Europe is woven from many countries with a rich history, which, in turn, consist of ancient cities founded several millennia ago. These cities attract thousands of tourists due to the perfect combination of modern infrastructure and centuries-old architecture, preserved in perfect condition to this day. Among the oldest European cities it is worth noting Malaga, Lisbon, Plovdiv, Chania, Cadiz, Athens, Rome, Nicosia and others. We’ll talk about some of them.
The oldest cities in Europe:
1
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Bulgarian Plovdiv - the second largest in the country after the capital Sofia, proudly bears the title of the oldest city in Europe. It is terrible to imagine, but it was “founded” about 8,000 thousand years ago, it was then that the first human settlements appeared on the site of modern Plovdiv.
One of the hills of Plovdiv, Nebet Tepe, is the most important settlement of that era, around which the city grew, as evidenced by numerous archaeological excavations. Later there was a Thracian settlement, named after the Thracian ruler Eumolpius. The reign of Eumolpus dates back to about 1,200 BC. e.
After the conquest of the city by Philip II of Macedon (about 342 BC), the father of that same Alexander the Great, he was renamed Philippopolis. Philip II not only restored the city, but also expanded its borders and strengthened them, making Odris (another name for Plovdiv under the rule of the Macedonians) one of the most influential cities of that time. Plovdiv several times passed into the management of various states, it was captured by the Romans, appropriating the status of the central city of Thrace, robbed the Goths, who raided the Roman Empire. After entering the Byzantine Empire, Trimontius (the Roman name of the city) was almost completely devastated by the Huns, but restored by Emperor Justinian I. The frequent change of power was determined by the location of Plovdiv, trade routes passed through it, and besides, it had an advantageous martial law, which contributed to it growth and development.
2
Athens, Greece
The Greek capital of Athens ranks second among the oldest cities in Europe with a founding date of about 3,000 BC. The first settlement was built on a hill, the Acropolis, gradually forming into a city-state. This was made possible thanks to the ruler Theseus, who united several settlements of Attica (a historical region in Central Greece) into a state.
The city is named after one of the main deities of Greek mythology - the goddess of wisdom and war of Athens. According to myths, Athena and the sea god Poseidon organized a competition for the right to be the patron of the city (at that time there were no tenders). Poseidon hit the ground with his trident to create water near the city, and Athena created an olive tree, symbolizing prosperity and peace.
The city ruler Kekrop, along with the inhabitants (democracy!), Chose Athena as a patron, which became a guarantee of prosperity. These are myths, in fact, the growth of the city was due to its favorable geographical position and skillful leadership, where power was almost never concentrated in the hands of one person. The main source of income for the city was trade, which was carried out thanks to successes in shipping. Despite the many historical monuments, the main wealth of Athens is, of course, outstanding philosophers and scientists, who gave rise to the development of many modern sciences.
3
Chania, Greece
The small Greek town of Chania, located in the north of Crete, is one of the oldest cities in Europe. As archaeological excavations show, the first human settlements in this place date back to the Neolithic era and are dated to about 1,700 BC. e. On the territory of modern Chania, the Greek policy of Kydonia, belonging to the Minoan civilization, was located.
According to myths, the city was founded by King Kidon, the former son of the god of commerce Hermes and Akalla, a mortal girl who gave birth not only from Hermes, but also from Apollo. Here is such a love triangle with the participation of the gods and the daughter of the Knossos king Minos. Interestingly, Kydonia is considered the homeland of quince, so the inhabitants of mainland Greece called it the “Kidon apple”.
The city fell during the Minoan civilization, but was reborn again after its end. It became a full-fledged city-state, whose borders stretched from the mountains of Lefka Ori to the Gulf of Chania during the period of Classical Greece. The first settlers, the Dorians, sailed here in about 1,100 BC from mainland Greece. Kydonia regularly found itself at war with other city-states of the island of Crete, such as Polyrrinia, Aptera, and Falasarna. The city was conquered by the consul of Ancient Rome Cecilius Metellus in 69 BC, after which he became part of the empire, having received significant privileges.
By the way, there is a very interesting article about the largest empires in history on thebiggest.
4
Lisbon, Portugal
It was previously believed that the Celts were the first settlers in the territory of modern Lisbon, but later archaeologists managed to prove that the Phoenicians settled here about 200 years before the Celts appeared. Although some sources claim that the pre-Celtic tribes appeared here a little earlier. The Phoenicians used the future of Lisbon as a transit point, replenishing their supplies before heading north. At that time, the settlement was called “Alis Ubbo,” which means a divine or blessed bay. After the capture of the city by the Greeks, and later by the Carthaginians, it was called Olissipo.
The city became one of the most important settlements of the Iberian Peninsula, so it is not surprising that it was captured by Ancient Rome in 205 BC. after defeating Carthage in the Second Punic War. Olissipo supported Rome in the fight against the northern Celtic tribes, for which he received huge privileges: exemption from taxes, the possibility of self-government, as well as Roman citizenship for all residents. Later, the city was incorporated into the Roman province of Lusitania.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the territory of modern Lisbon was attacked by Germanic tribes, while in 585 AD was not included in the Kingdom of Toledo, ruled by the Visigoths. Then the city received the name Ulishbona. In 711, the city came under the rule of the Moors (mainly Arabs and Berbers). Over the centuries, he passed from the crusaders to Muslims until he was finally conquered by Christians in 1147 under the leadership of Afonso I. The greatest leap in the development of Lisbon was achieved under the rule of Afonso III, for the most part it was associated with the expansion of the Portuguese coast, conquered Muslims.
The importance of cities in the history of European states
In most European countries of the ancient or medieval period, as a rule, all power was concentrated in one city, which served as the abode for the throne, treasury, military base and other vital attributes of statehood. Moreover, in these cities all laws were signed, alliances and marriages of royal persons were concluded. Enemy kingdoms saw cities as the key to seizing power throughout the state. That is why the most important settlements and capitals over the centuries have changed many "owners" and names. TheBiggest has prepared for you a table that includes the oldest cities in Europe, with a population of more than 100 thousand people.
As for the ranking of the oldest cities in Europe, someone may disagree with the leadership of Plovdiv, reasonably noting that he got the modern name far from immediately. However, we decided to take as a basis the antiquity of settlements on the territory of cities that exist today. If you have opinions about which city should be called the most ancient, write it in the comments. TheBiggest editors are always waiting for feedback from you. What are the oldest cities in Europe you like most?
Article author: Maxim Svistunov.