Thebes and Athens are among the world’s 20 oldest cities, according to Telegraph.
These cities, which are the 20 oldest continually-inhabited places on earth, are about as close to time travel as you can be on a city break (if you are able to go, that is).
The British newspaper presents the two Greek cities with the following comments:
Athens, Greece
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 1,400 BC
The cradle of Western Civilization and the birthplace of democracy, Athens’s heritage is still very evident. It is filled with Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments and remains a hugely popular tourist destination.
Alexander the Great: “How great are the dangers I face to win a good name in Athens.”
Thebes, Greece
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 1,400 BC
A major rival of ancient Athens, Thebes ruled the Boeotian confederacy and even lent assistance to Xerxes during the Persian invasion of 480 BC. Archaeological excavation has revealed a Mycenaean settlement dating back even further. Today, Thebes is little more than a market town.
John Milton (English poet): “Sometime let gorgeous Tragedy/ In sceptred pall come sweeping by/ Presenting Thebes, or Pelops’ line/ Or the tale of Troy divine.”
The complete list of the world’s 20 oldest cities follows:
20. Varanasi, India
19. Cádiz, Spain
18. Thebes
17. Larnaca
16. Athens
15. Balkh, Afghanistan
14. Kirkuk, Iraq
13. Arbil, Iraq
12. Tyre, Lebanon
11. Jerusalem
10. Beirut, Lebanon
9. Gaziantep, Turkey
8. Plovdiv, Βουλγαρία
7. Sidon, Lebanon
6. Faiyum, Egypt
5. Susa, Iran
4. Δαμασκός, Συρία
3. Aleppo, Syria
2. Byblos, Lebanon
1. Jericho, Palestinian Territories
Read more here.
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