Old Russian city: description, features. Old Russian cities: names

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 competing with Jericho for first place. 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 happened 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)

The third most ancient city 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 unlike 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 VI-IV 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 in 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 of the city: “Caspian Gate”. The city owes such a romantic name to its geographical location - it stretches along the coastline 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.

During the development of civilization, people united their scattered homes. This is how cities appeared. History has erected great settlements and just as mercilessly wiped them off the face of the Earth. Only a few cities were able to make it through the centuries, enduring all the blows of fate. The walls have stood in the sun and rain, they have seen eras come and go.

These cities became silent witnesses to how our civilization was revived and fell into decay. Today, not all the great cities of the past continue to provide shelter to people; many simply lie in ruins or have completely disappeared from the face of the Earth.

The British newspaper The Guardian selected 15 of the most ancient cities in the world, each of which has its own unique architecture and unusual history. These places have such an ancient history that only approximate dates can be given; historians are debating around them. So where does a person live continuously the longest?

Jericho, Palestinian Territories. This settlement appeared here 11 thousand years ago. This is the oldest residential city in the world, which was repeatedly mentioned in the Bible. Jericho is also known in ancient texts as the “city of palm trees.” Archaeologists found here the remains of 20 consecutive settlements, which made it possible to determine the venerable age of the city. The city is located near the Jordan River, on the western bank. Even today, about 20 thousand people live here. And the ruins of ancient Jericho are located west of the center of the modern city. Archaeologists were able to discover here the remains of a large tower from the pre-ceramic Neolithic period (8400-7300 BC). Jericho contains burials from the Chalcolithic period and city walls dating back to the Bronze Age. Perhaps they were the ones who fell to the loud trumpets of the Israelites, giving rise to the phrase “the trumpets of Jericho.” In the city you can find the ruins of the winter palace-residence of King Herod the Great with swimming pools, baths, and lavishly decorated halls. The mosaic on the floor of the synagogue, dating back to the 5th-6th centuries, has also been preserved here. And at the foot of the Tel al-Sultan hill is the source of the prophet Elisha. Historians believe that the hills adjacent to Jericho hide many archaeological treasures comparable to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.

Byblos, Lebanon. The settlement in this place is about 7 thousand years old. The city of Gebal, mentioned in the Bible, was founded by the Phoenicians. He received his other name, Byblos (Byblos), from the Greeks. The fact is that the city supplied them with papyrus, which was called “byblos” in Greek. The city has been known since the 4th millennium BC. Byblos became famous for its temples of Baal; the cult of the god Adonis originated here. It was from here that it spread to Greece. The ancient Egyptians wrote that it was in this city that Isis found the body of Osiris in a wooden box. The main tourist attractions of the city are the ancient Phoenician temples, the temple of St. John the Baptist, built by the crusaders in the 12th century, the city castle and the remains of the city wall. Now here, 32 kilometers from Beirut, is the Arab city of Jebeil.

Aleppo, Syria. Archaeologists believe that people settled here in 4300 BC. Today this city is the most populous in Syria, with a population approaching 4 million. It was formerly known as Halpe or Khalibon. For many centuries, Aleppo was the third largest city in the Ottoman Empire, second only to Constantinople and Cairo. The origin of the city's name is not entirely clear. Presumably "haleb" means copper or iron. The fact is that in ancient times there was a large center for their production here. In Aramaic, "halaba" means "white", which refers to the color of the soil in the area and the abundance of marble rocks. And Aleppo received its current name from the Italians who visited here during the Crusades. Ancient Aleppo is evidenced by Hittite inscriptions, Mari inscriptions in the Euphrates, in central Anatolia and in the city of Ebla. These ancient texts speak of the city as an important military and commercial center. For the Hittites, Aleppo had special significance, as it was the center of worship of the weather god. Economically, the city has always been an important place. The Great Silk Road passed here. Aleppo has always been a tasty morsel for invaders - it belonged to the Greeks, Persians, Assyrians, Romans, Arabs, Turks and even the Mongols. It was here that the great Tamerlane ordered the erection of a tower of 20 thousand skulls. With the opening of the Suez Canal, Aleppo's role as a commercial center became smaller. The city is currently undergoing a renaissance and is one of the most beautiful places in the Middle East.

