The most ancient cities. What is the oldest city on Earth? The most ancient capitals of the world in existence
Over the entire history of human existence, the world has seen both the rise and fall of millions of cities, many of which, during periods of special glory and prosperity, were captured, destroyed or abandoned. Thanks to new technologies, archaeologists are looking for and finding them. Buried under sand, ice or mud are former glory and former greatness. But many of the rare cities passed the time test, and so did their residents. We offer an overview of cities that have existed for centuries and continue to live.
Ancient cities withstood and survived, despite various difficulties - wars, natural disasters, population migration, modern standards. They have changed a little thanks to progress, but have not lost their originality, preserving both the architecture and the memory of people.
15. Balkh, Afghanistan: 1500 BC
The city that is Greek sounded like Bactra, was founded in 1500 BC, when the first people settled in this territory. The "Mother of Arab Cities" has stood the test of time. And indeed, from the moment of its foundation, the history of many cities and empires began, including the Persian kingdom. The era of prosperity is considered to be the heyday of the Silk Road. Since then, the city has experienced both ups and downs, but is still a center of the textile industry. Today, the former grandeur is gone, but the mysterious atmosphere and timelessness have been preserved.
14. Kirkuk, Iraq: 2,200 BC
The first settlement appeared here in 2200 BC. The city was controlled by both the Babylonians and the Medes - everyone appreciated its advantageous location. And today you can see the fortress, which is already 5,000 years old. Although it is only a ruin, it is an outstanding part of the landscape. The city is located 240 km from Baghdad and is one of the centers of the oil industry.
13. Erbil, Iraq: 2300 BC
This mysterious city appeared in 2300 BC. It was the main center of trade and concentration of wealth. For centuries it was controlled by various peoples, including the Persians and Turks. During the existence of the Silk Road, the city became one of the main caravan stops. One of its fortresses is still a symbol of the ancient and glorious past.
12. Tyre, Lebanon: 2750 BC
The first settlement appeared here in 2750 BC. Since that time, the city has survived many conquests, many rulers and generals. At one time, Alexander the Great conquered the city and ruled for several years. In 64 AD. it became part of the Roman Empire. Today it is a beautiful tourist city. There is a mention of it in the Bible: “Who determined this to Tire, who distributed crowns, whose merchants [were] princes, whose merchants were celebrities of the earth?”
11. Jerusalem, Middle East: 2800 BC
Jerusalem is probably the most famous of the cities mentioned in the review in the Middle East, if not the world. It was founded in 2800 BC. and played an important role in human history. In addition to being a world religious center, the city has many historical buildings and artifacts, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Al-Aqsa Mosque. The city has a rich history - it was besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times. In addition, it was destroyed and rebuilt twice.
10. Beirut, Lebanon: 3000 BC
Beirut was founded in 3000 BC. and became the main city of Lebanon. Today it is a capital city renowned for its cultural and economic heritage. Beirut has been a tourist city for many years. It existed for 5,000 years, despite the fact that it passed from hand to hand of the Romans, Arabs and Turks.
9. Gaziantep, Türkiye: 3,650 BC
Like many ancient cities, Gaziantep has survived the rule of many nations. Since its foundation, which is 3650 BC, it has been in the hands of the Babylonians, Persians, Romans and Arabs. The Turkish city is proud of its multinational historical and cultural heritage.
8. Plovdiv, Bulgaria: 4000 BC
The Bulgarian city of Plovdiv has existed for more than 6,000 years. It was founded in 4000 BC. Before the control of the Roman Empire, the city belonged to the Thracians, and was later ruled by Ottoman Empire. Different peoples have left their cultural and historical mark on its history, for example, Turkish baths or the Roman style of architecture.
7. Sidon, Lebanon: 4000 BC
This unique city was founded in 4000 BC. At one time, Sidon was captured by Alexander the Great, and Jesus Christ and St. Paul were there. Thanks to its glorious and rich past, the city is valued in archaeological circles. It is the oldest and most important Phoenician settlement that still exists today.
6. El Fayoum, Egypt: 4,000 BC
The ancient city of Faiyum, founded in 4000 BC, is a historical part of the ancient Egyptian city of Crocodilopolis, almost forgotten city, in which people worshiped the sacred crocodile Petsukhos. Nearby are the pyramids and the large center. Everywhere in the city and beyond there are signs of antiquity and cultural heritage.
