It might be a surprise to you that some cities can get really old, some of them have been around for thousands of years. Most of them can be found in the Middle East, which isn’t a surprise as that is one of the places where civilization began. We’ll go through ten of them in this article.
10. Varanasi, India — 5,000 years old
Varanasi was known as Kashi in ancient times. It was a center of Hindu pilgrimage as it was where people bathed in the river Ganges. Today, this city draws in tourists from every corner of the world and has more than 2000 temples! It is in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and lies on the left bank of the Ganges River. Though its formal name is Varanasi, it is widely referred to as Benaras/Benares.
9. Plovdiv, Bulgaria— 6000 years old
Plovdiv has been inhabited since 4000 BC as the inhabitants settled on local hills. The city was conquered by many groups of people, most notable being the Romans and Ottoman Turks. Today, the city is the second largest city in Bulgaria, the first being the capital, Sofia. The city is a major cultural and economic hub and an increasingly popular tourist destination.
8. Sidon, Lebanon— 6000 years old
One of the first major groups to settle Sidon were the Phoenicians who were skilled seafarers and navigaters. They used Sidon’s position as an important port city on the Mediterranean sea to trade and travel all throughout the region. Nowadays, the city is well-known for its historic tourist destinations, and glass production has made the city rich.
7. Erbil, Iraq — 6000 years old
Erbil (also known as Irbil) was inhabited since 4000 BC by various people groups. The Assyrians, one of the people who conquered the city, called it Arbela. The historic city has seen many different empires and countries. Nowadays, the city is known for its historic architecture. The city is located in Northern Iraq, which is mostly inhabited by Kurds.
6. Susa, Iran — 6300 years old
Susa is an ancient city that dates back to the very beginning of civilization, the first people to inhabit the city had close contact with the people living in Mesopotamia (Iraq). The city is said to have been destroyed by Assyrian conquerors but was quickly rebuilt and flourished under Persian rule. The city was razed by the Mongols and was abandoned thereafter. Nowadays, most of its former inhabitants live in the close by city of Shush.
5. Athens, Greece — 7000 years old
This city is widely regarded as the birthplace of European civilization and philosophy. It was briefly conquered by the Persians before the Greeks retook it. The city remained a center of art and philosophy under Roman rule and was then under the rule of the Ottomans. Today, Athens is Greece’s largest city, and also it's capital. It is Europe’s oldest capital city.
4. Argos, Greece — 7000 years old
Argos is a city in southern Greece, around 60 miles/96 km south of Athens. The rules of Argos remained neutral and did not partake in many wars. They were conquered by the Romans and Ottomans. The city has been inhabited since 5000 B.C.
3. Byblos, Lebanon — 7000 years old
The Bible actually gets its name from Byblos. Byblos is around 20 miles/40km north of the Lebanese capital, Beirut. It is believed to have been first occupied by humans around 7000 B.C. and continuously inhabited since 5000 B.C. This city was a major importer of papyrus. Nowadays, it is a major tourist destination.
2. Aleppo, Syria — 8000 years old
Aleppo has been continuously inhabited for 8000 years! (Meaning that people have been living in Aleppo for 8000 years — continuously!). Some archaeologists have found proof of human settlement dating back 11000 years! Aleppo is located between the Mediterranean sea and Mesopotamia (Iraq), which means it became an important trading hub for goods traveling between the two regions. Unfortunately, due to conflict between the Syrian Government and rebel forces, Aleppo’s condition is deteriorating as bombs are dropped, and fighting takes place.
1. Damascus, Syria — 11000 years old
This city, also in Syria, has been continuously inhabited for 11,000 years. Damascus is the oldest city in the world and has seen much history. It was conquered by the Muslim Arabs in 634 CE, which says Islam quickly spread there. Damascus became a center of the Arab and Muslim world and is still widely regarded as one today. Unfortunately, Damascus faces the same fate as Aleppo as the ongoing conflict has made it unlivable.
