The name of an ancient state that arose later than all others. The most ancient countries in the world

Currently, more than 250 states have been formed on Earth. Some of them have thousand years of history, some are completely new. It is very interesting to learn the history of countries. The question inevitably arises: which state is the most ancient in the world?

Iran

Iran comes first. Although the modern country with this name formally appeared only 70 years ago, the political system has existed on its territory since 3200 BC. Then these places were known as Elam, and later - Persia. It was a developed state, engineers, artists, and talented builders lived here. Iran is inhabited by more than 70 million people, almost all of them are Muslims.

In Iran, every resident is provided with social protection, pension and various benefits. The country ranks second in the world in oil production; accordingly, there are a lot of oil refineries here.

The tourism sector is also quite developed: Muslims go to venerate ancient shrines, others go to enjoy the beautiful views of nature and interesting monuments. Iran cooperates with China in military sphere, purchases weapons and equipment - aircraft, artillery, tanks. And in 2009, the Iranians went into space for the first time, they succeeded on the second try.

By coincidence, the most ancient states in the world are located in hot latitudes. In second place is Egypt; the first mentions of it date back to 3000 BC. The history of the country is very rich, and quite a lot of information has been preserved about it. Probably everyone has heard about the great pyramids - the tombs of the pharaohs, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Egypt is a treasure trove of ancient cultural monuments. Partly for this reason, and also thanks to the warm climate, today it is a world center of tourism. On sea ​​coasts There are numerous resorts ideal for surfing and diving.

The state is still of interest to scientists; there is even a separate branch of science - Egyptology. She studies the culture, language and history of the country

Modern Egypt is also not far behind cultural development. The music industry here is well developed, and Arabic films are consistently produced in Cairo. Actively developing and modern literature. Many traditions and customs are associated with Muslim culture, because the majority of the country's residents adhere to this religion. For example, five times a day all residents are called to prayer over a loudspeaker.

Vietnam

This country is located on the Indochina Peninsula, and it was founded on this land by the Viet civilization in 2897 BC. The first state was named Wanglang. Over its long history, Vietnam has experienced a lot: it was dependent first on China, then on France, and only in 1954 it became an independent country.

More than half of the residents are engaged in agriculture, so the country actively exports rice, tea, cotton and other crops. Vietnam is also very popular among tourists, because its coastline is more than 3,000 kilometers long, and there are an abundance of beaches and hotels along its entire length.

Unfortunately, despite these factors, the country is considered poor, although the state is trying to fight it. The majority of the population, especially in remote mountainous areas, lives on the brink of poverty, but there are also, on the contrary, very rich families, which indicates pronounced social inequality. Many people prefer to go abroad to work. In 2012, it even ranked first in coffee exports.

According to some reports, age Chinese civilization dates back more than 5000 years. But, if we talk about the state, then in 1600 a country called Shang-Yin was formed on the territory of modern China. Since then, the history of China began, very rich and diverse. Dynasties succeeded one another, an economy developed, which the nomadic tribes living in the neighborhood did not have.

Socialism reigns here, but not the same as in the USSR, but a little different, “with Chinese characteristics,” as the Chinese authorities officially put it. The economy is being built according to the Five-Year Plans. For many years, the country has been ranked first in the world in agricultural production. The country has built branches of many large factories, for example, Nissan, Toyota, as well as its own Chinese corporations.

On this moment China is a rich developed country

More than fifty nationalities live on the territory of the state, and each of them has its own special traditions, costumes, culture, even dialect. The total population has long exceeded one billion and continues to grow at a frantic pace, even despite the government’s birth control policy.

This relatively small country is also one of the oldest in the world, founded in 1070. Previously, there was an ancient kingdom called Kush. Now all that remains of it are ruined temples and sculptures. Even then it was developed scientific activity- writing and medicine.

Dozens of different crops are grown on an industrial scale, for example, cotton, wheat, peanuts, fruits, and large and small cattle. Much attention is paid to fishing. Products are exported to countries such as China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Italy.

Modern Sudan is populated by Muslim Arabs and has an economy largely based on agriculture and oil production.

There are very few good asphalt roads in the country; almost all road routes are country roads and have no signs. Visitors are forced to travel mainly by local taxi, and travel prices are extremely high.

Sudan is often rocked by conflicts with neighboring countries, mainly territorial and economic. The state of the country was significantly undermined by two large and long-lasting civil wars, the echoes of which haunt residents to this day.

