Ever wondered if any ancient city still exists today?
You’ll be surprised that some of the cities you may know have been around for millenniums, survived civilisations, and still standing till date.
Here are five cities that have existed on earth for over 5000 years.
1. Damascus – 11,000 years
Damascus is the capital of Arab culture and it is regarded as one of the oldest cities in the world. This city has seen many great civilisations rise and fall and was first inhabited in the second half of the seventh millennia BC according to history.
2. Aleppo, Syria – 8,000 years
This city is said to have existed for over 8,000 years and has been a centre of trade, culture, and civilisation since the 6th millennium BCE. Archaeological reports also say remnants in Aleppo date back to 11,000 BC.
3. Byblos, Lebanon – 7,000 years
Byblos has a history of over 7,000 years and played a significant role in Mediterranean trade and culture, contributing to the development of the Phoenician alphabet. It is one city that is attractive to archaeologists because of the successive layers of debris resulting from centuries of human habitation.
4. Argos, Greece – 7,000 years
Located in Greece, Argos also makes it to the list of cities that have existed for over 5,000 years. History says Argolis, Argos was a major stronghold during the Mycenaean era and at one time, Argos was a powerful rival of Sparta for dominance over the Peloponnese. It would later remain neutral during the Greco-Persian Wars.
5. Athens, Greece – 7000 years
Athens is the capital of Greece and people have inhabited this ancient city even before the days of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
In addition to the above cities, there is also Susa, a city in Iran that has existed for about 6,300 years and Sidon which has existed for approximately 6,000 years.