Damascus, Syria. Many people think so. That Damascus is worthy of the title of the oldest city in the world. Although there is an opinion that people lived here 12 thousand years ago, another date of settlement seems more truthful - 4300 BC. The medieval Arab historian Ibn Asakir in XII argued that after the Flood, the first wall erected was the Damascus Wall. He attributed the very birth of the city to the 4th millennium BC. The first historical evidence about Damascus dates back to the 15th century BC. Then the city was under the rule of Egypt and its pharaohs. Later, Damascus was part of Assyria, the Neo-Babylonian kingdom, Persia, the empire of Alexander the Great, and after his death, part of the Hellenistic kingdom of the Seleucids. The city flourished during the Aramaic era. They created a whole network of water canals in the city, which today form the basis of modern water supply networks in Damascus. The urban agglomeration today numbers 2.5 million people. In 2008, Damascus was recognized as the cultural capital of the Arab world.

Susa, Iran. The settlement in this place is already 6200 years old. And the first traces of humans in Susa date back to 7000 BC. The city is located on the territory of modern Khuzestan province in Iran. Susa entered history as the capital of the ancient state of Elam. The Sumerians wrote about the city in their early documents. Thus, the works “Enmerkar and the Ruler of Aratta” say that Susa was dedicated to the deity Inanna, the patroness of Uruk. There are repeated mentions of the ancient city in the Old Testament, its name appears especially often in the Scriptures. The prophets Daniel and Nehemiah lived here during the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BC; Esther became queen in the city and saved her from persecution by the Jews. The Elamite state ceased to exist with the victories of Ashurbanipal, Susa itself was plundered, which was not the first time that happened. The son of Cyrus the Great made Susa the capital of the Persian kingdom. However, this state also ceased to exist, thanks to Alexander the Great. The city has lost its former significance. Susa was later destroyed by Muslims and Mongols, as a result of which life barely glimmered in it. Today the city is called Shusha, about 65 thousand people live in it.

Faiyum, Egypt. This city has a history of 6 thousand years. It is located southwest of Cairo, in the oasis of the same name, occupying part of Crocodilopolis. At this ancient site, the Egyptians worshiped the sacred Sobek, the crocodile god. The pharaohs of the 12th dynasty loved to visit Fayyum, then the city was called Shedit. This fact follows from the remains of burial pyramids and temples found by Flinders Petrie. In Fayoum there was the same famous Labyrinth that Herodotus described. In general, quite a lot of archaeological finds have been found in this area. But world fame went to the Fayum drawings. They were made using the enacoustic technique and were funerary portraits from the times of Roman Egypt. Currently, the population of the city of Al-Fayoum is more than 300 thousand people.

Sidon, Lebanon. People founded their first settlement here in 4000 BC. Sidon is located 25 kilometers south of Beirut on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. This city was one of the most significant and oldest Phoenician cities. It was he who was the heart of that empire. In the X-IX centuries BC. Sidon was the largest trading center of that world. In the Bible he was called the “firstborn of Canaan,” the brother of an Amorite and a Hittite. It is believed that both Jesus and the Apostle Paul visited Sidon. And in 333 BC. the city was captured by Alexander the Great. Today the city is called Saida and is home to Shiite and Sunni Muslims. It is the third largest city in Lebanon with a population of 200 thousand people.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria. This city also arose 4 thousand years BC. Today it is the second largest in Bulgaria and one of the oldest in Europe. Even Athens, Rome, Carthage and Constantinople are younger than Plovdiv. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus said that the first name for this settlement was given by the Thracians - Eumolpiada. In 342 BC. The city was conquered by Philip II of Macedon, the father of the legendary conqueror. The king named the settlement Philippopolis in honor of himself, but the Thracians pronounced this word as Pulpudeva. From the 6th century, the city began to be controlled by Slavic tribes. In 815 it became part of the First Bulgarian Kingdom under the name Pyldin. For the next few centuries, these lands passed from hand to hand from the Bulgarians to the Byzantines, until the Ottoman Turks captured it for a long time. Four times the crusaders came to Plovdiv and plundered the city. Currently, the city is an important cultural center. There are many ruins here that testify to its rich history. The Roman aqueduct and amphitheater, as well as the Ottoman baths, stand out here. About 370 thousand people now live in Plovdiv.

Gaziantep, Türkiye. This settlement appeared around 3650 BC. It is located in the south of Turkey, near the Syrian border. Gaziantep dates back to the times of the Hittites. Until February 1921, the city was called Antep, and the Turkish parliament gave the prefix gazi to the residents for their services during the battles for the country's independence. Today more than 800 thousand people live here. Gaziantep is among the most important ancient centers in southeastern Anatolia. This city lies between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia. Here the roads between the south, north, west and east intersected, and the Great Silk Road passed through. To this day, in Gaziantep you can find historical relics from the times of the Assyrians, Hittites, and the era of Alexander the Great. With the rise of the Ottoman Empire, the city experienced times of prosperity.

