Up until around 7000 to 9000 years ago, humanity lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, going out to hunt the animals and forage the plants they needed for survival.
But after a while, humans began to work together, and it didn’t take long for settlements to form as we moved to an agriculturally based society. From there, new innovations arose, new methods of growing and storing food were invented, and people were able to focus on expanding their settlements.
Some of these settlements would be expanded enough to be transformed into cities. These cities proved to be the true birthplace of modern civilisation as we know it, and while the majority of said cities have long been lost to the sands of time, there are a handful that are still around to this day.
Here we will look at some of the most ancient cities that are still inhabited today.
Athens
Set at the heart of the country of Greece, Athens is one of the world’s oldest metropolises that’s still very much bustling in the modern world. The seat of power for the ancient Athenians, it’s believed that the area was settled as far back as 6000 years ago.
At some point, it became the biggest and most powerful cities of the Greeks, and many see it as the birthplace of democracy. It laid the foundations of western society as we know it today, and anyone visiting the city would be able to view much of the historical structures that have stood for thousands of years.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem has been sought after for countless centuries due to the strategically important region that it lies in. Over the years, dozens of civilisations, kingdoms, and empires have fought over the city, and even today it’s the site of much controversy.
It’s also an important city for three of the world’s most prominent religions: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. It’s believed that humans have been inhabiting Jerusalem for over 6000 years, where it started as a simple settlement and turned into a busy trade hub for much of the ancient world.
Aleppo
Aleppo made worldwide news due to it being at the centre of the recent and devastation Syrian Civil War which saw much of the city being destroyed. Despite that, Aleppo is still considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, packed with thousands of years of history and culture – so much so that it was announced as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. While the true age of the city is a mystery, historians agree that it was settled around 5000 BCE.
Jericho
Jericho holds the record for being the oldest city in the world, where evidence suggests that it was settled as early as 11000 years ago. The city is very much still around to this day and has become a great place for historians and archaeologists thanks to its immense history, as well as tourists wanting somewhere to go after winning big on https://bettingonline.net.nz. The Wall of Jericho is regarded as the oldest city wall in the world, having been built around 10000 years ago or so.