Sri Lanka

In 377 BC, the ancient predecessor of this modern state arose on the island. Since the 16th century, the island was subordinate to various states (Portugal, Holland, Great Britain), gaining independence only in 1948.

Sri Lanka is the third largest tea producer in the world; it also exports cinnamon, rubber, precious stones, garments, coconuts, fish and seafood. Gems, in general, they play very important role V economic development countries.

Tourism is also well developed on the island, because the natural conditions are simply stunning: palm trees, orchids, colorful birds and fish, coral reefs. There are many interesting sights, including those related to Buddhism: ancient Buddha statues, palaces, parks. So far, Russian tourists are not very common in Sri Lanka, but this area is gradually developing.

In the northeast of the country you can still find military personnel patrolling the area, although it would seem that all conflicts have long been resolved.

Now the state is home to more than 20 million people, mostly representatives of the Sinhalese people who profess Buddhism

This includes both North Korea (DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea). Indeed, in ancient times this division did not exist; there was one state - Chin, founded approximately in 300 BC. Only in 1945, after the end of the war between the USSR and Japan, the territory of the peninsula was delimited into two parts, Soviet and American.

In South Korea the population is almost 2 times larger than in North Korea. The reason is partly that people often flee from the second because bad conditions life and total control. True, they take a great risk: if they are caught, they can be executed in disgrace.

Economy South Korea‒ one of the strongest and most significant in the world, while the Northern one lags behind in this by several hundred years. The first is focused on small equipment, the second on heavy military weapons and vehicles.

In the Republic of Korea you can enjoy the views of huge, vibrant metropolises, but in the DPRK you cannot find this, the cities look like slums, the people are mostly serious and tired. Standard of living ordinary person in North Korea is low. There is practically no crime as such in Korea.

At the moment, the Republic of Korea and the DPRK are as different as heaven and earth, and in addition, they have been officially at war for half a century, although they have signed an agreement banning shooting

Previously, on its territory there was the state of Iberia, the history of which is considered to date back to 299 BC. After many centuries and events, Georgia became part of the USSR, and in March 1991 it gained independence.

Georgia was often attacked by its neighbors, because it is a beautiful fertile land, a tasty morsel for invaders. So to this day, there are many monuments of war times on the territory of the country - ruined castles and forts, as well as Christian monuments - churches, monasteries. Georgia is still an Orthodox country.

This one is warm Mountain country It doesn’t have high prices, so tourists love it. After all, there are many man-made and natural attractions here, from mysterious caves to majestic mountains.

Georgia was one of the first in the world to adopt the Christian faith

Listed above are just a few of the oldest states in the world. It should be noted that only those countries are named where there has been a political system since ancient times. Therefore, for example, Greece is not on the list, although this civilization is the European cradle of culture, it became a state only in 1821.

It is believed that the oldest states on Earth appeared more than 6,000 years ago, but the most ancient ones, about which at least something is known, could not survive to this day. This list of the 10 most ancient states includes only those that have survived to one degree or another; they are like a bridge from modernity to hoary antiquity.

1. Elam (Iran, 5200 years old)

The state of the Islamic Republic of Iran, located in southwest asia, appeared on April 1, 1979 after the Islamic Revolution. In fact, Iran is one of the oldest states in the world. For thousands of years Iran was the key monarchy of the East. The ancient state of Elam, which preceded Iran, arose here about 5,200 years ago. Under Darius I, the Iranian empire extended from the Indus River to Libya and Hellas. Even in the Middle Ages, Iran was quite an influential and powerful state.

2. Egypt (5000 years)

This is the oldest of the states that bore the same name, and about which a large number of historical information. In the ancient country of countless dynasties of pharaohs, the most magnificent examples of art and culture were born, many of them were adopted by the peoples of Asia and Europe. They also formed the basis of ancient aesthetics, which became the source of the development of all modern arts.
Now Egypt is the largest state in the Arab East, an important center of its cultural and political life, and a center of attraction for tourists from all over the world. Egypt has a unique geographical position, since it is located at the junction of 3 continents - Europe, Africa and Asia, as well as Jewish, Christian and Islamic civilizations. It arose on lands where some powerful and mysterious civilization, which had its own long history. About 5,000 years ago, Pharaoh Mines united the neighboring lands, forming from them the state of Egypt during the Early Kingdom. This civilization left us many material monuments - pyramids, the Sphinx, majestic temples.

