Top 20 Oldest Cities in the World: A Journey Through Human History
The history of human civilization is intrinsically tied to the rise and fall of cities. These urban centers have been the heart of commerce, culture, politics, and innovation, shaping the trajectory of humanity. Some of the oldest cities in the world are still inhabited today, offering a unique window into the ancient past. From Mesopotamia to the Indian subcontinent, these cities have witnessed the evolution of societies over millennia.
Here is a list of the 20 oldest cities in the world—cities that have stood the test of time, playing pivotal roles in the development of human civilization.
1. Jericho, Palestine in Arabic Ariha (Around 9,000 BCE)
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| Jericho/Palestine/ Stock Adobe |
Often cited as the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, Jericho has an incredibly rich history. Located in the Jordan Valley, near the Dead Sea, it dates back to around 9,000 BCE, with evidence of permanent settlements. Jericho’s importance stems from its role in early agriculture, with inhabitants developing the cultivation of crops like wheat and barley. The city’s iconic stone walls, built around 8,000 BCE, are some of the earliest examples of urban fortifications.
2. Byblos, Lebanon , in Arabic Jbeil (Around8,000 BCE)
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| Byblos Town, Lebanon/stock Adobe |
Byblos is another contender for the title of the oldest city in the world. Situated on the Mediterranean coast, it was an important Phoenician port city and a center of trade in the ancient world. Byblos is often credited with the development of the first alphabet, which later influenced Greek and Latin scripts. Over the centuries, the city was ruled by various civilizations, including the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Its archaeological sites reveal layers of human habitation spanning over 10,000 years. |
3. Damascus, Syria (Around 7,000 BCE)
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| Umayyad Mosque, in Syria/Stock Adobe |
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus has been a major cultural and political center in the Middle East for thousands of years. The city’s location along trade routes between Asia and the Mediterranean made it a crossroads of different cultures and religions. Damascus has been the capital of several important empires, including the Umayyad Caliphate, and remains the capital of modern Syria.
4. Aleppo, Syria (Around 6,000 BCE)
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Aleppo, Syria/dreamstime |
Like Damascus, Aleppo’s location has played a key role in its long history. Situated near the confluence of the Queiq River and a major trade route, Aleppo was an important trading hub in ancient times. It was once ruled by the Amorites, Greeks, Romans, and Ottomans. Aleppo has been home to diverse ethnic and religious communities, contributing to its rich cultural heritage. However, the city has faced significant damage in recent years due to the Syrian Civil War.
5. Susa, Iran (Around 4,200 BCE)
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Susa, Iran/ Surfiran Mag |
Susa, located in modern-day Iran, was an important city in ancient Persia. It served as the capital of several empires, including the Elamite, Persian, and Achaemenid Empires. The city’s location near the Tigris River made it a center of trade and culture. Susa is also known for its impressive archaeological finds, including the famous Code of Hammurabi stele, one of the earliest known legal texts.
6. Athens, Greece (Around 3,000 BCE)
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| Athens, Greece: pexels |
Athens is considered the cradle of Western civilization and democracy. The city’s early history dates back to the Bronze Age, but it rose to prominence during the 5th century BCE, when it became the center of philosophy, arts, and sciences. Athens was home to influential figures like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, whose ideas continue to shape Western thought. Today, Athens remains the capital of Greece, blending ancient monuments like the Parthenon with modern urban life.
7. Varanasi, India (Around 3,000 BCE)
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| Varanasi, India/ Pixels |
Varanasi, also known as Kashi, is one of the holiest cities in Hinduism and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Located on the banks of the Ganges River, Varanasi has been a center of religious and cultural life for over 5,000 years. Pilgrims from across India and the world visit Varanasi to perform rituals and worship at its many temples and ghats. The city is a living testament to India’s rich spiritual and cultural history.
8. Cairo, Egypt (Around 3,000 BCE)
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| Cairo, Giza, Egypt /Pixels |
The modern capital of Egypt, Cairo, stands on the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis, which dates back to around 3,000 BCE. Memphis was the capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom and is famous for its impressive pyramids, including the Great Pyramid of Giza. Cairo grew into a major center of Islamic culture and learning after the Arab conquest of Egypt in the 7th century CE. Today, Cairo is one of the largest cities in the Arab world, a bustling metropolis that continues to be a hub for politics, culture, and education in the region.
9. Luxor, Egypt (Around 3,000 BCE)
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| Luxur, Egypt / Pixels |
Luxor, often referred to as the "world's greatest open-air museum," was the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes. It served as the capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom and is home to some of the most iconic archaeological sites, including the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, and the Luxor Temple. Luxor's history is intricately tied to the pharaohs, and its monuments continue to captivate visitors from around the world.
10. Istanbul, Turkey (Around 2,700 BCE)
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| Ottoman architecture,Istanbul,Turkey/ Pixels |
Known as Byzantium and later Constantinople, Istanbul’s strategic location between Europe and Asia has made it a crossroads of civilizations. The city was founded around 2,700 BCE, though it rose to prominence under the Greeks and Romans. As the capital of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople was a center of Christian culture, and later, as the capital of the Ottoman Empire, it became a major Islamic hub. Today, Istanbul remains a vibrant city blending cultures, religions, and histories from both the East and West.