5. Susa, Iran: 4200 BC
In 4200 B.C. the ancient city of Susa, which is now called Shush, was founded. Today it is home to 65,000 inhabitants, although there were once more. At one time it belonged to the Assyrians and Persians and was the capital of the Elamite Empire. The city has survived a long and tragic story, but remains one of the most ancient cities in the world.
4. Damascus, Syria: 4300 BC
Memphis, Babylon, Thebes - all of them were once the largest centers, but only the name remains of them. However, there are cities that have existed throughout human history, from the Stone Age to the present day.
Jericho (West Bank)
At the very foot of the Judean Mountains, opposite the confluence of the Jordan into the Dead Sea, is located the most ancient city on earth - Jericho. Traces of settlements dating back to the 10th-9th millennium BC were found here. e. It was a permanent site of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A culture, whose representatives built the first Wall of Jericho. The Stone Age defensive structure was four meters high and two meters wide. Inside it was a powerful eight-meter tower, which was obviously used for ritual purposes. Its ruins have survived to this day.
The name Jericho (in Hebrew Yericho), according to one version, comes from the word meaning “smell” and “fragrance” - “reach”. According to another, from the word moon - “yareah”, which could have been revered by the founders of the city. We find the first written mention of it in the book of Joshua, which describes the fall of the walls of Jericho and the capture of the city by the Jews in 1550 BC. e. By that time, the city was already a powerful fortified fortress, whose system of seven walls was a real labyrinth. Not without reason - Jericho had something to protect. It was located at the crossroads of three important trade routes in the Middle East, right in the middle of a lush oasis with plenty of fresh water and fertile soil. For the inhabitants of the desert, this is a real promised land.
Jericho was the first city to be captured by the Israelites. It was completely destroyed, and all the inhabitants were killed, with the exception of the harlot Rahab, who had previously sheltered the Jewish scouts, for which she was spared.
Today, Jericho, located in the West Bank of Jordan, is a disputed territory between Palestine and Israel that remains in an area of constant military conflict. Therefore, visiting the most ancient and rich in historical sights of the city is not recommended.
Damascus: “Eye of the Desert” (Syria
Damascus, the current capital of Syria, is fighting for first place with Jericho. The earliest mention of it was found in the list of conquered cities of Pharaoh Thutmose III, who lived in 1479-1425 BC. e. In the first book of the Old Testament, Damascus is mentioned as a large and well-known center of trade.
In the 13th century, the historian Yaqut al-Humawi argued that the city was founded by Adam and Eve themselves, who, after being expelled from Eden, found refuge in the cave of blood (Magarat ad-Damm) on Mount Qasyoun on the outskirts of Damascus. The first murder in history described in the Old Testament also took place there - Cain killed his brother. According to legend, the self-name Damascus comes from the ancient Aramaic word “demshak”, which means “brother’s blood”. Another, more plausible version says that the name of the city goes back to the Aramaic word Darmeśeq, translated as “well-watered place.”
It is not known for certain who first founded the settlement near Mount Kasyun. But recent excavations in Tel Ramada, a suburb of Damascus, have shown that people settled the area around 6300 BC. e.
Byblos (Lebanon)
Rounding out the top three ancient cities is Byblos, known today as Jebeil. It is located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, 32 km from Beirut, the current capital of Lebanon. It was once a large Phoenician city, founded in the 4th millennium BC, although the first settlements in this area date back to the late Stone Age - 7th millennium.
The ancient name of the city is associated with the legend of a certain Byblis, who was madly in love with her brother, Kavnos. She died of grief when her lover fled to escape sin, and her shed tears formed an inexhaustible source of water that watered the city. According to another version, byblos in Greece was the name for papyrus that was exported from the city.
Byblos was one of the largest ports of the ancient era. It was also known for the spread of the cult of Baal there, the formidable Sun god, who “demanded” self-torture and bloody sacrifices from his followers. The written language of ancient Byblos still remains one of the main mysteries of the Ancient World. Proto-Byblos writing, widespread in the second millennium BC, is still indecipherable; it is not similar to any of the known writing systems of the Ancient World.
