The Top 10 Countries With the Most Ancient History

Iran: The Land of Endless Civilizations

Iran, often referred to as the "Land of Persia," is recognized as one of the oldest countries in the world, with over 7,000 years of rich history. From the early Elamite civilization to the influential Achaemenid Empire led by leaders like Cyrus the Great and Darius I, Iran has played a pivotal role in shaping global culture, governance, and innovation.

The ancient kingdom of Elam was founded in present-day Iran around 2600 B.C.E. Its capital city was Susa, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Archeological evidence shows urban life in Susa from the fifth millennium B.C.E. to the 13th century C.E.

Iran is home to one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to the 5th millennium BC. In its later history, Susa became the capital of Elam, which emerged as a state founded 4000 BC.

There are also dozens of prehistoric sites across the Iranian plateau pointing to the existence of ancient cultures and urban settlements in the fourth millennium BC.

Iraq: Mesopotamia - The True Cradle of Civilization

The oldest recorded civilization in the world is the Mesopotamia civilization. Overall, the 4 oldest civilizations of the world are Mesopotamia Civilization, Egyptian Civilization, Indus Valley Civilization, and Chinese Civilization.

The Sumerian civilization emerged in Mesopotamia around 4500 to 4000 BCE. Prior to this, neolithic communities had started forming villages in the region as early as 8000 BCE.

This development leads some historians to label Mesopotamia as the "cradle of civilization." One of the greatest achievements of ancient Mesopotamia was the invention of the wheel some time around 3,500 BCE – evidence suggests that they were first used for making pottery and not for transportation. The Sumerians also developed the world's first writing system, Cuneiform, around 3200 BCE.

Egypt: The Gift of the Nile

Historians identify the onset of Egyptian Civilization at approximately 3150 BCE. Prior to this, some settlements appeared around 6000 BCE.

The inhabitants of Marimda Banī Salāma were among the earliest to cultivate cereals like wheat and barley, potentially establishing one of the first agricultural communities not only in Ancient Egypt but globally. The result is that archaeologists in Egypt have now discovered writings just as early as the earliest writings from Sumer, which suggests the oldest phase of the ancient Egyptian civilization emerged at roughly the same time as the earliest phase of the Sumerian civilization: about 4000 B.C.

Around 6000 BC, Neolithic settlements began to appear all over Egypt. Studies based on morphological, genetic, and archaeological data have attributed these settlements to migrants from the Fertile Crescent in the Near East arriving in Egypt and North Africa during the Egyptian and North African Neolithic Revolution and bringing agriculture to the region.

India: The Indus Valley Marvel

Indus Valley civilization, which arose in parts of what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwestern India, and dates from at least 3300 B.C., according to the earliest artifacts found there. The aceramic Neolithic at Mehrgarh in present-day Pakistan lasts from 7000 to 5500 BC, with the ceramic Neolithic at Mehrgarh lasting up to 3300 BC; blending into the Early Bronze Age.

Mehrgarh is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming and herding in the Indian subcontinent. The Indus Valley Civilization starts around 3300 BC with what is referred to as the Early Harappan Phase (3300 to 2600 BC), although at the start this was still a village-based culture, leaving mostly pottery for archaeologists.

The earliest examples of the Indus script date to this period, as well as the emergence of citadels representing centralised authority and an increasingly urban quality of life.

China: The Dragon's Ancient Roots

Drawing on archaeology, geology and anthropology, modern scholars do not see the origins of the Chinese civilization or history as a linear story but rather the history of the interactions of different and distinct cultures and ethnic groups that influenced each other's development. The specific cultural regions that developed Chinese civilization were the Yellow River civilization, the Yangtze civilization, and Liao civilization.

Early evidence for Chinese millet agriculture is dated to around 7000 BC, with the earliest evidence of cultivated rice found at Chengtoushan near the Yangtze River, dated to 6500 BC. Chengtoushan may also be the site of the first walled city in China.

Government in China dates back to at least 1600 B.C.E. with the founding of the Shang dynasty, the first nonlegendary Chinese dynasty.

During Shang rule (circa 1600-1046 B.C.E.), the Chinese created a 12-month, 360-day calendar and began developing the writing system used today.

Peru: The Mystery of the Norte Chico

The Norte Chico civilization (also called Caral or Caral-supe civilization) is considered to be the oldest known civilization that existed in the Americas. The formation of the civilization's first city happened around 3,500 BCE and from this time until a period of decline around 1,800 BCE, the Norte Chico people flourished.

