The data is still controversial, but this moment this information is official.
The current population is 602,000 people.
Judging by the date of the first mention in the chronicle, Yaroslavl is the oldest existing city on the Volga. It was founded by Prince Yaroslav the Wise during his Rostov reign (988-1010) on a cape above Strelka on the site or near the pagan settlement of Medvezhiy Ugol. On a site naturally protected on three sides (by the steep high banks of the Volga and Kotorosl and the Medveditsky ravine through which the stream flowed) the Yaroslavl Kremlin was built. The first mention of Yaroslavl - the “revolt of the Magi” caused by famine in the Rostov land - dates back to 1071. The name of the city is traditionally associated with the name of its founder: “Yaroslavl” is a possessive form meaning “Yaroslavov”.
In the 12th century, the Yaroslavl Peter and Paul and Spassky monasteries already existed - then they were located outside the city. During the first two centuries of its existence, Yaroslavl remained a small border city of the Rostov-Suzdal land.
Kazan - Regional center, capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. Founded in 1005. (The data is still not accurate, there is a version that the city was founded much earlier)
The current population is 1,206,100 people.
There are several versions and legends about the origin of the name Kazan. Most often they appeal to the version of a boiling cauldron: the sorcerer advised the Bulgars to build a city where a cauldron of water dug into the ground would boil without any fire. As a result, a similar place was found on the shore of Lake Kaban. This is where the name of the city of Kazan came from - kazan in ancient Bulgarian, as well as in modern Bulgarian and Tatar, means “cauldron”. Other versions connect the name of the city with the landscape, the Tatar words kaen (“birch”) or kaz (“goose”), Prince Hassan and other options. The version of I. G. Dobrodomov is presented: “the primary one was the reconstructed Alan-Burtass name Khadzang, associated with the location of the city at a sharp bend in the Volga riverbed. On Chuvash soil it became Khuzan, and in Russian usage it became Kazan.”
Suzdal is a small city that is part of the Vladimir region. Founding date: 999 or 1024.
The current population is 10,061 people.
Suzdal is first mentioned in the chronicles when it talks about the uprising of the Magi in 1024. According to A. A. Zaliznyak, Suzdal is mentioned in the oldest known Russian book, called the Novgorod Codex. The so-called “hidden texts” say that in 999 a certain monk Isaac was made a priest in Suzdal in the church of St. Alexander the Armenian.
Vladimir - Regional center. Founding date (one version) is 990.
The current population is 350,087 people.
In the ancient form (used in oral speech to this day) - Volodymyr - the princely name Volodymyr is combined with the possessive suffix -јь-, that is, “the city of Vladimir”. Toponyms starting with -јь- are the most ancient types characteristic of the names of Slavic cities. Over time, the name of the city, first in sound and then in spelling, coincided with the personal name Vladimir.
In the past, the variants Vladimir-on-Klyazma and Vladimir-Zalessky were also used, which was associated with the existence of the city of the same name in Southwestern Rus' - this is Vladimir-Volynsky in modern Ukraine, in the Volyn region. (The first mention of the southwestern city in the chronicle dates back to 988; the founder is considered to be Vladimir Svyatoslavich. Unlike Vladimir-on-Klyazma, the second component of the name Vladimir-Volynsky was officially established.)
Bryansk is a regional center. The city was founded in 985.
The current population is 408,472 people.
The city was first mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle as “Dybryansk” in 1146, and later in the Resurrection, Laurentian, Trinity Chronicles and other sources. The name of the city of Bryansk comes from the Old Russian word "D'bryansk", derived from the word deb'. The Old Russian word deb'r/deb' means "a mountain slope, gorge, ditch, valley or lowland, overgrown with dense forest and bushes." According to the law of the fall of weak elements, the line between d and b fell out, and the complex combination db was simplified to b.
Trubchevsk is a small city in terms of population, Bryansk region. Founded in 975.
The current population is 14,073 people.
