Even though much that links us to their founding years is gone, cities that reach back to the earliest human civilizations retain an undeniable allure. These 10 examples include some of the oldest cities in history, and people still call each one of them home.
IfeFounded circa 350 B.C.
© Tropenmuseum
The Yoruba people consider Ife the mythical
birthplace of mankind. Two of their deities are said to have created the first humans out of clay, with one of them becoming the first king of the Yoruba. By the 11th century, the city had become the capital of a kingdom, with its residents producing the region's famed
terra-cotta heads during the following two centuries.
Nearly destroyed as a result of a late 18th-century war, as well as by decades of trauma related to the slave trade, Ife is now home to one of Nigeria's major universities, as well as the Historical Society of Nigeria. In addition, the spiritual leader of the Yoruba people, known as the Ooni, lives in a palace in the center of the city. Ife now has over 600,000 residents.
BalkhFounded circa 500 B.C.
The ancient walls of Balkh, Afghanistan
Known as Bactra in its pre-Afghan days, the city of Balkh was the capital of the Greek territory of Bactria after its
capture by Alexander the Great. After several invaders conquered the city, it eventually became the capital of Khorasan, a political entity created by the Sasanian Empire of Iran. It was under their rule that Balkh became famous as a center of learning, earning itself the title "mother of cities." In addition, the
Zoroastrian religion is said to have been founded there.
Most of the city was destroyed during an invasion by Genghis Khan in the 13th century. It lay in ruins until the early 15th century, and the city is more of a village today, with a population of only a few thousand. But a handful of the original buildings have survived, including a number of ancient Buddhist reliquary mounds and the outer walls of the city.
LuoyangFounded circa 1050 B.C.
© Gary Lee Todd
One of the eight
Great Ancient Capitals of China, Luoyang was founded in the middle of the 11th century, at the start of the Zhou Dynasty. In fact, nine different dynasties, stretching over centuries, have used Luoyang as their capital. Unfortunately, the city underwent a great economic depression that lasted from a revolution in the eighth century up until the middle of the 1900s. Assistance from the USSR and industrialization brought Luoyang back from the dead.
One of the greatest architectural and spiritual treasures in the city is the White Horse Temple, the "
cradle of Buddhism in China." Built during the first century A.D., it was the first of up to 1,300 different temples, as Luoyang became the spiritual center for Buddhism in China. In addition, the city is home to the Longmen Grottoes, a series of Buddhist caves that is a UNESCO heritage site and one of the masterpieces of Chinese Buddhist art.
PatrasFounded circa 1100 B.C.
© Conudrum/WikimediaPatras
While evidence says people lived in the area as far back as the third millennium B.C., Patras as an actual city didn't begin until about 1,000 years later. Three small settlements existed in the area and remained there for hundreds of years, until the Achaeans, and the eponymous
Patreus, combined them into one large city and named it Patras. Relatively insignificant for much of its early existence, the city later became a major part of the founding of the second Achaean League, a confederation of various Greek city-states.
Thanks to its location by the sea, Patras played a huge role in Greek trade, even up to modern times. Unfortunately, very few buildings have survived from its early history, with the oldest surviving example being the
Patras Roman Odeum, a small theater built by the Romans sometime in the early second century. There is also a prehistoric acropolis, known as the Wall of Dymaeans, dating back to the 14th century B.C. It is said to have been built by Heracles himself.
KutaisiFounded circa 1400 B.C.
© Andrzej WójtowiczKutaisi
Among the oldest and largest cities in the nation of Georgia, Kutaisi was the capital of multiple ancient kingdoms, most notably
Colchis from the sixth to first century B.C. That kingdom is perhaps best known for being the final destination of Jason and his Argonauts during their quest for the Golden Fleece. Afterward, the city and the area around it suffered numerous invasions, including by the Mongolians and the Ottomans.
In the 12th century, during the reign of David IV, Kutaisi became the capital of the
United Kingdom of Georgia and underwent a period of construction unrivaled in its history. This time saw the construction of the
Gelati Monastery, one of the most famous buildings in the city and a great example of medieval Georgian architecture. Remarkably well preserved, it is one of Georgia's UNESCO heritage sites.
