The British newspaper “Telegraph” presents the 20 oldest cities inhabited continuously since their inception until today.
Although there are conflicting opinions as to which is the oldest city, but surely the 20 cities that are presented in the following list have a rich history, After were firstly inhabited by 9.000 e.g.. until the 1.000 e.g.. As noted in article, "these cities are the closest experience to’ a journey in time ".
In the list of famous British newspaper the Greece occupies two positions: at number 18 is the Thiva and Athens to number 16.
Below is the list of 20 most ancient cities inhabited until today:
20. Varanasi, India 1.000 e.g..
Considered a Holy City for Hindus and Buddhists. Forms for thousands of years the cultural and religious center of Northern India. Many famous Indian philosophers, Poets, writers and musicians lived there, until our days. In Varanasi he preached for the first time the philosophy of the Siddhartha Gautama.
19. Cadiz, Spain 1.100 e.g..
It is a small piece of land that is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. The seat of the Spanish Navy from the 18th century. This is the ancient city of Gadeira near the Strait of Gibraltar (Pillars of Hercules), in antiquity it was known as Gadeiridai Pylai. During the 7th century BC.. the city was a rich amber and Tin Shopping Centre.
18. Thiva, Greece 1.400 e.g..
There was a great rival of ancient Athens. Built on the myth of Cadmus and has great historical and mythological importance. From the most important Thebans was Epaminondas, great General of antiquity who did the Thiva Greece's igemoneyoysa, and Pelopidas, initiator and head of the famous Ierou Lochou. The plural of the name "Thibai" due to the famous 14 Gates of the city, closely linked with the myth of Niobe.
17. Larnaca, Cyprus 1.400 e.g..
It is known for its beautiful beach with Palm trees. It is the successor of the ancient city of Kition, one of the major kingdoms of ancient Cyprus, birthplace inter alia of the ancient philosopher Zeno. Citium, founded by Greek colonists in the 14th BC. century, There was later an important colony of Palm. Is, inter alia, known by his campaign Kimonos of Athenian, who died there while the many.
16. Athens, Greece 1.400 e.g..
The birthplace of democracy and the cradle of Western civilization – the legacy of Athens is obvious. Ancient Athens was a powerful City-State, developed in parallel with the port of, which was originally the Faliron and Piraeus later. The Athenians, Apart from Attica, dominated by their powerful fleet in’ a large number of the Ionian colonies in the Aegean Islands and on the coast of Asia minor.
15. Balkh, Afghanistan 1.500 e.g..
To the ancient Greeks it was known as Mpaktra. For the Arabs is the "mother of cities". The Balkh (ancient Balkh or Baktra) is the Bactrian capital in today's Afghanistan. Located at the mouth of the river wxoy. According to the Ktisia, the Balkh was the Acropolis of Baktrwn. In Balkh reportedly stayed Alexander the great (328-327 e.g.) During his campaign in Bactria.
14. Kirkoyk, Iraq 2.200 e.g..
Located 150 miles north of Baghdad. Its strategic importance was recognized by the Babylonians. The city is mentioned for the first time during the third Dynasty of ur. It was particularly significant in the 11th and 10th century BC, When it was under the power of the Assyrians.
13. Erbil, Iraq 2.300 e.g..
Located north of Kirkoyk. Was one of the key stops on the "Silk Road". The Hurrians from Asia minor was first settled in Oyrmpiloym and extended their dominance in North Mesopotamia. The city was under the rule of the Assyrians from the 25th Century BC.. until the 7th century BC., but at the end of the 7th century b.c.. it lost its independence and passed in order from the hands of the Babylonians, of Midwn, the Persians and the Greeks. The battle of Gaugamela, where Alexander the great defeated Darius again, was near the present-day Arbil (Arbila).
12. Tyros, Lebanon 2.750 e.g..
The legendary place where was born the Europe and Dido. The city formed the 2.750 e.g., According to Herodotus, and was invaded by Alexander the great in 332 e.g.. During the campaign of the Greek Commander Tyr, by refusing allegiance, resisted. During the seven-month siege of applied all the then known in attack and defense. Eventually, After silting up and the upcoming rift of the walls the city was captured despite the heroism of its inhabitants.