11. Cholula, Mexico (Around 2,500 BCE)
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| Cholula, Mexico/ Pixels |
Cholula, located in central Mexico, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. It was a major cultural and religious center for the pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica, particularly the Toltecs and the Aztecs. Cholula is famous for its Great Pyramid, the largest pyramid by volume in the world. The city’s long history includes interactions with various indigenous groups, as well as Spanish colonization in the 16th century.
12. Rome, Italy (Around 753 BCE)
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| Colosseum, Roma,Italy/Pixels |
Rome, the capital of Italy, was founded in 753 BCE according to Roman legend. The city became the center of the Roman Republic, which later transformed into the Roman Empire, one of the most powerful empires in history. Rome was the birthplace of many key institutions in Western civilization, including legal systems, political structures, and cultural practices. Today, Rome is home to many ancient ruins, such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon, which stand as reminders of its past glory.
13. Petra, Jordan (Around 5,000 BCE)
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| Petra, Jordan/ pixels |
Petra, located in modern-day Jordan, was the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom and a major trading hub in antiquity. It was carved into the rose-red sandstone cliffs, making it one of the most visually striking archaeological sites in the world. Petra was an important center for the trade of spices, incense, and silk, and it thrived for centuries before being abandoned. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
14. Tbilisi, Georgia (Around 1,500 BCE)
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| Tbilisi, Georgia/Pixels |
Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, has a long and storied history, dating back to at least 1,500 BCE. The city was established on the banks of the Kura River and has been a major cultural and political center in the Caucasus region. Tbilisi has been part of various empires, including the Roman, Byzantine, and Persian Empires, and has a diverse architectural heritage that blends Christian, Persian, and Russian influences.
15. Xi’an, China (Around 1,100 BCE)
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| Statues in Xi’an, China/Pixels |
Xi’an is one of China’s ancient capitals and the starting point of the Silk Road. The city’s history stretches back over 3,000 years, and it was the capital of several dynasties, including the Qin, Han, and Tang Dynasties. Xi’an is perhaps best known as the home of the Terracotta Army, the vast collection of life-sized statues buried with the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang.
16. Jerusalem, Palestine in Arabic Alquds (Around 3,000 BCE)
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| AlQuds, the dome of the Rock, Palestine/Pixels |
Jerusalem holds immense religious and historical significance. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and has been a sacred city for Muslims, Christians and Jews, and for millennia. Jerusalem’s history dates back to at least 3,000 BCE, and it has been a center of religious and political power throughout the ages. The city’s iconic sites, such as the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Dome of the Rock, draw millions of pilgrims and tourists every year, from everywhere
17. Mumbai, India (Around 2,000 BCE)
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| Gateway of Bombay, India/Pixels |
Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, has a history that dates back to ancient times. The city's history can be traced back to around 2,000 BCE, when it was a cluster of islands inhabited by various indigenous communities. Over time, Mumbai evolved into a significant trading port under various empires, including the Mauryas, the Cholas, and the Portuguese. In the 17th century, the British East India Company established a base in Mumbai, which eventually led to the city becoming a major center for British colonial trade and later the commercial capital of modern-day India. Today, Mumbai is India’s largest city and one of the world’s most populous metropolises, known for its thriving film industry (Bollywood), financial institutions, and cultural diversity.
18. Bangkok, Thailand (Around 1,000 BCE)
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| A Tumple in Bangkok, Thailand/ Pixels |
19. Lima, Peru (Around 2,000 BCE)
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| Machu Picchu,Peru/Pixels |
Lima, the capital of Peru, has a history that dates back to ancient pre-Columbian civilizations. The area was originally inhabited by the Lima culture around 2,000 BCE. However, it rose to prominence as the center of the Inca Empire in the 15th century. Spanish conquistadors founded the city in 1535, and Lima soon became the capital of Spanish South America. Today, Lima is a vibrant cultural and economic hub in Peru, blending colonial and indigenous influences.
20. Tunis, Tunisia (Around 1,000 BCE)
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| Ancient Roman writing, Carthage, Tunisia/Pixels |
Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years. Originally founded by the Phoenicians as the city of Carthage around 1,000 BCE, it became one of the most powerful cities in the ancient Mediterranean. Carthage’s strategic location on the northern coast of Africa made it a major rival to Rome, leading to the Punic Wars. After Rome’s victory in the wars, the city was destroyed but later rebuilt. Today, Tunis is a vibrant city with a rich history, from its Roman ruins to its Islamic heritage, and remains an important political, cultural, and economic center in North Africa.
In Conclusion
These 20 cities represent a diverse cross-section of the human experience, spanning continents and millennia. They have been the cradles of civilization, where early humans transitioned from nomadic tribes to settled communities, and from there to sophisticated urban centers. Through war, trade, religion, and cultural exchange, these cities have survived and adapted until now, offering us a living history of human resilience and ingenuity.
While some of these cities, like Jericho, Damascus, and Varanasi, have retained their status as important cultural or religious centers, others, like Rome and Istanbul, have been redefined through the ages by different empires and civilizations. Their ancient foundations continue to influence the modern world, serving as a testament to the enduring nature of human society and the cities that have shaped our collective history.
Visiting these cities today is not just a journey through geography, but a journey through time, a chance to stand in the places where ancient cultures once flourished and reflect on the long, winding road of human civilization.
I hope I took you back in time to explore the Top 20 oldest cities in the world, and I hope you enjoyed it.
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