Beirut, Lebanon. People began to live in Beirut 3 thousand years before the birth of Christ. Today this city is the capital of Lebanon, the economic, cultural and administrative center of the country. And the Phoenicians founded Lebanon, choosing rocky land in the middle of the Mediterranean coast of the modern territory of Lebanon. It is believed that the name of the city comes from the word "birot", meaning "well". For a long time, Beirut remained in the background in the region, behind its more significant neighbors - Tire and Sidon. It was only during the Roman Empire that the city became influential. There was a famous school of law here, which developed the main postulates of the Justinian Code. Over time, this document will become the basis of the European legal system. In 635, Beirut was occupied by the Arabs, incorporating the city into the Arab Caliphate. In 1100 the city was captured by the Crusaders, and in 1516 by the Turks. Until 1918, Beirut was part of the Ottoman Empire. In the last century, the city with a proud history has become an important cultural, financial and intellectual center in the Eastern Mediterranean. And since 1941, Beirut became the capital of a new independent state - the Lebanese Republic.

Jerusalem, Israel/Palestinian Territories. This great city without a doubt was founded in 2800 BC. Jerusalem was able to become both the spiritual center of the Jewish people and the third holy city of Islam. The city has a large number of important religious sites, including the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher al-Aqsa. It is not surprising that there were constant attempts to conquer Jerusalem. As a result, the history of the city includes 23 sieges and 52 attacks. It was captured 44 times and destroyed 2 times. The ancient city lies on the watershed between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, in the spurs of the Judean Mountains at an altitude of 650-840 meters above sea level. The first settlements in this area date back to the 4th millennium BC. The Old Testament speaks of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jebusites. This population lived in Judea even before the Jews. It was they who founded the city, settling it initially. There is also a mention of Jerusalem on Egyptian figurines of the 20th-19th centuries BC. There, among the curses against hostile cities, Rushalimum was mentioned. In the 11th century BC. Jerusalem was occupied by the Jews, who proclaimed it the capital of the Kingdom of Israel, and from the 10th century BC. - Jewish. After 400 years, the city was captured by Babylon, then it was ruled by the Persian Empire. Jerusalem changed owners many times - these were the Romans, Arabs, Egyptians, and Crusaders. From 1517 to 1917, the city was part of the Ottoman Empire, after which it came under the jurisdiction of Great Britain. Now Jerusalem, with a population of 800 thousand people, is the capital of Israel.

Tire, Lebanon. This city was founded in 2750 BC. Tire was a famous Phoenician city and a major trading center. The date of its foundation was named by Herodotus himself. And there was a settlement on the territory of modern Lebanon. In 332 BC. Tire was taken by the troops of Alexander the Great, which required a seven-month siege. From 64 BC Tire became a Roman province. It is believed that the Apostle Paul lived here for some time. In the Middle Ages, Tire became known as one of the most impregnable fortresses in the Middle East. It was in this city that Frederick Barbarossa, King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor, was buried in 1190. Now on the site of the great ancient settlement stands the small town of Sur. It no longer has much significance; trade began to be conducted through Beirut.

Erbil, Iraq. This settlement is already 4300 years old. It is located north of the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Erbil is the capital of the Iraqi unrecognized state of Kurdistan. This city throughout its history belonged to different peoples - Assyrians, Persians, Sasanians, Arabs and Turks. Archaeological research has confirmed that people have lived in this area without interruption for more than 6 thousand years. This is most eloquently evidenced by the Citadel Hill. It represents the remains of former settlements. There was a wall around it, which was created in pre-Islamic times. When Erbil was under Persian rule, Greek sources called it Hawler or Arbela. The Royal Road passed through it, which went from the very center of the Persian center to the coast of the Aegean Sea. Erbil was also a transit point on the Great Silk Road. To this day, the ancient city citadel, 26 meters high, is visible from afar.

Kirkuk, Iraq. This city appeared in 2200 BC. It is located 250 kilometers north of Baghdad. Kirkuk is located on the site of the ancient Hurrian and Assyrian capital of Arrapha. The city had an important strategic position, so three empires fought for it at once - Babylon, Assyria and Media. It was they who shared control of Kirkuk for a long time. Even today there are still ruins here that are 4 thousand years old. The modern city, thanks to its proximity to the richest field, has become the oil capital of Iraq. About a million people live here today.

