The World’s 20 Ancient Cities

The World’s 20 Ancient or Oldest Cities —

The time travel on Holiday can be made by anyone visit these 20 most ancient cities in the world, some cities are not safe to travel but we must take advice from foreign office before we plan for tour.

The criterion of their choice by the Telegraph is the appearance, for the first time, of their inhabitants. Which means they may have older roots.

These cities are located in ancient Greece, Egypt and Egypt, up to today’s Afghanistan, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Spain and India.

For history, other ancient cities in Europe are Lisbon (about 1000 BC), Rome (753 BC), Corfu (about 700 BC) and Mantova (about 500 BC).

Jericho, Palestinian Territories

It was founded in 9000 BC. It is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world. Archaeologists have brought to light the remains of 20 consecutive settlements in Jericho, dating back 11,000 years ago. The city is located near the Jordan River in the West Bank and is currently inhabited by some 20,000 people.

Byblos, Lebanon

The first inhabitants settled in 5000 BC. It was founded as Gebal by the Phoenicians, and was called the Bible by the Greeks.

Aleppo, Syria

It was founded in 4300 BC. It is the most densely populated city of Syria, with about 4.4 million inhabitants. The city was originally under the control of the Hittites until around 800 BC, before passing to the Assyrians, the Greeks and the Persians.

Damascus, Syria

In 4300 BC, Damascus was founded. Some believe that this is the oldest inhabited city in the world, claiming it was first inhabited in 10,000 BC. After its conquest by Alexander the Great, Damascus was under Roman, Arab and Ottoman occupation.

Susa, Iran

The first inhabitants settled in 4200 BC. Sousa was the capital of the empire of the Elamites, before being conquered by the Assyrians. The modern city has a population of about 65,000.

Faiyum, Egypt

It was founded in 4000 BC. It is located southwest of Cairo, and is also called crocodilepoles, as they worshiped the sacred crocodile. The modern Faiyum consists of several bazaars, mosques and baths, while the Pyramids of Lehin and Haghura are within walking distance.

Sidon, Lebanon

The first inhabitants settled in 4000 BC. It is located about 25 miles south of Beirut and was one of the most important, and perhaps the oldest, of the Phoenician cities. It was the basis for the great Mediterranean Empire of the Phoenicians. Alexander the Great conquered it in 333 BC.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

In 4000 BC the first inhabitants were settled. It is the second largest city in Bulgaria, and it was very important for the Romans. Later he fell into Byzantine and Ottoman hands before becoming part of Bulgaria.

Gaziantep, Turkey

It was founded in 3650 BC. It is located in southern Turkey, near the border with Syria, and the history of the city reaches up to the Hittites. It is probable that in the place of Gaziantep was the Seleucid Taurus Antioch.

Beirut, Lebanon

The first inhabitants are estimated to have settled in 3000 BC. It is the capital of Lebanon, and has a history of 5,000 years. Excavations in the city brought to light Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Arabic and Ottoman remains, and are mentioned in letters to the Pharaoh of Egypt since the 14th century BC.

Jerusalem, Israel

The first inhabitants settled in 2800 BC. It is the spiritual center of the Jewish people and there are unique religious landmarks for Christians, such as the Holy Sepulcher. Over the course of history, the city has been besieged 23 times, has been attacked 52 times, has been occupied 44 and has been destroyed twice.

Tyre, Lebanon

It was founded in 2750 BC, according to Herodotus. It was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. after a siege of seven months. It became a Roman province in 64 BC.

Arbil, Iraq

The first inhabitants settled in 2300 BC. It is located north of Kirkuk and has been ruled during its history by Assyrians, Persians, Sassanides, Arabs and Ottomans. It was an important stop on the Silk Road. Today it is the capital of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan.

Kirkuk, Iraq

In 2200 BC is estimated to have been inhabited for the first time. It is located about 150 miles north of Baghdad, and was founded by the Assyrians. Its strategic significance was recognized by the Babylonians, and it was re-established during the Hellenistic period as Carka, and was finally named Seleuceia.

Balkh, Afghanistan

The first settlement was in 1500 BC. In ancient Greeks it was known as Ziriaspa or Waktra and is located in northern Afghanistan. It is referred to as the “mother of the cities” by the Arabs, and Alexander the Great is reported to be rumored during the campaign in Bactria. Modern Balkh is the center for the cotton industry in the region.

Athens, Greece

Its foundation dates back to 1400 BC. It is the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, while Athens’ cultural heritage is still evident throughout the world. It is full of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments and remains an extremely popular tourist destination.

Larnaca, Cyprus

The first inhabitants settled in 1400 BC. It was founded as “Kition” by the Phoenicians, and is known for its beautiful beach with palm trees.

Thebes, Greece

It was founded in 1400 BC. It was built by the myth from Cadmus and has a great historical and mythological significance. He was a great rival of ancient Athens, and his contribution to the Persian wars of 480 BC was significant. An archaeological excavation revealed an ancient Mycenaean settlement.

Cádiz, Spain

It was founded in 1100 BC. It has been the center of the Spanish Navy since the 18th century. It was founded by the Phoenicians as a small trading center and fell into the hands of the Carthaginians around 500 BC to become the basis of the conquest of the Iberian peninsula by Hannibal. It was then under the control of the Romans and Moors, before being reborn during the exploration period.

Varanasi, India

The first inhabitants settled in 1000 BC. Varanasi, also known as Benares, is located on the west bank of Ganges, and was a holy city for Hindus and Buddhists. According to myth, it was founded by the Hindu deity Siva 5,000 years ago, although modern scholars believe it is about 3,000 years old.

(with information and images from Telegraph )