The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

1 of 10


Do you believe that the most ancient cities of the world are in poverty and ruin? Tourists in these places are a rarity. What do you expect to see after the loud phrase “the most ancient city”? Alas, you are disappointed.

The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

Jericho. Populated no later than 3000 BC. According to the Old Testament, for the first time the city was destroyed by ancient Jews. Subsequently, Jericho was once more the arena of battles, but always rebuilt.

The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

During the Crusades, Jericho experienced the power of the sword for the last time. Then, during the battles of the Crusaders with the Muslims, the city was destroyed and lay in ruins almost until the 19th century.

The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

The city of Erbil was first mentioned in the holy Sumerian writings of 3 thousand years BC. Throughout history, it has been controlled by many states.

The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

Erbil even for a time was the center of Syrian Christianity, but with the arrival of the Arabs, the local people were Islamized. By the way, currently the main population of Erbil is the Kurds.

The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

Damascus. The official date of its founding is 4300 BC. It is the second largest city in Syria. As befits an ancient city, Damascus is rich in architectural monuments. But now because of the fighting, unfortunately, many of them are destroyed.

The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

The city for many years was under the rule of the Egyptian pharaohs, the states of Persia, Assyria, the Seleucid kingdom, the Ottoman Empire and others.

The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

Kirkuk. It was founded around 2000 BC. The city is located on the site of the ancient Hurri and Assyrian capital Arraha. Kirkuk was the eternal cause of war between the three empires – Assyria, Babylon and Midia.

The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

At this time, Kirkuk is occupied by Kurds, who keep the defense. This is still the only city that repulsed the onslaught of the ISIS on its own.

The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

Balkh. Populated since 1500 BC. It is considered the birthplace of Zarathustra. During the late Antiquity in Balkh, there were more than a hundred temples, but almost all of them were destroyed in 645, when the Arabs first plundered the city.

The most ancient cities in the world that will surprise you with their poverty

For a long time Persia and Bukhars fought for domination over this city. In the dispute, the point was set by the emir of Afghanistan – he finally captured Balkh.



Inpic.net