Balkh, Afghanistan. This ancient city appeared around the 15th century BC. Balkh became the first large settlement that the Indo-Aryans created during their transition from the Amu Darya. This city became a large and traditional center of Zoroastrianism; it is believed that it was here that Zarathustra was born. In late antiquity, Balkh became an important center of Hinayana. Historians said that in the 7th century there were more than a hundred Buddhist monasteries in the city, with 30 thousand monks living in them alone. The largest temple was Navbahar, its name translated from Sanskrit means “new monastery”. There was a huge Buddha statue there. In 645 the city was first captured by the Arabs. However, after the robbery they left Balkh. In 715, the Arabs returned here, having settled in the city for a long time. The further history of Balkh saw the arrival of the Mongols and Timur, however, even Marco Polo, describing the city, called it “great and worthy.” In the 16th-19th centuries, the Persians, the Bukhara Khanate and the Afghans fought for Balkh. The bloody wars ended only with the transfer of the city to the rule of the Afghan Emir in 1850. Today this place is considered the center of the cotton industry; leather is well tanned here, producing “Persian sheepskin.” And 77 thousand people live in the city.

ANCIENT CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS
Goals and objectives: to introduce students to the organization of internal
city ​​spaces; give an idea of ​​the Kremlin architecture, trade
squares and gardens; consider the nature of residential buildings; improve
paper design skill, graphic skill; learn to allocate funds
artistic expressiveness in works of painting; develop
compositional thinking; cultivate interest in the culture and history of Russian
people.
Eq uipment: for the teacher - methodological tables, reproductions;
for students - gouache, brushes, paper, scissors, cutter, PVA glue.
SPECTATORY ROW: reproductions of paintings by A. M. Vasnetsov “The Kremlin at
Dmitry Donskoy", "Book stalls on Spassky Bridge in the 17th century."
Literary series: poem by N.P. Konchalovskaya “Where is now”
Moscow is the capital, once there lived a beast and a bird”; poem by M. Poznanskaya.
During the classes
I. Organizational moment.
Teacher. Read the puzzle and find out the topic of the lesson.
Answer: Moscow city.
II. Conversation on the topic of the lesson.
Teacher. “From a small cold spring a river flowed, small began
Mother Moscow,” sang in an old song. Moscow began with
Borovitsky Hill. Once upon a time there was a dense pine forest here.
When reading poems, the teacher shows images
settlements of the ancient Slavs on the banks of the Moscow River.
1st student
Moskvareka, praise to you!
Over the centuries you have seen a lot.
Whenever you could speak,
You could tell me a lot.

2nd student
3rd student
You should tell us about
How people began to settle.
Behind the tyn there is a tyn, behind the house there is a house.
Grew on your shore
The beginning of the future capital,
You reflected in the surface of the waters
That first Kremlin and the new city,
What did our Russian people build?
Under the first pine wall...
This is the first town
At the crossroads of all roads.
N. P. Konchalovskaya
My reader, have you been
On the University tower?
Have you seen from this height
Our capital at dawn?
When there's blue behind the haze,
And in the summer heat it’s completely purple
Moskvareka in front of you
Lies like a silver horseshoe.
Everything can be seen from such a height -
Boulevards, squares and parks,
Bridges hung over the river,
Spreading lace arches.
Are you looking for the Kremlin? There's a steep hill over there,
Toy Ivan the Great,
On his golden onion
The sun's glare plays...
Let's do some old stuff!
Imagine, my reader,
What is there, where there are so many roofs in the distance,
A huge forest once stood
Mighty oaks grew,
The linden trees rustled in three girths,
Clearings instead of squares,
And instead of streets there are fallow lands,
And flocks of wild swans,
And the roar of a she-bear in her den,
And at dawn at the watering hole,
Where the key freshness splashes,
The moose walked along a narrow path,
Touching branches with horns...
4th student
The river flowed in the forests, in the meadows,

The boats slid along the current,
And on the high banks
Villages could be seen here and there.
Slavic people lived in them
Since the ninth century, perhaps,
Those people called Moscow
A deep, big river.
Nature's generous gifts
People already knew how to value.
Beavers care for them.
They farmed on a dam.
The bees saved honey for them,
The thick grass raised the birds,
In the depths of Moskvoretsky waters
A school of fish spawned.
They grazed flocks in the meadows,
They plowed the land for wheat,
Sold to merchants in cities
And flax, and wax, and honey, and poultry.
Rich sales year after year
Beaver furs, bear skins.
The path is open by water and land
To Rostov, Vladimir, Suzdal, Murom.
These were all cities
Rus' is wooded and huge.
Kyiv was the capital then
Moscow was a modest village.
5th student
The teacher demonstrates a reproduction of A. M. Vasnetsov’s painting “The Kremlin
under Dmitry Donskoy."
Students talk about how the work makes an impression
A. M. Vasnetsov, and call the means of artistic expression.
Teacher. Moscow was a formidable fortress built from large
white stone blocks. They were tightly fitted to each other and fastened with strong
lime mortar.
The towers protruded beyond the line of the walls, so that it was possible to hit the enemy right under the walls.
The defenders could pour boiling resin through special gutters and throw large
stones. The loopholes were intended for archery. On the sites of some towers and in
Cannons were installed for the first time in the large round loopholes inside the tower,
firing round stone cannonballs. This was the first firearm in Rus'.
A. M. Vasnetsov depicted two towers in the foreground of the picture (round and
quadrangular) and a section of wall between them. There are loopholes in the towers and walls,
located in several rows. The upper platform of the tower is fenced with large battlements,