In early sources the city is called Trubech, Trubezh, Trubetskoy, Trubchesky or Trubezhskoy. Initially, the settlement was located 10 km downstream of the Desna, near the modern village of Kvetun. The thickness of the cultural layer at the settlement was 60–80 cm. The lower layers belong to the Yukhnovskaya archaeological culture of the Early Iron Age. Dwellings and metallurgical forges have been studied in the Old Russian layers. Among the finds of the Old Russian period are brooches, glass bracelets and beads, coins (including Byzantine Constantine VII). Judging by the finds of thin plinths and fragments of a voice box, at the settlement in the 11th - 12th centuries. there was a stone temple.
Uglich - First mentioned in the chronicle in 1148, but some local sources also report other information: 937, 947, 952 and other years.
Uglich is a city in Russia, administrative center Uglich district, Yaroslavl region.
The current population is 32,766 people.
It got its name, in all likelihood, because the Volga makes a corner here. In addition, there are two possible versions: because coals were burned in this place, and because, solely according to this hypothesis, the Uglichi people were resettled from the Ugly River, a tributary of the Dnieper.
According to archaeological research, a settlement on the site of the Uglich Kremlin existed approximately from the beginning of our era with a short break in the region of the 5th-6th centuries.
Pskov is a small regional center. Founded in 859.
The current population is 206,730 people.
The name of the city is associated with the hydronym - the Pskova River. There are different versions of the origin of the name of the city and river. According to one of them - of Slavic origin - the name Pskov (Pleskov, Plskov) comes from the Old Russian word “ples” - part of the river between two bends, or from the word “sand”. According to another version - of Baltic-Finnish origin - the name comes from the words piskava (in Livonian), piskva, pihkva (in Estonian), meaning “resinous water” and reflects the multi-ethnicity of the early population of the city. Other interpretations of the hydronym are “splash”, “shine”, “fish river”, “sand”. Archaeologists have established that in Pskov in the 10th-11th centuries. lived the ancestors of the Slavs - the Pskov Krivichi, representatives of the Baltic-Finnish, Baltic and Scandinavian tribes
Smolensk is a large city, the regional center of the Smolensk region. Founded in 863.
The current population is 330,961 people.
There are several versions of the origin of the city's name. So, for example, there are versions that it goes back to the name of the Smolnya River (Old Slavic “smol” - black soil), or to the ethnonym Smolyans. The most common version of the origin mentions the “path from the Varangians to the Greeks.” The city was located at the end of the place where ships were transported from the Western Dvina to the Dnieper. This portage passed through the original place of origin of Smolensk (now Gnezdovo), where local artisans tarred merchant boats.
Belozersk (First name - Beloozero). The same age as Rostov the Great. A small city. Year of foundation - 862. Volgograd region.
The current population is 9,380 people.
Belozersk is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It was first mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years in 862 as the city of Beloozero, which participated in the calling of the Varangians. Archaeological evidence of the existence of the city at that time has not yet been found, although there are suggestions that it could have been located on the northern shore of White Lake.
Rostov the Great is the same age as the city of Murom, a small city included in the Yaroslavl region. In 1995, the Rostov Kremlin Museum-Reserve was included in the list of especially valuable objects of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia.
The current population is 30,923 people.
The name of the city is traditionally, although not very confidently, associated with the Slavic personal name Rost (cf. Rostislav), from which a possessive adjective is formed using the suffix -ov.
Rostov is mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years. The entry for 862 speaks of it as an existing city, which was owned by Rurik and where the “first inhabitants” belonged to the Merya tribe
Murom is a medium-sized city. It is part of the Vladimir region. Year of foundation: 862.
The current population is 111,474 people.
Murom was first mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years under 862 among the cities subject to Prince Rurik after the calling of the Varangians.
Gleb Vladimirovich is considered the first appanage prince of Murom. In 1088 the city was captured by the Volga Bulgars.
Veliky Novgorod is a regional center with a small population. Founded in 859.
The current population is 219,971 people.