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3. Greece (5000 years)

Greece is the cradle of European civilization. On the island of Crete, about 5,000 years ago, the ancient Minoan culture arose, which was adopted by the Hellenes and other mainland peoples. It was in Crete that the beginnings of statehood, trade and diplomatic relations with the East can be traced, and the first writing arose here.
The Aegean civilization, which arose at the end of the third millennium BC. e., already showed clear signs of statehood. The first states on the Aegean Sea, which arose in Crete and the Peloponnese, had the features of eastern despotism and a developed bureaucratic structure. Hellas grew quite quickly, spreading its influence and culture to Asia Minor, the northern Black Sea region and southern Italy. By the way, the Greeks themselves still call their country Hellas. They are flattered every time to emphasize the historical connection of present-day Greece with the great ancient era and culture, which became the basis for the entire European civilization.

4. Van Lang (Vietnam, 2897 BC)

Vietnam is a Southeast Asian country located on the Indo-Chinese Peninsula. The name of the country can be translated as " southern country Viets." The Viet civilization appeared in the Red River basin, and legend says that they descended from a fairy bird and a dragon. In 2897 BC. e. The first state of Vanlang was formed on this territory. There was a period when the country was absorbed by China, and towards the end of the 19th century it was taken over by France. Vietnam gained independence in 1954.

5. Shin-Yin (China, 3600 years old)

China is located in East Asia and, with a population of more than 1.3 billion people, is the world's largest country by population, second only to Russia and Canada in territory.
Chinese civilization is one of the oldest. Chinese historians claim that it is over 5,000 years old, although the oldest known written sources in China are about 3,500 years old. During successive dynasties of emperors, systems of administrative management were always in operation, which were improved over the centuries. This gave an advantage to a state based on agriculture, which was surrounded by nomadic peoples or mountaineers. An additional cement for statehood was the introduction in the 1st century BC. e. as the state ideology of Confucianism, and a century before that - a unified writing system.
Functioning in 1600-1027 BC. e. the state of Shang-Yin should be recognized as the first, the existence of which is confirmed not only by archaeological finds, but also by epigraphic written sources. Emperor Qin Shi Huang brought together in 221 BC. e. Chinese lands to the Qin Empire, whose territory is in many ways comparable to modern China.

6. Kush (Sudan, 1070 BC)

The area of ​​modern Sudan, located in the African northeast, exceeds the area Western Europe, and the population does not even reach 30 million inhabitants. It is located in the middle reaches of the Nile, on its coastal plains, as well as the shores of the Red Sea and the elevated plateau.
In the northern part of what is now Sudan in 1070-350 BC. e. there was an ancient Meroitic kingdom or Kush. Its existence is evidenced by the found ruins of temples, sculptures of kings and gods. It is assumed that medicine and astronomy were developed in Kush, and they had their own written language.

7. Sri Lanka (377 BC)

Located in South Asia, southeast of the Hindustan Peninsula on the island of Sri Lanka, the state of the same name would sound in Russian as “Blessed Land”. People lived here back in the Neolithic era; at least, the settlements found here date back to this period. Writing, and with it documented history, arose after the settlement of the island by Aryans from India. They taught the local population not only writing, but also basic knowledge in the fields of navigation and metallurgy. In 337 BC. e. A monarchy was formed in Sri Lanka, the capital of which was ancient city Anuradhapura. In 247, Buddhism arrived on the island, and it turned out to be a decisive factor in the process of forming the country's political system.

8. Chin (Korea, 300 BC)

Korea is located on the Korean Peninsula and nearby islands. This ancient country has a common cultural and historical heritage. Until relatively recently, it was a single state. After the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II, Korea, which was then a Japanese colony, was divided into zones of responsibility by the victorious countries: the USSR got everything north of the 38th parallel, and the USA got everything south of it. A little later, in 1948, two states were proclaimed on both fragments of Korea - the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north, and the Republic of Korea in the south.
Koreans have a legend according to which their state was founded by the son of the god Tangun and a bear woman in 2333 BC. e. Experts call the most ancient stage of Korean history the state of Ko Joseon. True, almost everything modern historians They consider the legendary age of the country to be greatly exaggerated; at least, no one is in a hurry to present any historical documents confirming this, except for a few medieval chronicles. It is believed that in the early days of its existence, Joseon was simply a tribal union, which included independent city-states. Only around 300 BC. e. it became a centralized state. During the same period, the proto-state of Chin was formed in the south of the Korean Peninsula.