who hid the soldiers during the battle. From the round tower to the river there is a strong palisade made of
thick pointed logs: this is a series of external additional fortifications of the Kremlin. In the distance
the tops of three more towers are visible in the background on the left. The section of wall to the right of the round one
towers - the border of the future Red Square.
The artist captured the unfinished construction. On the towers - construction
forests. On the top platform of the round tower, one of the workers uses a gate to lift
big logs up. They will be used to cover the tower.
A. M. Vasnetsov presented the Kremlin from the south, from the Moskvyreka. In the foreground -
many boats under sail. These are ships with goods sailing from different parts of Rus'. On
On the banks of the river, at the foot of the Kremlin wall, there was a lively trade. Covered ones are visible on the left
shopping arcades, there are a lot of people there, ships with goods are sailing there. The walls of the Kremlin are generally very
crowded. In addition to merchants from other cities, surrounding peasants flock to Moscow,
artisans, warriors. Great events are coming soon - the battle for liberation from
the hated yoke of the Tatar-Mongol khans.
Inside the Kremlin, behind the wall, there are wooden houses built from thick logs.
This is a tower, the home of the prince, metropolitan and neighboring boyars. Externally, the prince's house is almost
different from other residential buildings. Stone residential premises in Moscow in the 14th century. not yet
was. Only defensive structures and churches were built from stone. Two of them are shown
in the picture. Closer to the center is the main church in Moscow - the Assumption Cathedral. On the background
on the right is another church. Both cathedrals were built in a manner typical of ancient Russian
church architecture style: helmet-shaped domes, strict white walls, lack
external decorations. All this emphasized simplicity, strength and grandeur, reflecting the growth
national consciousness on the eve of a mortal battle with the enemy.
In Vasnetsov’s painting, the Kremlin gives the impression of being stern and warlike.
By decree of Ivan III, the area behind the Kremlin wall and moat was cleared of buildings
(now Red Square).
The Moscow market, the main market of the city, arose there. Moscow merchants and
artisans used every corner of the square. Even on the bridge over the moat there were benches,
where handwritten books were sold. They also traded on the floating bridge across the Moskvureka. TO
Ships approached him and unloaded goods directly into the shops.
The teacher demonstrates a reproduction of a painting by A. M. Vasnetsov
“Book stalls on Spassky Bridge in the 17th century.”
Using the picture, students talk about what the Kremlin looks like, how it goes
bargaining, what is the nature of the buildings.
Teacher. And now we will go to the posad.
In ancient times, settlements or settlements were called posad.
built around the Kremlin. The settlement was usually surrounded by a wall, rampart or moat. IN
In the event of an enemy attack, Posad residents burned their houses so that they could see
advance of the enemy, while they themselves “sat out,” as they said then, in the Kremlin.
Under Ivan IV, the settlement consisted of three parts: Kitaigorod, Bely and Zemlyanoy
cities. Trade and craft were concentrated here. They lived here
traders and artisans: potters, masons, coachmen, hamovniki (weavers),

butchers, cooks. The memory of these settlements and settlements is preserved in the names
streets Kuznetsky Most, Myasnitskaya, TverskayaYamskaya, Povarskaya, etc.
The nature of residential buildings in the posad of the ancient Russian city corresponds to
rural wooden house with a manor.
Students repeat the movements after the teacher.
F y c u l t m i n u t k a
As soon as the sun rises,
Illuminating the whole earth,
He immediately gives us a voice
My native country.
The chimes ring at an early hour,
The beam plays on the tower,
Moscow at dawn every time
Sends greetings to us.
M. Poznanskaya
III. Independent work of students.
Tasks:
1) individual design of stone chambers of an ancient Russian city;
2) collective performance of the composition “Image of an ancient Russian city”
(volumetric solution in space) from individually manufactured
previous lessons about churches, bell towers, fortress towers and stone chambers.