Veliky Novgorod is one of the oldest and most famous cities in Russia (in 2009 it officially celebrated its 1150th anniversary). The place of the calling of the chronicle Rurik and the birth of Russian statehood. In the Middle Ages - the center of Novgorod Rus', and then the center of the Novgorod land as part of the Old Russian and Russian states. At the same time, in 1136, it became the first free republic on the territory of feudal Rus' (from that moment, when, after the battle at Zhdana Gora, Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich fled from the battlefield, the powers of the Novgorod prince were sharply limited). For the period of time starting from 1136 and ending in 1478, when Novgorod lost (as a result of the victory of the Moscow prince Ivan III the Great over the Novgorodians in the Moscow-Novgorod war of 1477-1478) political independence, in relation to the Novgorod land it is customary to apply the term “Novgorod republic" (the government of the latter used the designation Mister Veliky Novgorod).
Derbent is a medium-sized city, part of the Republic of Dagestan, the Russian Federation. Founded at the end of the 4th millennium BC. e.
The current population is 120,470 people.
Derbent is considered one of the oldest “living” cities in the world. The first settlements arose here in the Early Bronze Age - at the end of the 4th millennium BC. e.. The first mention of the Caspian Gate - the most ancient name of Derbent - dates back to the 6th century. BC e., it is cited by the famous ancient Greek geographer Hecataeus of Miletus.
The modern city was founded in 438 AD. e. like a Persian fortress, consisting of a citadel located on a hill (Naryn-kala) and two stone walls going from it to the sea, which blocked a narrow (3 km) passage between the sea and the Caucasus mountains and fenced off the territory of the city from the north and south. Thus, Derbent is the oldest city in Russia[
Not all cities are lucky enough to preserve their original appearance. During difficult times of wars and conquests, many cities were destroyed and then rebuilt, so only a few buildings managed to “survive” to our times. Still, there are majestic cities that can rightfully bear the proud title of “the most Old city peace."
Jericho (Palestine)
Mention of the first settlements on the site of modern Jericho dates back to 9000 BC. Three millennia later, the city began to actively rebuild and already at the turn of the 3rd and 2nd millennia it reached the peak of its development. It was destroyed several times, one of which was mentioned in the Bible.
It was a majestic city, where houses were built of brick and stone. Archaeologists have discovered here the ruins of an ancient synagogue dating back to the 1st century BC, magnificent winter palaces with baths, swimming pools and richly decorated halls. Not far from Jericho rises Mount Carantal, on which, according to legend, Jesus was tempted by the devil for forty days. Now in that place there is a majestic Monastery of Temptation carved into the rocks.
Damascus (Syria)
Another very ancient city is Damascus, the first mention of which appeared in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. Due to the fact that in ancient times Damascus was under the rule of the Egyptians, Israelis, Assyrians, Persians and even ancient city absorbed the culture of these peoples.
He became famous for his Damascus steel, which was popular in medieval Europe. Today here you can see the ruins of the ancient gates of the fortress, protecting the city from raids, Catholic churches, temples, mosques, old houses, which represent the most important monuments of Damascus culture and history.
Susa (Iran)
The first mention of the ancient city of Susa (modern Shush) dates back to the 7-4 millennium BC. It was the ancient Sumerian capital of the state of Elam. In 668 BC. The Babylonians burned Susa, and after 10 years the state of Elam ceased to exist. The Persians rebuilt the city, restoring and expanding the magnificent palaces and making Susa their capital.
In our era, the city was sacked and destroyed by Muslims and Mongols, so few monuments from that period have reached us. Only the French archaeological expedition, which carried out excavations of the ancient city, left the most significant attraction - the French fortress, built in the 19th century to protect the members of the expedition and guard the finds.
Derbent (Dagestan)
Russia also has the most ancient city, and it was founded in 438 AD, although the first mentions of settlements date back to the end of the 4th millennium BC. WITH different languages its name translates as “closed gate”, “stone”, “wall”. And this is no coincidence - due to frequent raids by nomads, Derbent turned into a reliable fortress. Since the Great Silk Road passed through the city, it was of great commercial importance, and at one time many nations wanted to conquer it. It was under the control of the Persians, Arabs, Iranians, and only in 1813 it began to belong to Russia.