Plovdiv (Bulgaria)
The oldest city in Europe today is considered to be not Rome or even Athens, but the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, located in the southern part of the country between the Rhodope and Balkan mountains (the home of the legendary Orpheus) and the Upper Thracian Lowland. The first settlements on its territory date back to the 6th-4th millennia BC. e., although Plovdiv, or rather, then still Eumolpiada, reached its heyday under the peoples of the sea - the Thracians. In 342 BC. it was captured by Philip II of Macedon, the father of the famous Alexander, who named it Philippopolis in his honor. Subsequently, the city managed to be under Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule, which made it the second cultural center in Bulgaria after Sofia.
Derbent (Russia)
One of the top five oldest cities in the world is located on the territory of our country. This is Derbent in Dagestan, the southernmost and most ancient city of Russia. The first settlements arose here in the Early Bronze Age (IV millennium BC). It was first mentioned by the famous ancient Greek historian Hecataeus of Miletus in the 6th century BC, who cites the most ancient name city: "Caspian Gate". The city owes such a romantic name to its geographical location- it stretches along the coastal strip of the Caspian Sea - where the Caucasus mountains come closest to the Caspian Sea, leaving only a three-kilometer strip of plain.
In world history, Derbent has become an unspoken “blockpost” between Europe and Asia. One of the most important sections of the Great Silk Road lay here. It is not surprising that it has always been a favorite object of conquest for its neighbors. The Roman Empire showed great interest in it - the main goal of the campaigns to the Caucasus of Lucullus and Pompey in 66-65 BC. it was Derbent. In the 5th century AD e. When the city belonged to the Sassanids, powerful fortifications were erected here to protect against nomads, including the Naryn-Kala fortress. From it, located at the foot of the mountain range, two walls descended to the sea, designed to protect the city and the trade route. It is from this time that the history of Derbent as a large city dates back.
The question of which city is the oldest is often researched by historians and archaeologists, but the truth is that tour operators are most interested in this. According to the survey, such a designation could significantly increase visitation even to popular tourist destinations. Recently, the British newspaper Guardian did a massive survey, listing eight cities as contenders for the title of the world's oldest still-inhabited city.
The Palestinian city of Jericho is truly an ancient place and its name is even mentioned in the Bible. Archaeologists have discovered traces of human settlements 9,000 years before the birth of Christ. The Walls of Jericho from the Old Testament were built about 4,000 years ago. In the "more recent" history of Jericho, the city was occupied by Alexander the Great, was under Roman rule, and Emperor Mark Antony gave it to Cleopatra.
The ancient Lebanese city also takes first place in the ranking. Byblos, also called Jubiel, is the administrative center of the Bialog region in the upper reaches of Lebanon. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, 20 km north of the capital Beirut. The settlement dates back to the 8th millennium BC and is one of the largest cities of ancient Phenicia. Byblos supplies Egyptian papyrus to ancient Greece, which is where his name comes from (from the Greek word for “book”).
Varanasi, on the banks of the magnificent Ganges River, is sacred place for two religions - Buddhism and Hinduism. The historical and archaeological evidence of the Indian city goes back several millennia before Christ, but the first reliable sources appear from 1100 BC. Indians believe that the city was built by Lord Shiva himself 5000 years ago.
This small famous city is located south of Cairo. It is located in the heart of a desert oasis and its most famous feature today is its bustling market. There are Arsinoean mounds, where a settlement dating back about 6,000 years is located. Local residents say that today's El-Fayoum is the direct descendant of the ancient settlement.
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Kirkuk is an Iranian city inhabited by many different peoples such as Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen. Proof of its ancient origins are the remains of an ancient citadel dating back to 2900 BC. The nearby city of Erbil also dates back about 5,000 years.
Shushi
Shushi, the ancient Persian capital dates back to at least 4200 BC. The age is precisely determined with carbon dating of the remains of the ancient acropolis. But after the 15th century the town gradually declined and today it is just a small village.
There is also evidence about the Syrian city of Aleppo that it is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Its name is noted in the famous Ebla clay tablets, dated around 2400 BC. Unfortunately, Aleppo today is a real battlefield - one of the most affected by armed conflicts. Until recently, one of the most beautiful cities in Syria, today it is almost completely destroyed and seriously deserted due to the horrors of war.
