Many cities around the world have been home to people for thousands of years. However, it is not easy to find a definitive answer if you constantly try to identify the oldest city inhabited by humans since its inception.
The problem here is that it bears some similarities to the thought experiment called The Ship of Theseus (in a nutshell: if you gradually replace the parts of a ship completely over time, can you say it’s still the same ship when all the parts have been replaced?): If a city is destroyed, restored, slightly if it is relocated, built on, demolished and rebuilt again, is it the same city or a new city?
When we look for an answer to this philosophical question without getting too hung up on it, we come across several different cities that may be the longest-lived cities in the world, and almost all of them are located in the Middle East.
Oldest surviving city: Jericho
Known for an Old Testament war that probably did not take place, the city of Jericho is generally considered the oldest still standing. Archaeological evidence suggests that the area has had multiple successive settlements over the last millennium. Parts of the city and its famous fortifications are believed to have been first built around 9,000 BC.
However, these structures should not be confused with the present-day city of Jericho in Palestine in the West Bank. The ancient part of Jericho lies about 2 kilometers north of today’s city center and is known as Tell es-Sultan. Although there is some debate as to whether the city has been inhabited continuously throughout history, it is certain that it is one of the oldest cities in the world.
Jericho’s rivals: Damascus, Aleppo and Faiyum
Syria also has some strong contenders for the oldest cities. Damascus was previously considered to be arguably the oldest city, and archaeological remains indicate that humans were there as early as 9,000 BC. However, one view emerging from current research suggests that humans did not permanently settle in modern-day Damascus until about 6,000 years later.
Another safe choice could be Aleppo. Although today it is often associated with wars and conflicts, we are going through a tragic period in the long life of the settlement. Archaeological remains suggest that Aleppo may have been a permanent settlement since the sixth millennium BC. But it really began to flourish during the Silk Road’s Golden Age, from the 12th to the early 15th century AD.
Finally, we need to mention the city of Faiyum in Egypt. Originally founded by the ancient Egyptians as Shedet, the city was referred to by the Greeks as “Crocodilopolis” (Crocodile City) due to its obsession with the crocodile god Sobek. Located about 130 kilometers southwest of the modern capital, Cairo, archaeological remains near the city indicate that people have lived here since about 5,500 BC, meaning it’s the oldest city in Egypt and one of the oldest settlements in Africa.
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