The main attractions of Derbent are its fortress with many gates, the Juma Mosque, the oldest in Russia, the Naryn-Kala fortress and the Derbent tunnel, whose length is 318 m.
Plovdiv (Bulgaria)
The oldest city in Bulgaria was known back in the 6th millennium BC. In 72 BC. came under Roman rule and quickly developed. The influence of Rome has brought to our times the Roman buildings of that time - the amphitheater, baths and hippodrome. In the 6th century they began to belong to the Bulgarians ( Slavic tribe), then Byzantium, and in 1364 it was captured by the Ottoman Empire.
Plovdiv is now the second largest city in Bulgaria. The rich history of the city has left many wonderful sights that characterize a particular culture. Here you can see ancient Roman buildings, mosques, and a Thracian fortress.
Jerusalem (Israel)
This city has a rich history associated with conquests and biblical legends. Founded in the 4th millennium BC. Jerusalem has sacred significance for millions of people. Many biblical events are associated with it, including the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Its history is truly amazing and extensive. Here are the shrines of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and thousands of pilgrims come to Jerusalem every year to remember their saints and pray.
The most famous sights of Jerusalem are the Western Wall, the mosque on the Temple Mount and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Athens, Greece)
First mention of ancient capital Greece dates back to the 15th century BC. It reached its peak in 500-300 BC. and rightfully bears the name of the cradle of Greek culture. It became the birthplace of many famous ancient Greek historians, geographers, poets and philosophers. Monuments are still preserved here ancient history, such as the Acropolis, Athens Agora, Temple of Hephaestus and Temple of Olympian Zeus, etc.
This is only a partial list of the most ancient cities. There are still cities in the world that have such an old history that one can only guess about their origin and foundation from the few documents that have come down to us. They are priceless because they have seen the change of eras and civilizations, and even despite the ruins, their greatness will never fade into oblivion.
Memphis, Babylon, Thebes - all of them were once the largest centers, but only the name remains of them. However, there are cities that have existed throughout human history, from the Stone Age to the present day.
Jericho (West Bank)
At the very foot of the Judean Mountains, opposite the confluence of the Jordan into the Dead Sea, is located the most ancient city on earth - Jericho. Traces of settlements dating back to the 10th-9th millennium BC were found here. e. It was a permanent site of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A culture, whose representatives built the first Wall of Jericho. The Stone Age defensive structure was four meters high and two meters wide. Inside it was a powerful eight-meter tower, which was obviously used for ritual purposes. Its ruins have survived to this day.
The name Jericho (in Hebrew Yericho), according to one version, comes from the word meaning “smell” and “fragrance” - “reach”. According to another, from the word moon - “yareah”, which could have been revered by the founders of the city. We find the first written mention of it in the book of Joshua, which describes the fall of the walls of Jericho and the capture of the city by the Jews in 1550 BC. e. By that time, the city was already a powerful fortified fortress, whose system of seven walls was a real labyrinth. Not without reason - Jericho had something to protect. It was located at the crossroads of three important trade routes of the Middle East, right in the middle of a flourishing oasis with a lot of fresh water and fertile soil. For the inhabitants of the desert, this is a real promised land.
Jericho was the first city to be captured by the Israelites. It was completely destroyed, and all the inhabitants were killed, with the exception of the harlot Rahab, who had previously sheltered the Jewish scouts, for which she was spared.
Today, Jericho, located in the West Bank of Jordan, is a disputed territory between Palestine and Israel that remains in an area of constant military conflict. Therefore, visiting the most ancient and rich in historical sights of the city is not recommended.
Damascus: “Eye of the Desert” (Syria)
Damascus, the current capital of Syria, is fighting for first place with Jericho. The earliest mention of it was found in the list of conquered cities of Pharaoh Thutmose III, who lived in 1479-1425 BC. e. In the first book of the Old Testament, Damascus is mentioned as a large and well-known center of trade.