Archaeological research shows that the oldest settlement on the territory of today's Plovdiv was more than 6,000 years old. It is reported that Plovdiv was inhabited from 3000 BC. During this time it was ruled by the Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Ottomans and Bulgarians.
Plovdiv's main rival in age is Provadia, which appeared in 4700 BC. e. A lot of rock salt was mined in the settlement.
These cities are the 20 oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth. Visiting them (if, of course, it is at all possible) is like traveling back in time.
Varanasi, India
When did the first settlers settle here? 1000 BC uh. Situated on the western bank of the Ganges, Varanasi, also known as Benares, is a sacred city for both Hindus and Buddhists. According to legend, it was founded by the Hindu god Shiva 5 thousand years ago, although modern scientists believe that the city is only about 3 thousand years old. “Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legends, and looks twice as old as them all put together” - Mark Twain.
Cadiz, Spain
When did the first settlers settle here? 1100 BC uh. Cadiz, which sits on a narrow spit of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, has been home to the Spanish navy since the 18th century. It was founded by the Phoenicians as a small trading post, and in 500 BC. e. passed to the Carthaginians, becoming the base for the conquest of Iberia by Hannibal. Then the city was ruled by the Romans, after them by the Moors, and during the era of great geographical discoveries it experienced a revival. “Nobly Cape St. Vincent in the north-west faded away, the sunset flowed in blood-red glory into the balmy waters of Cadiz” - Robert Browning, English poet and playwright.
Thebes, Greece
The city of Thebes, one of the main rivals of ancient Athens, was the center of the Boeotian League and even supported Xerxes during the Persian invasion in 480 BC. e. Archaeological excavations have shown that a Mycenaean settlement existed here even longer. Today Thebes is just a small trading town. “Sometimes Tragedy in tears tells Me the deeds of the Children of Pelops, and of Thebes, and of the unfortunate Trojans” - John Milton (English poet).
Larnaca, Cyprus
When did the first settlers settle here? 1400 BC uh Founded by the Phoenicians under the name Kition, Larnaca is well known for its beautiful palm tree-lined promenade. Tourists are attracted here by archaeological sites and numerous beaches. “The history of this city is too rich. It may cause a kind of mental indigestion." - Robert Byron (British travel writer).
Athens, Greece
When did the first settlers settle here? 1400 BC uh Athens is the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, and ancient history the city is still visible everywhere in it. It is full of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments and remains a very popular tourist destination. “What great dangers are before me for the good name of Athens” - Alexander the Great.
Balkh, Afghanistan
When did the first settlers settle here? 1500 BC e. Balkh, known to the ancient Greeks as Bactria, is located in Northern Afghanistan. The Arabs call it the "Mother of Cities". The city reached the peak of its prosperity between 2500 and 1900 BC. e., even before the emergence of the Persian and Median empires. Modern Balkh is the center of the region's cotton industry. Is it possible to get there? The intelligence services do not recommend it. “When we were hunting in Africa, we lost our corkscrew and for several days lived only on water and food” - William Claude Fields (American actor and writer).
Kirkuk, Iraq
When did the first settlers settle here? 2200 BC uh. Situated approximately 240 km north of Baghdad, Kirkuk stands on the site of the ancient Assyrian capital of Arrapha. Its strategic importance was recognized by Babylon and Media, which controlled the city at different stages of its history. The ruins of a 5,000-year-old citadel are still visible here, and the city itself now serves as the headquarters of Iraq's oil industry. Is it possible to get there? The intelligence services do not recommend it.
Erbil, Iraq
When did the first settlers settle here? 2300 BC uh. To the north of Kirkuk lies Erbil, which was ruled at various times by the Assyrians, Persians, Sassanids, Arabs and Ottomans. It was an important stop on the Silk Road, and the ancient citadel, which rises 26 meters above the ground, still defines its landscape. Is it possible to get there? The intelligence services do not recommend it.
Tire, Lebanon
When did the first settlers settle here? 2750 BC uh. The legendary birthplace of Europa and Dido, Tire was founded around 2750 BC. e. It was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. e., and in 64 BC. e. became a Roman province. Today the city lives mainly from tourism: the Roman Hippodrome in Tire is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. “The Tyre, which distributed crowns, whose merchants were princes” - Bible.