11. Jerusalem 2.800 e.g..
Ancient city. Judo, Christian and Islamic Center of great religious and historical significance. The city has a total of ourselves 23 times, has attacked 52 times, has become dominated 44 times and has fundamentally destroyed twice. The Jerusalem's old city is a UNESCO World Heritage, surrounded by a fortified wall and divided into four districts: the Armenian, Christian, the Muslim and Jewish.
10. Beirut, Lebanon 3.000 e.g..
Excavations in the city have brought to light Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Ottoman and Arab objects. The capital of present-day Lebanon.
9. Gaziantep, Turkey 3.650 e.g..
Near the border with Syria.
8. Plovdiv or Plovdiv, Bulgaria 4.000 e.g..
The second largest city of Bulgaria. According to Ammiano Marcellin, the T.f. Green Airport, After the era of brass, recorded as a fortified Thracian settlement with the name "Eymolpias". In the 4th century b.c.. the city was the Center where fairs took place. The 342 e.g.. It was occupied by Philip II of Macedonia, father of Alexander the great, He renamed it to Filippopolis. The city had advanced water supply and sewerage networks. The double walls had defended, many of which still retained and are visible to visitors. Only a small part of the ancient city has been excavated.
7. Sidon, Lebanon 4.000 e.g..
One of the most important and perhaps the oldest city of Palms. It is said that Jesus and St. Paul stayed there, like Alexander the great once won the 333 e.g.. Its name is derived, According to Josephus, from the greatest son of Canaan. Others argue that many fish that exist in the area of gave this name. The Sidon mentioned by Homer. Until the 1.250 e.g.. the city had great power. Then about the Philistines appear, who won a large part of the territories of.
6. Fayoum, Egypt 4.000 e.g..
Is 130 kilometers southwest of the capital of Cairo and is part of the ancient Krokodeilopolis. It was one of the top religious centers of ancient Egypt, they worshipped the God Sobek. In Fayoum city discovered the famous funeral portraits of Roman times, destined for burial use, that were created either with the use of technical or egkaystikis with the technique of tempera.
5. Susa, Iran 4.200 e.g..
The city is one of the oldest known settlements, as it was founded probably around 4.000 e.g.. The first traces of human presence dating back around 7.000 e.g.. Susa was the capital of the Kingdom of Elam. The city appears in very early sources soymeriakes and described as one of the regions which protected the goddess Inanna of Uruk. The tragedy of Aeschylus ' the Persians takes place in Susa.
4. Damascus, Syria 4.300 e.g..
Many believe that it is the oldest city in the world and that is inhabited by the 10.000 e.g.. The first references to the existence of Damascus undetected in the 16th century BC., When it was still under the rule of the Pharaoh of Egypt. Later, in the 10th century BC., It became the Centre of the Kingdom of Damascus. The Seleucid period, the town was renamed into Demetrias.
3. Aleppo, Syria 4.300 e.g..
The coexistence of the ancient with the modern city is harmonious, However major disasters have caused during the civil war that is in progress by March 2011.
Aleppo is one of the oldest cities in the world, with human plants from the 7th Millennium BC.. The 3rd millennium BC.. was part of the neighbouring Kingdom of emplas and called Armi, While around 3.000 e.g.. He took the name Chalpe (Greek Chalibwn, because it was the largest steel-producing Center in the region). In the 18th century BC. settled in choyrritikis populations of origin city, who created the powerful Kingdom of Giamchant with the Soymoy epoy founder (1.810-1.780 e.g.).
2. Byblos, Lebanon 5.000 e.g..
Her name, Byblos, He took from the Greeks who introduced scrolls from the particular city. It is believed that it was inhabited between 8.800 and 7.000. According to quotes-attributable to the Phoenix historic Sagchoyniathwna- built by Saturn and was the first city in Phoenicia. In the foinikikoys era was a major shipping and commercial center, mainly due to the export of papyrus. Today is considered the oldest continuously occupied city in the world. A UNESCO World Heritage site.
1. Jericho 9.000 e.g..
The oldest city in the world that continues to be inhabited. Archaeological investigations have discovered the remains of over 20 successive installations in Jericho, the first of which is 11.000 years, almost at the beginning of the Holocene. It is also the oldest known fortified city. In the Old Testament is described as a "city of the Palm trees». The abundant resources of both inside and around this, made it a magnet for local populations. In the Judeo-Christian tradition is known as the place of the return of the Israelites after the exodus from Egypt, led by Joshua Jesus, successor of Moses.
With information from ellines.com