In the 13th century, the historian Yaqut al-Humawi argued that the city was founded by Adam and Eve themselves, who, after being expelled from Eden, found refuge in the cave of blood (Magarat ad-Damm) on Mount Qasyoun on the outskirts of Damascus. The first murder in history, described in the Old Testament, also happened there - Cain killed his brother. According to legend, the self-name Damascus comes from the ancient Aramaic word “demshak”, which means “brother’s blood”. Another, more plausible version says that the name of the city goes back to the Aramaic word Darmeśeq, translated as “well-watered place.”
It is not known for certain who first founded the settlement near Mount Kasyun. But recent excavations in Tel Ramada, a suburb of Damascus, have shown that people inhabited the area around 6300 BC. e.
Byblos (Lebanon)
The third most ancient city is Byblos, known today as Jebeil. It is located on the shore Mediterranean Sea 32 km from Beirut, the current capital of Lebanon. It was once a large Phoenician city, founded in the 4th millennium BC, although the first settlements in this area date back to the late Stone Age - 7th millennium.
The ancient name of the city is associated with the legend of a certain Byblis, who was madly in love with her brother, Kavnos. She died of grief when her lover fled to escape sin, and her shed tears formed an inexhaustible source of water that watered the city. According to another version, byblos in Greece was the name for papyrus that was exported from the city.
Byblos was one of the largest ports of the ancient era. It was also known for the spread of the cult of Baal there, the formidable Sun god, who “demanded” self-torture and bloody sacrifices from his followers. The written language of ancient Byblos still remains one of the main mysteries of the Ancient World. Proto-Byblos writing, widespread in the second millennium BC, is still indecipherable; it is not similar to any of the known writing systems of the Ancient World.
Plovdiv (Bulgaria)
The oldest city in Europe today is considered to be not Rome or even Athens, but the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, located in the southern part of the country between the Rhodope and Balkan mountains (the home of the legendary Orpheus) and the Upper Thracian Lowland. The first settlements on its territory date back to the VI-IV millennia BC. e., although Plovdiv, or rather, then still Eumolpiada, reached its heyday under the peoples of the sea - the Thracians. In 342 BC. it was captured by Philip II of Macedon, the father of the famous Alexander, who named it Philippopolis in his honor. Subsequently, the city managed to be under Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule, which made it the second cultural center in Bulgaria after Sofia. In world history, Derbent became an unspoken “blockpost” between Europe and Asia. One of the most important sections of the Great Silk Road lay here. It is not surprising that it has always been a favorite object of conquest for its neighbors. The Roman Empire showed great interest in it - the main goal of the campaigns to the Caucasus of Lucullus and Pompey in 66-65 BC. it was Derbent. In the 5th century AD e. When the city belonged to the Sassanids, powerful fortifications were erected here to protect against nomads, including the Naryn-Kala fortress. From it, located at the foot of the mountain range, two walls descended to the sea, designed to protect the city and the trade route. It is from this time that the history of Derbent as a large city dates back.
Russia - ancient country. And on its territory there are many cities whose age has exceeded a thousand years. The historical and cultural heritage that they have preserved is an invaluable gift from past generations to future generations.
We present to you the oldest cities in Russia.
The official founding date of one of the cities that now make up Golden ring Russia is considered to be 990. And the founder is Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich.
Under the leadership of Vladimir Monomakh and Yuri Dolgoruky, the city became an important stronghold for the defense of the Rostov-Suzdal principality. And under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, Vladimir became the capital of the principality.
During the Tatar raids (1238 and later), the city surprisingly did not suffer much. Even the Golden Gate has survived to this day, although in a slightly different form from its original form.
On the territory of Vladimir there is the Vladimir Central prison, glorified by Mikhail Krug, built under Catherine II. It contained the following famous personalities, like Vasily Stalin, son of Joseph Stalin, Mikhail Frunze and dissident Julius Daniel.
9. Bryansk -1032 years
It is not known exactly when exactly the city of Bryansk arose. The approximate date of its foundation is considered to be 985.