Jerusalem, Middle East
When did the first settlers settle here? 2800 BC uh. The spiritual center of the Jewish people and the third holiest city of Islam, Jerusalem is home to several important shrines, including the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. During its history, the city was besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, captured 44 times and completely destroyed twice. “A view of Jerusalem is the history of the world, and even more, it is the history of earth and heaven” - Benjamin Disraeli (first Earl of Beaconsfield, former Prime Minister of Great Britain).
Beirut, Lebanon
When did the first settlers settle here? 3000 BC uh. The history of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon and its cultural, administrative and economic center, dates back 5,000 years. Excavations in the city have revealed remains of Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Arab and Ottoman cultures, and its name is mentioned in letters to the pharaoh of Egypt as early as the 14th century BC. e. After graduation civil war in Lebanon it has become a vibrant, modern and attractive city for tourists. “For the assiduous student of foreign affairs, Beirut is a tempting phenomenon, perhaps, but absolutely, absolutely impossible” - Ian Morris (Welsh historian and travel writer).
Gaziantep, Türkiye
When did the first settlers settle here? 3650 BC uh. Gaziantep, a city in southern Turkey, near the border with Syria, has been known since the times of the Hittites. In the center of the city is the citadel of Ravanda, restored by the Byzantines in the 6th century, and excavations have discovered Roman mosaics here. Is it possible to get there? The intelligence services do not recommend it. “They have no past, they are not people of history, they exist only in the present” - Samuel Taylor Coleridge (English poet and philosopher).
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
The second largest city in Bulgaria, Plovdiv was originally a Thracian settlement and later one of the important cities of the Roman Empire. It then fell into the hands of Byzantium, passed to the Ottoman Empire, and finally became part of Bulgaria. It is a major cultural center and contains many ancient ruins, including the remains of a Roman amphitheater and aqueduct and Ottoman baths. “This is the greatest and most beautiful of all cities. Its beauty shines from afar” - Lucian (Roman writer).
Sidon, Lebanon
When did the first settlers settle here? 4000 BC e. About 40 km south of Beirut lies Sidon, one of the most important Phoenician cities - and perhaps the oldest. It was the starting point from which the huge Mediterranean empire of the Phoenicians grew. Both Jesus and the Apostle Paul are said to have visited Sidon, as did Alexander the Great, who captured the city in 333 BC. e. Is it possible to get there? The intelligence services do not recommend it. “Few of those who are unaccustomed to the local climate manage to avoid a certain kind of rash” - Charles Merion (French artist).
El Fayoum, Egypt
When did the first settlers settle here? 4000 BC uh. El Fayoum, located southwest of Cairo, occupies part of Crocodilopolis, an ancient Egyptian city where the sacred crocodile Sebek was worshiped. Modern El-Fayoum consists of several large bazaars, mosques and baths, and the ancient pyramids are located nearby. Is it possible to get there? The intelligence services do not recommend it. “Egypt is the gift of the river” - Herodotus (Greek historian).
Susa, Iran
When did the first settlers settle here? 4200 BC uh. Susa was the capital of the Elamite Empire. The city was later captured by the Assyrians, and then by the Persian Achaemenid dynasty under the rule of Cyrus the Great. The action of Aeschylus's tragedy "The Persians", the oldest play in the history of the theater, takes place here. Now here is the city of Shush with a population of about 65 thousand people. “Persia, a country surrounded by mountains, open to the sea, a country in the middle of the world” - Francis Bacon (1st Viscount St. Alban, English philosopher and author).
Damascus, Syria
Damascus, which some sources call the world's oldest city, may have been inhabited as early as 10,000 BC, although this is still controversial. It became an important settlement under the rule of the Arameans, who built a network of canals that still serves as the basis for the city's water supply. Damascus was one of the great conquests of Alexander the Great, after which it was ruled by the Romans, Arabs and the Ottoman Empire. The city is rich in historical sites and was a popular tourist destination until the recent unrest. Is it possible to get there? The intelligence services do not recommend it. “Damascus is a symbol. You could say it's a bunch of symbols. It is a symbol of the constancy of physical conditions that have persisted throughout history; the constancy of the geographical limits of human settlement, government and war" - Hilaire Belloc (English-French writer and historian).
