This is a list of the oldest, still surviving, towns and cities in the world. There are some points of contention here and care should be taken when using the list below. The cities have been listed because either the archaeological record has shown, or documents have supported the claim, that the settlement was in existence at the time given. However, presence here should in no way indicate that there is total consensus over the date the city was founded - differences in opinion can result from different definitions of "city" (usually relating to the population size) as well as "continuously inhabited" (relating to changing population size; changes in location and changes in name). Additionally, where an approximate date has been given, the date was treated as the lower end of the estimate for the purposes of the table. The definition of "continuously inhabited city" for the purposes of this list was that there must be evidence to show that the city had been constantly settled by a population of more than 250 for the entire time since the date shown. This is different from there simply being 'evidence of human occupation in the area' and that it may well be different from the numerous other definitions of the term 'city' that are in use. In spite of all this, several cities listed here (Varanasi, Aleppo, Arbil, Byblos and Hebron) each claim to be 'the oldest city in the world'. An attempt has been made to discuss the validity of each of their claims alongside their stated position in the table. 1 Jericho 9,000 B.C.
West Bank, Palestinian Territories Evidence indicates that the city was abandoned several times,
and later expanded and rebuilt several times. 2 Byblos 5,000 BC
Lebanon Carbon-dating tests have set the age of earliest settlement around 7000±80 3 Damascus 4,300 BC
Syria Excavations at Tell Ramad on the outskirts of the city have demonstrated that
Damascus was inhabited as early as 8000 to 10,000 BC.[8] However, Damascus is
not documented as an important city until the coming of the Aramaeans which is
the date used in this table. See reference for presence of urban life among
cattle herders at this date - also due to land fertility and constant water source. 4 Aleppo 4,300 BC
Syria Originating in the early second millennium BC,[9] Syria's second-largest city,
Aleppo, vies with Damascus for the title of the world's oldest continuously inhabited
city. Both can demonstrate occupation for more than 8,000 years 5 Susa 4,000 BC
Iran (Persia) As a city, up to 7500 years of inhabitation 6
Sidon 4,000 BC
Lebanon There is evidence that Sidon was inhabited as long ago as 4000 B.C., and perhaps,
as early as Neolithic times (6000 - 4000 B.C.) 7 Medinat Al-Fayoum (as Crocodilopolis or Arsinoe) 4,000 BC
Egypt 8 Gaziantep 3,650 BC
Turkey This is disputed, although most modern scholars place the Classical Antiochia and
Taurum at Gaziantep, some maintain that it was in fact located at Aleppo. Furthermore,
that the two cities occupy the same site is far from established fact (see Gaziantep).
Assuming this to be the case, the date of founding the present site would be in the
region of 1,000 BC. (see Gaziantep) 9 Hebron 3,500 BC
West Bank, Palestinian Territories Hebron is one of the most ancient cities in the Middle East, and one of the oldest
continuously inhabited cities in the world. It was an ancient Canaanite royal city,
which according to archaeological findings was probably founded in the 35th century BCE;
It is mentioned in The Bible as being the site of Abraham's purchase of the Cave of the
Patriarchs from the Hittites, in a narrative that some recent historians regard as
constituting a late 'pious prehistory' of Israel's settlement.[5]. The Abrahamic
traditions associated with Hebron are nomadic, and may reflect a Kenite element since
the the nomadic Kenites are said to have long occupied the city, [6]and Heber is the name
for a Kenite clan[7] Hebron is also mentioned there as being formerly called Kirjath-arba,
or "city of four", possibly referring to a federation of four townlets, or four hills,
before being conquered by Caleb and the Israelites (Joshua 14:15). Hebron became one of
the principal centers of the Tribe of Judah, and the Judahite King David reigned in the
city until the capture of Jerusalem, when the capital of the Kingdom of Israel was moved
to that city. In 1998, during archeological excavations conducted at Tel Rumeida,
jar handle stamps bearing Hebrew letters dating from 700 BCE, the oldest known
inscription naming the city, were found in Hebron. 10 Istanbul 3,500 BC
Turkey Artifacts dating back to 3500-5000 BC in Fikirtepe (see History of Istanbul)
Jerusalem would be one of the oldest cities.
australias oldest and youngest capital cities
jaipur delhi jodhpur ajmer karauli chandigarh pune udaipur jammu ahmedabad
No the oldest part of london is its cities
your answer is Jericho.
no, it is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world thou
Sydney is the oldest city of Australia, having been settled by the convicts and officers of the First Fleet. Melbourne is not even in the top three oldest cities, having only been settled around 1836.
indraprastha
Damascus
Nacadoches Victoria Goliad
Chester, PA
Is New York in WHAT top 10 cities? The top 10 most populated cities? The top 10 most expensive cities? The top 10 most depressed cities? The top 10 safest cities? "Top 10 cities" could refer to anything, so this question is unanswerable without more information.