TyreFounded circa 2750 B.C.
© Andrzej WójtowiczTyre
An ancient Phoenician port city, with a large number of mythical occurrences to its name, Tyre has seen its fair share of historical action as well. Extremely prosperous thanks to its ideal location, the city was besieged by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, who
unsuccessfully tried to conquer it over the course of 13 years. However, Tyre did fall to the army assembled by Alexander the Great, which resulted in most of the buildings being
razed to the ground.
It was here (or perhaps nearby Sidon) that people were first able to create dye with a purple pigment, leading the Greeks to call them Phoinikes, which means "purple people" and is where we get the name "Phoenician." One of the most important Phoenician cities, Tyre used to be an island, but Alexander the Great used demolished buildings to create a causeway linking it to the mainland. Now known as Sour in the country of Lebanon, the city is home to many significant ancient Roman sites, including the second-century hippodrome, one of the largest existing in the world.
SidonFounded circa 3000 B.C.
© Heretiq/WikimediaSidon
Derived from the Greek word for "fishery," Sidon was an ancient Phoenician port city and is famous for its fishing and trade industries, as well as its glass manufacturing-the Greek author Homer had a
lot of praise for the people of Sidon when it came to that specific fact. Like its sister city Tyre, Sidon was captured by Alexander the Great, yet it was spared complete destruction because it surrendered without a fight.
Commanded by multiple kingdoms, Sidon flourished under Ottoman rule, though it has been
ravaged and rebuilt multiple times. One of the oldest pieces of architecture in the city is the Temple of Eshmun, dedicated to the Phoenician god of healing and dating back to the seventh century B.C.
ArgosFounded circa 5000 B.C.
© Karin Helene Pagter DuparcThe ancient theatre in Argos
Perhaps the
oldest city in Europe, Argos was originally a Greek city-state. Thanks to its bountiful natural resources in the fertile lowlands known as the Plain of Argos, the city rose to prominence during the Mycenaean period at the end of the second millennium B.C. In fact, until Sparta's rise, Argos was the
dominant city-state of the region.
Unlike many of its Greek partners, Argos flourished under
Roman and Byzantine rule, as evidenced by the monumental civic works undertaken during these eras. The city and surrounding area played a huge role in Greek mythology, with the heroes Perseus, Diomedes, and Agamemnon believed to have been born there.
The present city of Argos is built over much of the ancient city, with very little architecture remaining from its early years. The ruins of the Heraion of Argos, a temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Hera, form probably the oldest existing structure in the area, dating back to the seventh century B.C.
ByblosFounded circa 6000 B.C.
© BlingBling10/WikimediaByblos city wall and secondary city gate
The oldest existing Phoenician city, Byblos was home to much scientific and technological advancement during its existence. Historians credited it as the place where the Phoenician alphabet was conceived, and the city's name derives from the
Greek word for "paper," a major export. Byblos was burned to the ground near the end of the third millennium B.C. by invading Amorites, yet traces of that period still exist.
Originally, Byblos was an Egyptian protectorate, supplying crucial timber and other goods in exchange for protection. By the 11th century B.C., it was independent and became Phoenician territory. It remained relatively important for much of its existence, first losing its importance as capital of Phoenicia to Tyre and then
fading to obscurity just after the Crusades. The present-day city of Jbail, Lebanon is partially built on the ruins of much of Byblos, with the remaining ruins being designated a UNESCO heritage site.
JerichoFounded circa 9000 B.C.
© A. SobkowskiDwelling foundations unearthed at Tell es-Sultan in Jericho
Perhaps the oldest (and currently the
lowest by altitude) city in the history of humanity, Jericho is located in the West Bank, just past the northern half of the Dead Sea. Thanks to a spring that supplies the area with extremely fertile soil, Jericho made a great place for early hunter-gatherers to settle down and begin
domesticating animals. After about 2,000 years of loosely being considered a city, Jericho's first walls were erected, forming the earliest known example of urban fortifications.
