The history of human civilization has been going on for more than five thousand years. Since ancient times, people built cities in which part of the population of any country lived. The reasons for their occurrence were different, but all cities had to facilitate the existence of people and increase the comfort of their lives.
Reasons for the appearance of cities
Urban settlements appeared long before our era. The history of the ancient East is direct evidence of this, it was here that the foundation for urban planning was laid. Such settlements arose as places of compact residence of the population. So, the progress of mankind in the field of production has led to the first serious phenomenon - the separation of crafts from agriculture. In fact, this marked the beginning of the rapid development of the productive forces, naturally, if possible, they should have been concentrated in one place. So, small settlements gradually grew, artisans came here to sell their products, and here they remained. It was very convenient to produce and sell in one place, so soon such settlements acquired urban features. The cradle of human civilization is the Middle East, so the oldest cities in the world are located here.
Ancient Eastern stage of city formation
The second prerequisite for the emergence of ancient eastern cities was trade. States of that period were active in commercial activities. Many merchants settled in places most convenient for these purposes - at the intersection of trade routes, the coasts of the seas. Numerous trade caravans flocked here. Over time, small settlements turned into large cities with commercial specialization. Trade facilitated the influx of money and made it possible to improve urban neighborhoods and improve the quality of life of the population. It was in these cities for the first time in history that sewage appeared, which in European cities came into use almost at the beginning of the New Time. The oldest cities in the world are scattered in biblical places, many of which are described in this sacred book for Christians. Here you can read about the birth of cities, their destruction. Some cities arose as a result of the will of the cruel, oppressive rulers of that era. For example, such is the history of the ancient Egyptian city of Ahetaton. By the order of Akhenaten, a new city center appeared on an empty, bare, besides unsuitable for construction site. However, the choice was extremely unsuccessful, shortly after the death of the pharaoh, the city fell into disrepair and ceased to exist.
The oldest urban center
The oldest city in the world is also located in the Middle East. He is considered Jericho, which was located in the holy lands of Canaan for the Jews. According to legend, the Israelis were bound to invade this city in order to gain access to their holy places. The siege of the city was led by Joshua. For a long time, the Jews walked around the city wall in absolute silence, which greatly surprised the townspeople. Finally, at the end of the seventh day, the utter silence was interrupted by the cries and screams of the Israelites. The walls could not stand such a sound and collapsed. So Jericho was captured, and all its inhabitants destroyed, with the exception of a woman named Rahab, who helped the Jews take control of the city. The oldest city in the world then received a second life, becoming already Israeli. According to descriptions of contemporaries, the city was very beautiful. It had many buildings of different styles and purposes. Jericho was attacked many times. After the destruction of the kingdom of Israel, the city was almost liquidated, but again, like a bird, the Phoenix rose from the ashes.
Bible places
Jericho - the oldest city in the world - has experienced many disasters in its history and seen a great many conquerors. The Babylonians attacked him twice, and the second time all the inhabitants were taken prisoner. But even this could not interrupt the life of the city, it slowly rebuilt and settled, only its location changed a little. In the seventh century BC, Jericho was again destroyed. This time the Persians stormed it and destroyed the city buildings. Again, the inhabitants had to build a city, armed with construction tools. However, this trouble did not exhaust itself. During the reign of the Roman emperor Vespasian, on his orders, the oldest city in the world was again destroyed. But in the reign of another emperor - Hadrian - the city was restored again. Since 1284, the village was located here, which was destroyed in the XIX century by Turkish troops. But this place could not be completely taken away. Soon there was founded a new village, which exists today. His story is a mixture of human and national tragedies that has lasted for centuries. However, the name Jericho was preserved as a cultural-historical concept.
Cadiz and Trier
With the decline of the ancient Eastern period of history, the leading positions in the construction of cities are moving to another continent. Europe has long been in the shadows, but the moment has come. The Middle Ages - the period of the highest flowering of European urban development. The same principles for the emergence of urban settlements acted here. Cities arose as fortresses, trade and craft, religious centers. At the turn of the eighth century, the early European cities formed a huge trading ring from northern France to Itil on the Volga. In this series of cities, Spanish Cadiz stands out - the oldest city in Europe. According to scientists, the city was founded by the Phoenicians as a transshipment point, later used as a military base on the coast by the Romans. In Europe there are several more ancient urban complexes. The oldest city in Germany - Trier - was founded by the Roman emperor Augustus and was called for a long time the name of the founder. After the conquest of the city by German barbarians, the city changes its name, which has survived with minor modifications to this day.
The progenitor of Russian cities
Ancient Russia did not lag behind other European states. No wonder the Scandinavian sources called it “Gardarika”, which means the country of cities. This indicates active urban development in our country. By the XII century on the territory of Kievan Rus there were already more than two hundred cities. According to archeology, already at the end of the VI century on the Kiev hills there was a fortified urban settlement. According to legend, the oldest city in Russia was founded by three brothers - Schek, Khoriv and Kiem. In honor of the elder brother, the city was called Kiev, which later became the center of the meadow, and after its conquest by Oleg, it becomes the capital of the ancient Russian state.