The ancient Peruvian civilization, regarded by some as more enigmatic than the later Inca, emerged around 3000 BCE. Archaeological findings from the Caral-Supe pyramids in Peru suggest that this pre-Inca culture is not only older but may also surpass its Egyptian counterparts in significance.

In Caral, the city for which the Norte Chico civilization gets its other name, a total of six pyramids have been discovered – they are the oldest pyramids outside of Egypt and are actually contemporary with the first Egyptian pyramids.

Greece: The Birthplace of Democracy

The first government in present-day Greece actually predates ancient Greece. Beginning around 1600 B.C.E., the Mycenaean Civilization consisted of multiple kingdoms, including Thebes and Athens, which are some of the oldest continuously habited cities in the world.

Ancient Greece was one of the earliest flourishing civilizations, existing between 800 BCE and 323 BCE. Its remarkable architectural achievements can still be seen today.

They established the first democracy, allowing citizens equal participation in their government. The culture of Ancient Greece prioritized learning and education, motivating Europeans to delve into philosophy and science.

Their art and literature, including notable works by figures such as Homer, Plato, Sophocles, and Aristotle, hold a profound influence on Western civilization.

Ethiopia: Africa's Ancient Highland Kingdom

Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in Africa; the emergence of Ethiopian civilization dates back thousands of years. Human life has been around in Ethiopia for millions of years as skeletal fragments belonging to Australopithecus afarensis, an apelike creature that may have been the ancestor of modern humans, that were found in the area are thought to be about 3.4 million – 2.9 million years old.

As life flourished in Ethiopia, complex societies began to develop and one of the first kingdoms established was Dʿmt, which lasted from c.980 BCE – c.400 BCE. Ethiopia has several UNESCO World Heritage Sites related to archaeology which include Axum, one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in Africa, the Awash Valley where Lucy, a hominin who lived around 3.2 million years ago was discovered, and Tiya, where Middle Stone Age tools and megaliths have been found.

Ethiopia is well known for its significant fossil-bearing beds which have borne some of the oldest and most complete fossil hominids.

Turkey: The Gateway Between Worlds

The settlement of Çatalhöyük is one of the oldest urban settlements and one of the most well-preserved Neolithic settlements. The people of Çatalhöyük were one of the earliest people to adapt to a sedentary life and practice agriculture.

It is estimated that the average population of Çatalhöyük was between 5,000 – 7,000. In the rolling hills of southeastern Turkey lies Göbekli Tepe, a site so revolutionary it's been dubbed the "zero point of civilization." Unearthed in 1994, its T-shaped limestone pillars—some towering 18 feet and weighing 16 tons—date to 9600 BCE, a staggering 7,000 years before Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza.

Carved with eerie precision, these megaliths boast reliefs of lions, foxes, and scorpions, alongside abstract symbols that hint at a cosmology we can't yet decode. In 2024, it's likely that more finds dating back around 11,000 years will be made at the sites of Gobekli Tepe, which may be the site of one of the oldest temples in the world, and nearby Karahan Tepe in southeastern Turkey.

Gobekli Tepe has a series of T-shaped stone pillars with carvings, while Karahan Tepe has a building with carvings that may have been used for a prehistoric parade.

Mexico: The Olmec Legacy

Present-day Mexico's history can be traced back to 1200 B.C.E. with the founding of the Olmec civilization.

The Olmecs lived along the Gulf of Mexico and southern Mexico and are famous for the huge basalt heads believed to represent Olmec rulers. The Olmecs likely established the first form of writing in the Americas and participated in extensive trade networks.

Their influence can be seen in the Mayan and Aztec cultures that later dominated the area. Meso-America is the term used to describe the ancient settlements of Mexico and Central America.

The earliest elaborate civilization known in the Americas is that of the Olmec of central Mexico.

The Legacy That Echoes Through Time

These ancient civilizations didn't just appear overnight like mushrooms after rain. They represent thousands of years of human innovation, struggle, and triumph.

Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and other early societies have bequeathed us remarkable legacies that have influenced our world. The remnants we possess provide evidence of these civilizations, enabling us to explore their lifestyles, cultures, and religions over time.

What's fascinating is how these ancient powers laid the groundwork for everything we know today - from writing systems to urban planning, from democracy to agriculture. Each civilization brought its own unique contribution to the human story, and their influence continues to shape our modern world.

Did you expect that these ancient roots would still be growing in our contemporary soil?

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