Stages of work:
a) cutting out the silhouette of a porch from a tetrahedral prism. To do this on one
a silhouette of the porch is drawn from the edges, then the prism is compressed and
the silhouette is cut into two sides at once. The work is carried out from the general to the specific. After
changing the places where the prism is compressed, a silhouette is cut out on its remaining two faces;
b) cutting out a smaller upper turret from a tetrahedral prism
(to do this, the prism is compressed and cut from the outside according to the intended silhouette, then
the inner cut out part of each face is folded inwards or
cut off);
c) designing a hip roof in the form of a tetrahedral pyramid with
cuts at the base along the ribs (for this rib at the base there is a little
are trimmed, then the lower edges of the pyramid are folded outward);
d) combining completed parts into a single building.
The bulk of the class performs custom stone designs
chambers A group of “main artists” is working on the composition “Image
ancient Russian city", using previously manufactured structures.
The best student work on constructing stone chambers is included in
collective three-dimensional image of the ancient city.
IV. Lesson summary.
Job analysis.
Cleaning workplaces.
Homework: choose illustrations depicting the princess
squads.

Ancient cities with a thousand-year history can surprise you not only with beautiful architecture and unique artifacts. Their old walls contain signs of previous eras and civilizations and show both the positive and negative sides of human evolution.

1. Damascus, Syria

The capital of Syria, the city of Damascus, is also the second largest city in the state. Damascus has a population of almost 2 million inhabitants. The city is very well located between Africa and Asia, and this advantageous geographical position at the crossroads of West and East, makes the Syrian capital an important cultural, commercial and administrative center of the state.

The history of the city begins approximately 2,500 BC, although the exact historical period of the settlement of Damascus is still unknown to scientists. The architecture of the buildings is varied and is marked by several ancient civilizations: Hellenistic, Byzantine, Roman and Islamic.

The old walled city is breathtaking with its ancient buildings, narrow streets, green courtyards and white houses and is all the more in contrast to the flow of tourists who come from all over the world to see this stunning ancient city.

2. Athens, Greece

The capital of Greece is Athens, the cradle of Western civilization with a population of about 3 million people. The history of the ancient city goes back more than 7,000 years, and its architecture bears the influence of Byzantine, Ottoman and Roman civilizations.

Athens is the birthplace of the greatest writers, playwrights, outstanding philosophers and artists. Modern Athens is a cosmopolitan city, the cultural, political and industrial center of Greece. The historical center of the city consists of the Acropolis (high city), a high hill with the remains of ancient buildings, and the Parthenon, a monumental temple of Ancient Greece.

Athens is also considered a huge archaeological research center and is full of historical museums, including the National Archaeological Museum, the Christian and Byzantine Museums, and the new Acropolis Museum.
If you decide to visit Athens, be sure to visit the port of Piraeus, which for many centuries was the most important port in the Mediterranean due to its strategic location.

3. Byblos, Lebanon

The ancient city of Byblos (modern name Jbeil) is another cradle of many civilizations. This is one of the oldest cities in Phenicia, the first mention of which dates back to 5000 BC. It is believed that it was in Byblos that the Phoenician alphabet was invented, which is still used today.

There is also a legend that the English word Bible comes from the name of the city, since at that time Byblos was an important seaport through which papyrus was imported.

Currently, Byblos is a harmonious fusion of a modern city and ancient buildings and is a popular tourist destination, thanks to its ancient fortresses and temples, picturesque views of the Mediterranean Sea, ancient ruins and a port, which people come from all over the world to see.

4. Jerusalem, Israel

Jerusalem is the most visited ancient city in the Middle East and is the most important religious center in the world. It is a holy place for Christians, Jews and Muslims and is currently home to about 800,000 people, 60% of whom practice Judaism.

Throughout its history, Jerusalem has experienced many of the greatest tragic events, including sieges and destruction caused by the bloody Crusades. The old city was founded about 4,000 years ago and is strictly divided into four quarters: Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Armenian. The hardest place for tourists to get into is the isolated Armenian quarter.

In 1981, the Old Town was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Jerusalem is not just a city; for Jews all over the world it symbolizes their home, a place where they want to return after long wanderings.

5. Varanasi, India

India is a mystical country, the birthplace of ancient civilizations and religions. And a special place in it is occupied by the sacred city of Varanasi, located on the banks of the Ganges River and founded more than 12 centuries before the birth of Christ. Hindus believe that the city was created by the god Shiva himself.

Varanasi, also known as Benares, was a place of worship for pilgrims and wanderers from all over India. Mark Twain once said about this ancient city: “Benares is older than history itself, it is even twice as old as all the ancient legends and traditions of India put together.”