Known as Tell es-Sultan in its early days, Jericho flourished for many years before being completely destroyed by nomadic tribes toward the end of the second millennium B.C. Fire destroyed it again a few hundred years later. The modern city of Jericho comprises part of this ancient area, as well as space that used to be out of Tell es-Sultan's city limits. Jericho was also said to be home to many spiritual events from Judaism and Christianity.
Reader Comments
Clearly, you have no idea of pertinent history.
Whatever you are smoking, you need to allow it to dry a bit more. Relax.
Humankind was created in Ethiopia. Asia was Cushite territory, part of the Ethiopian Empire.
Check the cultures around the world. All direct or derivatives of Ethiopian culture, no exception.
Ethiopia (Cushite Empire) directly controlled the three continents for over 3,000 years, while civilizing the rest of the world. Then with Egypt, controlled the world for a further 6,000 years. Cush/Cushite/Ethiopia all mean Black.
Check the history books. Visit realhistoryww.com. Visit the museums with ancient images and sculptures. See what ancient peoples and ‘gods’ looked like. All ‘gods’ were Ethiopic/Ethiopian. These are all established historical facts.
“Why is that part of the world so backward?”
Checked who went into Afruika, then decimates the villages, slaughtered the people, then went back to their ‘institutions’ to claim a right to Afruika because the people were uncivilized, the land not developed.
Check who underdeveloped Afruika, who has Afruika in a strangle-hold because of it’s resources.
Check who has been waging wars in Afruika, to the detriment of Afruikans?
Check it. Read - Breasted, Budge, Darkwah, Dunjee-Houston, Jackson, Massey, Volney, etc.
Learn something!
Shalom
If you feel inclined, look up ancient histories from Prof Max Duncker, ancient Chaldean records, etc.
You claim without any proof that "Humankind was created in Ethiopia". Your saying so doesn't make it so. If Africa is the starting point of humanity, why isn't it also the cradle of civilization?
You can't discuss anything without slinging insults.
Please know - "Humankind was created in Ethiopia" – is not my statement. This is historical fact. The type one discovers when one reads history, especially ancient history.
Again old chap, where do you suppose the cradle of civilization lies? I hope you are not imbibing the foolishness of Greece as the cradle of civilization, you can be foolishly DUI. Your problem is (1) you apparently have no clue of history, and (2) you simply cannot handle the truth.
The truth will continue to surface regardless of what you do or how much ass you ask to be kissed.
It is better to keep your mouth shut. Let people assume you are stupid. Than to open it, and remove all doubt.
You apparently have no idea what exactly is an insult. I did not insult you old chap. But keep pushing ..
And this is exactly the reason why I suggested this forum be placed under parental guidance/approval for some of the participants.
Grow up!
Shalom
I think it’s funny to be impolite, but not usually to someone I don’t know IRL unless I see where the topic is going.
I like your condescending remarks worded at me - roll off like water on a duck, and if you’re just talking to me with subjectivity you better hold on to your oh shit handle. I try to always remember why I’m here. Atleast you have me talking. Back to the subject.
You walk on a string of afruika. No infos, no debate, just ‘tell on yourself’ about the lie.
Under the oceans in freshwater riverbeds that have fosilized “objects” that prove your ass from your elbow. Dating farms stones and bones, language art and instinct, formula fasion and skill matter - together. But not postured as society sees it.
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Allepo, ancient Ebla, is also oldest democracy. See: Ebla tablets, Allepo codex
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Her YouTube videos on the Y-T channel 'New Earth' are fascinating. To judge by the degree of erosion of the immense - hundreds of tons each megalith - stone structures which occur all over the world, civilization has been around for millions of years, not tens of thousands. And one sees evidence of similar styles over several continents, so this was (or these were) globe-spanning civilizations.
Then there is Michael Cremo, who is the most famous of the crypto-archaeologists, whose site is at mcremo.com, here: [Link] It is entirely possible "human" civilization has arisen and been destroyed multiple times over quite literally hundreds of millions of years.
