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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)

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Q: What are the top oldest cities?
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