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9. Iberia (Georgia, 299 BC)

Relatively recently, Georgia regained its independence. But the history of this ancient state remembers a lot. On its territory there is the oldest evidence of the existence of civilization. Georgian historians are confident that the earliest states existed in Georgia in the second and even third millennium BC. e. We are talking about the kingdom of Colchis, overlooking the Black Sea coast, and Iberia, located to the east of it. King Pharnavaz I came to power in Iberia in 299. During the reign of him and his immediate descendants, Iberia turned into a powerful state that significantly expanded its territories. In the 9th century, the Georgian principalities were united into a single state, and kings from the Bagrationi branch began to rule it.

10. Greater Armenia (331 BC)

On the territory of the Armenian Highlands already in the 12th century BC. e. the formation of the Armenian ethnic group began, which ended by the 11th century BC. e. The main “ingredients” of the Armenian nation were the Urartians, Hurrians, Luwians, as well as tribes who spoke proto- Armenian language. By the IV-II centuries BC. e. The merger of the Urartians with the Armenian ethnic group was completed. It is known that in 31-220. BC e. There was an Airarat kingdom or Greater Armenia with its capital in Armavir, which is located near Yerevan. In 316 BC. e. during the reign of the Yervandid dynasty it became independent.
Then there was a short-lived conquest by the Seleucids, but already in 189 BC. e. Artashes I proclaimed the state of Greater Armenia. As Strabo testifies, already at the time of Artashes all the inhabitants of Armenia spoke a single Armenian language, although the court did not know it until the beginning of the 2nd century BC. e. they preferred to speak Imperial Aramaic, with a fair share of Iranian words.
Around 163 BC e. Commagene also declared its independence. As an independent state, Lesser Armenia was able to exist until 116 BC. e., and then it was captured first by the Pontians, and later they were replaced by the Romans.

Abstracts were prepared based on materials from the German magazine "Illustrierte Wissenschaft".

From the school history course we know about the emergence of the first states on earth with their unique way of life, culture and art. The distant and largely mysterious life of people of past times excited and awakened imagination. And, probably, for many it would be interesting to see maps of the greatest empires of antiquity, placed side by side. Such a comparison makes it possible to feel the size of the once gigantic state formations and the place they occupied on Earth and in the history of mankind.

Egypt. The empire reached its greatest size in 1450 BC. e.

Greece. The dark areas on the map indicate the lands where Greek culture flourished.

Persia. The territory of the empire in 500 BC. e.

India. The country's territory reached its largest size in 250 BC. e.

China occupied such territory in 221 BC. e.

The Roman Empire at its peak - the beginning of the 2nd century new era.

Byzantium in its heyday - VI century.

Arab Caliphate. It reached its greatest size in 632 AD. e. A118 years later, the area of ​​the Caliphate was significantly reduced (dark shading).

The state is an ancient social entity and means a territory occupied by a settled population subject to the same authority. Ancient thinkers already thought about the essence of government. For example, the Greek philosopher Aristotle saw in the state the final natural form of community life, important for man, who by nature is a “political being.” Moreover, he considered the state “an environment for a completely happy life.”

In the Middle Ages and later, the concept of “state” began to include contractual principles between a person and the supreme power. In the state of nature, a person lacks not rights, the English thinkers of the 17th century John Milton and John Locke believed, but their security, which he finds in a state established by agreement precisely for this purpose.

A true son of the age of enlightenment, Jean-Jacques Rousseau saw the meaning of the formation of a state in respecting the interests of each of its citizens. People need it in order to “find a form of union that would protect and ensure the personality and property of each member of society so that each, connecting with others, would obey only himself and would remain as free as before.” “Freedom is not alienable” is the main position of Rousseau.

Even 8-9 thousand years ago, people began to switch to a sedentary lifestyle. Agriculture and the first domestic animals appeared. The so-called Neolithic revolution took place, which brought people to new living conditions. Agriculture could already provide a person with sufficient food, so hunting and gathering receded into the background. There was a division of labor between members of the same group, with leaders who governed communities of people. Over time, the need for public buildings arose, and the construction of palaces, temples, and fortresses began. Writing and the beginnings of arithmetic, astronomy and medicine appeared.