That said, "Humans" of the past who had the ability to move immense megaliths that we could not move today with all our machines may include humanoid species that were different from ourselves. Please research the conehead skulls of Paracas, Peru. They were humanoid, but not the same as us, having (for one difference) fewer bone sutures in their skulls than we do.
It's a fascinating world and a great puzzle, about which we know very little. Academic archaeologists who cannot afford to offend the powers-that-be in their professions prefer to ignore the evidence staring them in the face.
When I was a child I could look at the atlas and see that the Americas and Africa fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle, but the "theory" of continental drift was ridiculed. Now it is accepted fact, since we have the tools to actually measure the annual drift of continents.
Thirty years ago amateur archaeologists theorized that sea levels during the last ice age were hundreds of feet lower than today, and their amateur status was thrown in their faces and their conclusions ridiculed. Today we know it for a fact, and also know that those civilizations that existed then have been submerged for 11,000 years and covered over by that many years of silt deposition. What is down there? Academics prefer not to ask, and in fact the Indian Government has even forbidden exploration of the city of Dwarka under the ocean off the east coast of India.
Maybe some day, when the Christians no longer rule our minds and our control our understanding of history, we may find out the truth of just how ancient we really are. We may not even have originated on this planet.
“This was (or these were) globe-spanning civilizations.” I am not aware there was more than one “globe-spanning civilization”. Humankind was created in Ethiopia. Ethiopia civilized and colonized Egypt. Ethiopia and Egypt combined civilized the rest of the world. There are those who have proven that from the perspective of Ethiopia. And those who did it from the perspective of Atlantis.
“Move immense megaliths” - Abd'el Hakim Awyan (the only Egyptologist who was an Egyptian) in one of his videos on Youtube, described how the massive stones were moved. He said it was levitation, amplified by the power of the lotus. The lotus may still be in the Cairo museum.
“Continental drift” - is happening. Seismology provides the evidence.
“Sea levels” - make interesting arguments. There are graphs projecting sea levels over a 500,000 or 5,000,000 years period.
With the exception of “move immense megaliths”, all the above topics are covered in my book – Ethiopia is Atlantis!
Why not take a look at the draft on mycvp.com, and share some thoughts. I am quite sure, you will be surprised with some of what you read. The draft was dispatched ‘as is’ for self-assurance. I am in the midst of finalizing the book.
Shalom
Is this what you’re talking about? The levitation cones found in other cultures?
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Something I wondered about was there was a method used to electrochemically tune stones that presumably nobody proves today.. but we do have invisible forcefield shield tech that can withstand a 20lb sledgehammer. IRL. So it begs me to understand if there is a force of nature similar to what happened with the tower of babel where people were confused and couldn’t communicate as my argument(it is verified in their own writing) - if man commonly were empowered in the past and stripped of that ability since they would become too powerful in that sense.. It’s quite annoying not having ideas.
When people say - "You kidding me?!" "Seriously?" etc, they are basically saying "Is that true?" "Is that real?" etc.
When others say - "You need to let your marijuana dry a bit more" - it is practically the same. It is not intended as an insult.
I am sorry people take it that way. But it is not an insult. Please check the context before dropping to conclusions.
When people come at me, I go back at them. That's normal. But it is not my thing to go 'willy nilly' insulting people.
Shalom
The activation and development of human self (subjective) consciousness and its extensions of cultural and technological development (including of course the outsourcing of intelligence to machine or system management) is our archetypture. In this sense an ancient idea of 'self' ruled by division is still running beneath all the superstructure that has been piled on top.
We no longer see or experience the 'gods' of terror in their broken family constellations - and presume them an imaginary magnifiction of an ignorant un-scientific and magical narrative continuity. But around the world, the gods were planets associated with cosmic events and catastrophe along with plasma discharge events (thunderbolts or plasma flow on glow mode). But we persist in re-enacting the broken family constellations, because the conditioning is denied, hidden and defended BY the personality construct. The mind is thus a dissociative displacement into a 'model' of reality experienced as a filtered augmentation or overlay reality.
Hmm maybe I should rewrite that, sounds a bit morbid.. lol