In 1607, the city was burned so that it would not fall to False Dmitry II. It was rebuilt and for the second time survived the siege of the troops of the “Tushinsky Thief”.
In the 17th century, Bryansk was one of the most important trading centers in Russia. And now it is important industrial center countries.
8. Pskov – 1114 years
The founding date of Pskov is considered to be 903, when the city was first mentioned in the Laurentian Chronicle. Olga, the first Christian princess in Rus' and wife Prince of Kyiv Igor Rurikovich, originally from Pskov.
For a long time Pskov was one of the most major cities Europe and was an impregnable barrier on the western borders of the country.
And in March 1917, while at Pskov station, the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II abdicated the throne and simply became a citizen of Romanov.
7. Smolensk - 1154 years
In September, beautiful and ancient Smolensk will celebrate its anniversary - 1155 years since its founding. It is only one year behind its closest rival in terms of mention in the chronicles (863 versus 862 for Murom).
For many centuries, this “key city” protected Moscow from attacks by a number of European countries. IN Time of Troubles residents of Smolensk heroically held a siege for 20 months in the fortress that was besieged Polish troops. Although the Poles still managed to take the city, King Sigismund III, who spent all his money on the siege, had to abandon the idea of going to Moscow. And the Moscow garrison of Poles, who did not receive military assistance, surrendered to the Russian militia under the leadership of Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin.
6. Murom – 1155 years
This small city, located on the left bank of the Oka, is mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years. Its name supposedly came from the Muroma tribe, although historians do not rule out an inverse relationship. One of the main characters of the Russian epic, the legendary hero Ilya Muromets, comes from the city of Murom. The townspeople are proud of this and even erected a monument to the hero in the city park.
5. Rostov the Great - 1156 years
Rostov, the current center of the Yaroslavl region, dates its official chronology from the year 862. After its founding, the city became one of the most important settlements in the Rostov-Suzdal land. And he got the prefix “Great” thanks to the Ipatiev Chronicle. In it, when describing the events of 1151 (the victory of Prince Izyaslav Mstislavich over Yuri Dolgoruky), Rostov was called the Great.
4. Veliky Novgorod – 1158 years
At the beginning of June 2018, Veliky Novgorod will celebrate the 1159th anniversary of its founding. According to the official version, Rurik was called to reign here. And in 1136, Novgorod became the first free republic in the history of feudal Rus'. The city escaped the fate of many Russian cities and was not affected by the Mongol invasion. Precious architectural monuments of Rus' from the pre-Mongol period have been preserved in it to this day.
3. Old Ladoga - over 1250 years old
In 2003, the village of Staraya Ladoga celebrated its 1250th anniversary. Until 1703, the settlement was called “Ladoga” and had the status of a city. The first mention of Ladoga dates back to 862 AD (the time of the calling of the Varangian Rurik to reign). There is even a version that Ladoga is the first capital of Rus', because Rurik reigned there, and not in Novgorod.
2. Derbent - over 2000 years
If you conduct a survey about which is the oldest city in Russia, then the majority educated people will be called Derbent as such. This sun-drenched city, the southernmost in Russia, located in the Republic of Dagestan, officially celebrated its 2000th anniversary in September 2015. However, many Derbent residents, as well as some scientists conducting excavations on the territory of Derbent, are confident that the city is 3000 years older.
The Caspian Gate - and this is precisely the ancient name of Derbent - was mentioned as a geographical object back in the 6th century. Don e. in the works of the ancient Greek geographer Hecataeus of Miletus. And the beginning was founded in 438 AD.
e. Then Derbent was the Persian fortress of Naryn-Kala, with two fortress walls blocking the path along the shore of the Caspian Sea. And the earliest mention of Derbent as a stone city was in 568 AD or the 37th year of the reign of Shah Khosrow I Anushirvan.