Modern Varanasi is an outstanding religious and cultural center, home to famous musicians, poets and writers. Here you can buy the highest quality fabric, excellent perfumes, stunningly beautiful ivory products, famous Indian silk and superbly crafted jewelry.

6. Cholula, Mexico

More than 2,500 years ago, the ancient city of Cholula was founded from numerous scattered villages. Various Latin American cultures existed here, such as the Olmecs, Toltecs and Aztecs. The name of the city in the Nahuatl language literally translates as “place of flight.”

After the city was captured by the Spaniards, Cholule began to develop rapidly. The great conqueror of Mexico and conquistador Hernán Cortés called Cholula “the most beautiful city outside Spain.”
Today, it is a small colonial town of 60,000 people whose main attraction is the Great Pyramid of Cholula with its sanctuary at the top. This is one of the largest man-made monuments ever built by man.

7. Jericho, Palestine

Today, Jericho is a small town with a population of about 20,000 inhabitants. In the Bible it is called the “city of palm trees.” indicate that the first people began to settle here almost 11,000 years ago.

Jericho is located almost in the center of Palestine, making it an ideal location for trade routes. In addition, the natural beauty and resources of this area caused numerous invasions of enemy hordes into ancient Palestine. In the first century AD, the Romans completely destroyed the city, then it was rebuilt by the Byzantines, and destroyed again. After which it remained deserted for several centuries.

For almost the entire 20th century, Jericho was occupied by Israel and Jordan until it again became part of Palestine in 1994. The most famous sights of Jericho are the fabulously beautiful palace of Caliph Hisham, the Shalom al-Israel synagogue and the Mount of Temptation, where, according to the Bible, the devil tempted Jesus Christ for 40 days.

8. Aleppo, Syria

Aleppo is the largest city in Syria, home to about 2.3 million people. The city has a very favorable geographical location, being in the center of the Great Silk Road, which connected Asia and the Mediterranean. The history of Aleppo goes back more than 8,000 years, although archaeologists claim that the first people settled in this area 13,000 ago.

In various historical eras, this ancient city was under the rule of the Byzantines, Romans and Ottomans. As a result, Aleppo's buildings combine several different architectural styles. Locals call Aleppo the “soul of Syria.”

9. Plovdiv, Bulgaria

The history of the city of Plovdiv begins 4000 BC. and for many centuries, this oldest city in Europe has been under the rule of many vanished empires.

It was originally a Thracian city, later captured by the Romans. In 1885, the city became part of Bulgaria and now it is the second largest city in the country and is an important educational, cultural and economic center of the state.

You should definitely take a stroll through the Old Town, where numerous ancient monuments are preserved. There is even a Roman amphitheater built here by Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century AD! There are many beautiful churches and temples, unique museums and monuments, and if you want to get a little touch of ancient history, be sure to visit this place.

10. Luoyang, China

While most ancient cities are located in the Mediterranean, Luoyang stands out from this list as the oldest continuously inhabited city in Asia. Luoyang is considered the geographical center of China, the cradle of Chinese culture and history. People settled here almost 4,000 years ago, and now Luoyang is one of the largest cities in China with a population of 7,000,000 people.

The oldest cities in the world still exist today. These settlements have passed what is called the test of time.

History can be surprisingly unpredictable, but some of its monuments have been unshakable for several thousand years. Here is a list of the most ancient cities in the world that did not fall into decay and were not lost over the years, but were constantly inhabited by people. Find out which cities of the East, Europe and Asia are not only considered the oldest, but are still inhabited! You might also be interested in which civilization is considered the most ancient.

The most ancient cities of East Asia

Although Chinese civilization is rightfully considered one of the most ancient, the age of its oldest surviving cities is significantly inferior to the age of the first fortified settlements of the Near and Middle East. But even these numbers cause awe in a person who comes face to face with the legacy of time.

Beijing

A country: China
Year of foundation: 1045 BC

The ancient name of the current capital of China is Ji. The city, founded in 1045 BC, was the capital of the feudal principality of Yan for almost two thousand years, until in 938 AD. the Liao dynasty did not make it the second capital of Northern China. Beijing (also called Beijing and, subsequently, Beiping) was the most important state center in the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing eras, and retained this status after the formation of New China. By the way, it was in the vicinity of Beijing that the remains of Sinanthropus, the so-called “Beijing man,” whose age dates back to approximately 600 thousand years, were found.

Sian

A country: China
Year of foundation: 1100 BC

For 3,100 years, Xi'an (ancient names - Haojin, Chan-An), the most ancient city in China currently inhabited, was the capital of ten major dynasties. The major cultural and political center was also famous for its production of bronze objects; some products have survived to this day and are now exhibited in local museums. The Tang Dynasty died out in 907, after which the city slowly declined. Subsequently, he played an important role in the development of state trade, but never returned to its former greatness.

