10Lisbon, Portugal: 1.200 B.C.
Lisbon is a port city and the capital of Portugal, and was named after the legacy of Ulysses, protagonist of The Odyssey.
Until the 16th century, Lisbon was considered the edge of the world. Much of its ancient architecture was destroyed by a major earthquake in the mid-18th century.
9Varanasi, India: 1.700 B.C.
In ancient city in India’s northern state of Utter Pradesh, Varanasi—also called Banaras—is often described as the spiritual capital of the country.
It has served as a home for people continuously dating back to at least 1,700 B.C., with signs of life as old as 11,000 B.C.
8Luoyang, China: 1.900 B.C.
Luoyang is an historic city, largely credited as the origin of Chinese civilization.
Located in the northwestern Chinese province of Henan, Luoyang was once home to nine ruling dynasties and served as the residence for imperial kings.
7Luxor, Egypt: 3.200 B.C.
Luxor rests on the Nile River in the upper Egypt.
The city houses the famous town of Thebes, also called the City of a Hundred Gates, and was the capital of Egypt in the 12th century.
6Plovdiv, Bulgaria: 4.000 B.C.
The ancient city of Plovdiv in Bulgaria was first settled at the foothills of three mountains that meet at the center.
The city was an important epicenter for travel and commerce during the Roman Empire, and was eventually even incorporated into the Empire in the 46 A.D..
5Shush, Iran: 4.500 B.C.
Located in the Khuzestan Province in the western portion of Iran, Shush, also known as Susa, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The city, found at the base of the Zagros mountain east of the Tigris River, was founded and inhabited by several empires, including Elamite, Persian, and Parthian.
4Argos, Greece: 5.000 B.C.
Built between two hills in the northeastern region of Greece’s Pelopónnisos peninsula, Argos draws its name from Argus, son of Zeus and Niobe, and was known as the birthplace of many soldiers who fought in the Trojan War.
3Byblos, Lebanon: 5.000 B.C.
Byblos, a Mediterranean city in the northwest region of Lebanon, has a long history of many settlements by different groups dating back to 5,000 B.C.
The city can be credited with the origin of the Phoenician alphabet, the roots of which became modern Hebrew.
2Catalhoyuk, Turkey: 7.500 B.C.
One of the oldest cities in the world, Çatalhöyük, located in the southeastern of Anatolia, the Asian peninsula in Turkey, remains a relic of early civilization.
More specifically? Çatalhöyük is a settlement from the Neolithic era, also known as the new Stone Age, and dates back to 7,500 B.C
1Jericho, West Bank: 8.000 B.C.
Jericho, located in the West Bank, has been continuously inhabited for more than 10,000 years (some have found artifacts that may date back to 11,000 years).
Located near the Jordan River, the city’s fresh water springs attracted hunting tribes and, with warming temperatures, agricultural settlements became a mainstay.