The date of 2000 years is not exact, but more of an anniversary date, and refers to the time of the appearance of the first fortifications in Caucasian Albania. Until 2014, when Crimean peninsula returned to Russia, Derbent bore the title of the oldest Russian city. However, in 2017, the Rambler / Saturday media reported that The Academic Council of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences recognized Kerch as the most ancient city in Russia
. The ruins of the ancient Greek colony of Panticapaeum have been preserved on the territory of the city. Historically, Kerch is the heir of Panticapaeum and its age has exceeded 2600 years.
According to archaeological research, the foundation of Kerch dates back to the time range from 610 to 590 BC. e. Historical and architectural monuments belonging to different eras have been preserved on its territory. These include: mounds with Bronze Age burials, the ruins of the city of Nymphaeum, the ancient settlement of Myrmekiy, etc.
- Kerch did not immediately receive its current name, after Panticapaeum ceased to be the historical and cultural center of the Black Sea region.
- In the 8th century, the city came under the rule of the Khazar Khaganate and was renamed from Panticapaeum to Karsha or Charsha.
- In the 10th century, the Northern Black Sea region came under the control of the Rus. The Tmutarakan principality appeared, which included the city of Karsha, named Korchev. It was one of the most important sea gates of Kievan Rus.
- In the 12th century, Korchev came under Byzantine rule, and in the 14th century it became part of the Black Sea Genoese colonies, and was called Vospro, as well as Cherchio. The local inhabitants also retained the name Korchev in everyday use.
- In the 15th century, the merchant and diplomat Josaphat Barbaro, in one of the chapters of his work “Travels to Tana,” named the city Chersh (Kersh). In 1475, the Turks captured the Genoese colonies, and Cerchio became part of Ottoman Empire
- . The city began to be called Cherzeti. He repeatedly suffered from raids by Zaporozhye Cossacks.
- In the 16th century, ambassadors of the Moscow kings going to the Crimean Khan knew the city as “Kerch”. In 1774, Kerch (already under its final name) became part of Russian Empire
. This happened following the results of the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774. Russian government. The management of the East Crimean Nature Reserve prepared the relevant documents last year.
According to scientists, modern man descended from a small population of homo sapiens that survived a terrible natural disaster, which occurred 74,000 years ago, and spread across the African continent. After 10-14 thousand years, its members penetrated into Asia, and even later into Europe and America.
With the advent of agriculture, people stopped wandering and began to found villages. Over time, they grew, and around the 7th millennium, the most ancient cities in the world began to emerge.
Some terminology
Before talking about the oldest cities in the world, you should find out what is meant by this definition. In particular, as a result of archaeological excavations on different continents, many large settlements were found. However, today it is customary to call the ancient cities of the world only those that have never been abandoned by their inhabitants since their founding. At the same time, some scientists continue to argue over whether the “age” should be counted from the moment when a given locality ceased to be a village, i.e. the number of residents engaged in agriculture became smaller than the number of peasants. Based on these considerations, many ancient cities will become several thousand years younger.
Jericho
Be that as it may, today it is customary to answer the question of what is the most ancient city in the world by calling Jericho. The first traces of humans found on its territory date back to the 10th millennium BC. e., and the oldest buildings excavated by archaeologists - by the year 95,000. The history of Jericho can be traced in some detail in the Old Testament, and later it is repeatedly mentioned in the Roman chronicles. In particular, it is known that it was presented by Mark Antony as a gift to Cleopatra. However, later Emperor Augustus gave it to King Herod, who built many magnificent structures there. In addition, there are records that a Christian church was built in Jericho in the first centuries AD.
Having existed until the 9th century, the city fell into decline due to the wars of Muslims with the Crusaders and Bedouin raids, and from the 13th century it turned into a small Muslim village, destroyed in the 19th century by the Turks. Only at the beginning of the 1920s was the irrigation system restored in the territory of Jericho. After this, these places began to be inhabited by Arabs.
Today, Jericho is a small city with a population of just over 20,000 people, located in the unrecognized State of Palestine. Its main attraction is the Tel es-Sultan hill with a tower believed to be 9 thousand years old.
