrine. During the turbulent time of enemy raids and princely civil strife, the monasteries protected the city residents. Often settlements that arose around monasteries became cities. The cities of Cherepovets, Pechory, Pokrov, Valdai, and Kirzhach developed around the monasteries. laid the foundation for Sergiev Posad. became the ovary of the city of Istra. The city of Kirillov was formed around it.
The outstanding achievements of medieval town planning are the Kremlins, within which the most significant structures of the city were erected. preserved and decorate Moscow, Veliky Novgorod, Pskov, Smolensk, Rostov the Great, Tula, Zaraysk, Tobolsk, Kazan, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod. Russian architecture made a huge contribution to the glorification of Russia. Few cities in the world can boast of being unique in nature. architectural structures. There are a huge number of them in Russian cities. Temples, cathedrals, monasteries - each with its own history, its own unique beauty.