The most ancient cities of the Middle East

The ancient Near East, namely the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, is considered the cradle of human civilization. Mesopotamia is the largest ancient civilization, which, despite its greatness, could not withstand the onslaught of centuries. But, for example, neighboring Egypt still delights tourists with its ancient capital.

Balkh

A country: Afghanistan
Year of foundation: 1500 BC

This city, located in modern Afghanistan, is often called the cradle of three religions: Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Buddhism. Balkh is considered to be the birthplace of Zarathustra, the founder of Zoroastrianism - the most ancient religion in the world known to man.

Luxor

A country: Egypt
Year of foundation: 3200 BC

Approximately XXII-XX centuries BC. Luxor was the capital of Waset (the fourth nome of Ancient Egypt), then became the main city of the entire kingdom of Egypt and remained so until the 10th century BC. It is also known to historians under the Greek name Thebes.

El Fayoum

A country: Egypt
Year of foundation: 3200 BC

Another ancient Egyptian city appeared on the world map in the 4th millennium BC. Faiyum is located southwest of Cairo, on the territory of ancient Crocodilopolis. This unusual name for the settlement is in honor of the cult of the sacred crocodile Petsuhos, which was worshiped by the locals. Now the city is quite modern, here you can visit large bazaars, mosques, baths, as well as the pyramids of Hawara and Lekhin.

The most ancient cities in Europe

Athens

A country: Greece
Year of foundation: 1400 BC

The exact date of the founding of Athens is unknown. Written sources indicate that the states of the Ancient World knew about the existence of a settlement on the site of modern Athens already in 9600 BC. However, the city itself, which is rightly called the cradle of Greek culture, arose only in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC.

Agros

A country: Greece
Year of foundation: 2000 BC

The founding date of the city of Agros (Peloponnese) is conventionally considered to be 2000 BC. – the first evidence of its existence found by archaeologists dates back to this period. Perhaps his story goes back much deeper. According to the ancient Greek epic, Agros was adjacent to Mycenae and Tiryns, now in ruins.

Mantua

A country: Italy
Year of foundation: 2000 BC

Mantua is a small city in the Lombardy region, founded by the Etruscans and Gauls. For most of its history, Mantua was located on an island on the Mincio River. Subsequently, already in the Middle Ages, residents blocked the channel and turned the island into a peninsula. As a result, the city was surrounded by lakes on three sides. By the way, the ancient Roman poet Virgil was born in the vicinity of Mantua.

Plovdiv

A country: Bulgaria
Year of foundation: 6000 BC

The most ancient city in Europe is located in a picturesque place in southern Bulgaria, on the coast of the Maritsa River. Like Rome, it was built on seven hills - three of which can still be clearly distinguished today. Plovdiv was originally a small village called Tratian, which later became a major center of the Roman Empire. Before becoming part of Bulgaria, Plovdiv was also under the rule of Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire. Modern Plovdiv is a thriving city with a rich cultural and social life.

The most ancient cities of the Middle East

Bible

A country: Lebanon
Year of foundation: 5000 BC

Once upon a time, on the site of modern Jebeil stood the ancient city of Byblos - the heart of all Mediterranean navigation, the largest exporter of papyrus to Hellas. In the sixth millennium BC, these places were chosen by nomadic tribes who made a living by fishing. After a couple of thousand years, the settlement, nicknamed by the inhabitants of Gubla, was overgrown with stone walls, and its inhabitants continued the traditions of their ancestors and turned the city into a prosperous harbor. In the 3rd millennium BC. Gubla passed into the possession of the Phoenicians - the sea people were attracted by its convenient location and developed water infrastructure. In the second millennium BC, the city acquired its own written language, which significantly increased its wealth, which was entirely dependent on trade. And a little later he became the main exporter of papyrus to Greece. Papyrus in ancient Greek was known precisely as “byblos,” and the city, accordingly, began to be called the same.

Jericho

A country: Palestine
Year of foundation: 6800 BC

Jericho (meaning a settlement with fortified walls) is considered the most ancient city in the world. Although the first human settlements arose here, on the west bank of the Jordan, back in the 8th millennium BC. The powerful walls of the Tower of Jericho still remind us of those times. According to biblical legend, the walls of this city fell in time immemorial from the sounds of Joshua's trumpet. During excavations, which began in earnest in the middle of the 20th century, archaeologists discovered as many as forty so-called “cultural layers” under these lands!

You can also find out about the most ancient city in Russia, its history and location on our website.
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