Damascus
As already mentioned, when the most ancient cities in the world are listed, the list usually begins with Jericho. But the second position in this ranking belongs to Damascus. The city was founded in 2500 BC. e. However, scientists believe that its territory has been continuously inhabited by people since the 10th millennium BC. e. From the 15th century BC. e. V different periods the city was under the rule of the Egyptian pharaohs, Assyria, Israel, Persia and other powerful states of that time. The history of Damascus in later times is no less interesting. In particular, it is known that after the visit of St. Apostle Paul, just a few years after the crucifixion of the Savior, there was already a Christian community in the city, and in the Middle Ages it was stormed three times, but the crusading knights were never able to capture it. Like the most ancient city in the world, Jericho, Damascus lay in ruins for some time. The fault was the troops of Tamerlane, who invaded Syria in 1400 and carried out a terrible massacre, the consequences of which are still long years did not allow Damascus to regain its former power.
The most ancient city in the world according to ancient historians
Scientists learned about the true age of Jericho only in the second half of the last century, and before that, in different eras, completely different cities laid claim to this title. For example, in the ancient world it was believed that Byblos, which appears in the Old Testament under the name Gebal, was founded earlier than others. It has been mentioned as a city since the 4th millennium BC. e. Many legends are associated with it. For example, the ancient Egyptians believed that it was there that Isis found the body of the god Osiris. In addition, Jebel (the Arabic name for Byblos) is known as the site of various ancient cults, such as those worshiping Baal and Adonis. Since it was here that most of the papyrus produced in the ancient world was produced, the first books made from such “paper” began to be called byblos.
Athens
Interestingly, the capital of Greece does not claim to be the most ancient city in the world, since it was founded only around 1400 BC. e. It is known that even in the Mycenaean era there was a palace and a fortified settlement there. For thousands of years, Athens has been a major educational and cultural center ancient world and did not lose this role even during Roman times. Today you can see many architectural monuments there, which are several thousand years old. Moreover, in terms of their number, Athens is far superior to other ancient cities on the planet.
Rome
Oddly enough, Rome, which has been called eternal for thousands of years, is not included in the list of the 10 most ancient cities in the world, since it was founded in 753 BC. e. However, it is obvious that settlements existed in its place many millennia before. It’s just that if historians get information about the origin of other cities from archaeological excavations, the “birthday” of Rome was “calculated” in the first century based on the legend about the sons of Mars and Princess Rhea Silvia - Remus and Romulus.
The most ancient cities in the world: Yerevan
Few people know that the capital of Armenia, or more precisely, the city of Erebuni that existed in its place, is 29 years older than Rome. Moreover, this fortress has a quite significant, both literally and figuratively, “birth certificate” signed by its founder, Argishty, the son of Menua. We are talking about a stone with cuneiform writing, which in 1894 the famous Russian anthropologist A. Ivanovsky acquired from one of the Armenian peasants. The inscription on the boulder was deciphered, and it turned out that it reports the construction of a large granary by King Argishta the First. More than half a century later, on the outskirts of Yerevan, on the Arin-berd hill, excavations were carried out and two more slabs were found, one of which already touched the base of the fortress. In addition, another “Erebuni metric” was found, already embedded in the wall of the fortress, some of the buildings of which have been perfectly preserved to this day. In particular, today in the Erebuni fortress, recognized by Forbes as the 9th oldest in the world, you can see the ruins of the Susi temple, with cuneiform tablets of King Argishti, the wall of the sanctuary of the god Khaldi with beautiful wall paintings, an ancient stone water supply system and much more.
Derbent
When talking about the most ancient cities in the world, one cannot fail to mention the Russian Derbent. Judging by archaeological finds, a settlement in its place existed as early as the 4th millennium BC. e. and was repeatedly raided. As for the name Derbent, it was first found by Herodotus in a document of the 5th century. It is also known that in the first century AD, in order to capture this city, which was considered the gateway to the Caspian Sea, the Romans and Persians, who fought for dominance in the Caucasus and adjacent regions, organized campaigns.
Now you know which is the most ancient city in the world, some interesting information about Damascus, Derbent, Yerevan, Byblos and other cities.