Aleppo, Syria
When did the first settlers settle here? 4300 BC uh. The most populous city in Syria, home to about 4.4 million people, was founded under the name Aleppo around 4300 BC. e. The modern city stands in exactly the same place as the ancient one, so it has been little studied by archaeologists. Until about 800 BC. e. the city was under the rule of the Hittites, and then passed through the hands of the Assyrians, Greeks and Persians. The city was occupied by the Romans, Byzantines and Arabs, besieged by the Crusaders, and captured by the Mongols and Turks. Is it possible to get there? The intelligence services do not recommend it.
Byblos, Lebanon
When did the first settlers settle here? 5000 BC uh. Founded as Gebal by the Phoenicians, Byblos took its name from the Greeks, who imported papyrus from the city. The word Bible comes from the Greek name for the city. Key tourist attractions include ancient Phoenician temples, the fortress and church of John the Baptist built by the Crusaders in the 12th century, and the old medieval city wall. More modern spectacles include the Byblos International Festival, where bands such as Keane and Jethro Tull perform.
Jericho, Palestine
When did the first settlers settle here? 9000 BC uh. According to our sources, it is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of 20 settlements in Jericho, the oldest of which is 11 thousand years old. The city, home today to about 20 thousand people, is located near the Jordan River in the West Bank. Is it possible to get there? The intelligence services do not recommend it.
Although determining the exact age of ancient settlements is not as simple a task for science as it seems at first glance, today there are a number of cities known that scientists call the oldest on the planet.
The history of the ancient city of Jericho begins in the 9th millennium BC. e., when traces of the first human habitation were discovered here. Located 30 km from Jerusalem, Jericho was mentioned more than once in gospel events. The mention in the Bible brought Jericho religious fame and later attracted crowds of scholars who wanted to document the biblical chronology. According to some archaeologists, Jericho is the oldest excavated city in the world, dating back some 6,000 years of almost continuous occupation. The signs at the entrance to the city, which read: “The most ancient city in the world,” are also in a hurry to declare this. In addition, the city is more than 200 m below sea level, making it one of the lowest in the world.
On the Lebanese coast of the Mediterranean Sea, from the ancient state of Phenicia, the center of which is located in modern Lebanon, the ancient city of Byblos has survived to this day, which is often referred to as the most Old city planets. In ancient times, Byblos was known as one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean, through which papyrus was exported from Egypt to Greece. During the era of wars, the city was not spared by any of the conquerors of the ancient world, leaving fortress walls, amphitheaters, temples and colonnades in memory of themselves. Today Byblos is a small fishing town in northern Lebanon with a population of 20,000 people, which preserves an ancient harbor with stone walls and towers, a Roman amphitheater, stone wells with sarcophagi of rulers and the ruins of Hellenic temples. central square The city is decorated with the ancient Egyptian Temple of Obelisks, built almost 4000 years ago.
A number of cities in neighboring Syria also vie for the title of the oldest on the planet. The country's largest city by population, Aleppo, was first mentioned in the 3rd millennium BC. e. as the capital of the ancient Semitic state of Ebla. Over the course of its history, more than a dozen conquerors from Alexander the Great to Tamerlane passed through the city, leaving their traces on the appearance of Aleppo. Due to its strategic location on the Silk Road, Aleppo attracted many traders from all over Asia. The Al Madina covered market in the old city has survived to this day, which is the world's largest historical market with a length of almost 13 km. The market, together with the territory of the old city and the famous Aleppo Citadel - a medieval fortress of the 10th century - is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The city of Susa in southwestern Iran is another contender for the title of the oldest in the world. It gained fame as the capital of the ancient state of Elam, which existed on the territory of Iran from the 3rd millennium BC. After the fall of Elam, the city became first the residence of the Assyrian and then the Persian kings. Currently, Susa is a small city with a population of 60,000 people. Despite its significant cultural and historical heritage, the city is famous not for the ruins of the ancient palace of the Elamite kings, but for the fortress built by French archaeologists in the late 1890s, which ensured their safety and the safety of their finds. 