Rivers played a huge role in the formation of early civilizations. A river is not only a waterway, but also a stable harvest; it is no coincidence that it was in those distant times that people began to build canals and dams. But since the scattered tribes could not afford large reclamation buildings, groups of farmers united. First state entities arose in Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates, where a flourishing culture developed.

Modern archaeologists and historians identify several conditions that give the right to call ancient communities of people a state. The first of them is no less than five thousand people who worship the same gods. Power is equipped with an apparatus of officials, and writing is indispensable, existing in any form. Large buildings - palaces and temples - are also an obligatory attribute of statehood. The population is divided into specialties so that everyone can no longer do everything for themselves and their family. So, along with priests and soldiers, artists, philosophers, builders, blacksmiths, weavers, potters, reapers, merchants and so on appeared.

The ancient empires that played their role in human history had all of the above conditions. But in addition, they were characterized by long-term political stability and well-established communications to the most remote outskirts, without which it is impossible to manage vast territories. All great empires had large armies: the passion for conquest was almost manic. And the rulers of such states sometimes achieved impressive successes, subjugating vast lands on which giant empires arose. But time passed, and the giant left the historical stage.

First Empire

Egypt. 3000-30 BC

This empire lasted three millennia - longer than any other. The state arose, according to the latest data, more than 3000 years BC, and when the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt took place (2686-2181), the so-called Old Kingdom was formed. The entire life of the country was connected with the Nile River, with its fertile valley and delta near the Mediterranean Sea. Egypt was ruled by a pharaoh (the word means food warehouse), governors and officials were in place, and in general social life in the country was quite developed (see “Science and Life” No. 1, 1997 - “The Stone Age is not over yet” - and No. 5, 1997 - " Ancient Egypt. Pyramid of Power"). The elite of society included officers, scribes, surveyors and local priests. The pharaoh was considered a living deity, and he performed all the most important sacrifices himself.

The Egyptians fanatically believed in the afterlife; cultural objects and majestic buildings - pyramids and temples - were dedicated to it. The walls of the burial chambers, covered with hieroglyphs, told more about the life of the ancient state than other archaeological finds.

The history of Egypt falls into two periods. The first is from its foundation until 332 BC, when the country was conquered by Alexander the Great. And the second period is the reign of the Ptolemaic dynasty - the descendants of one of the generals Alexander the Great. In 30 BC, Egypt was conquered by a younger and more powerful empire - the Roman Empire.

Cradle of Western Culture

Greece. 700-146 BC

People settled the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula tens of thousands of years ago. But only from the 7th century BC can we talk about Greece as a large, culturally homogeneous entity, although with reservations: the country was a union of city-states that united during times of external threat, such as, for example, to repel Persian aggression.

Culture, religion and, above all, language were the framework within which the history of this country took place. In 510 BC, most cities were freed from the autocracy of the kings. Athens was soon ruled by democracy, but only male citizens had the right to vote.

The polity, culture and science of Greece became a model and an inexhaustible source of wisdom for almost all later European states. Already Greek scientists wondered about life and the Universe. It was in Greece that the foundations of such sciences as medicine, mathematics, astronomy and philosophy were laid. Greek culture ceased to develop when the Romans conquered the country. The decisive battle took place in 146 BC near the city of Corinth, when the troops of the Greek Achaean League were defeated.

The Dominion of the "King of Kings"

Persia. 600-331 BC

In the 7th century BC, the nomadic tribes of the Iranian Highlands rebelled against Assyrian rule. The winners founded the state of Media, which later, together with Babylonia and other neighboring countries, became a world power. By the end of the 6th century BC, it, led by Cyrus II and then his successors belonging to the Achaemenid dynasty, continued its conquests. In the west, the lands of the empire faced the Aegean Sea, in the east its border ran along the Indus River, in the south, in Africa, its possessions reached the first rapids of the Nile. (Most of Greece was occupied during the Greco-Persian War by the troops of the Persian king Xerxes in 480 BC.)

The monarch was called the "King of Kings", he stood at the head of the army and was the supreme judge. The domains were divided into 20 satrapies, where the king's viceroy ruled in his name. The subjects spoke four languages: Old Persian, Babylonian, Elamite and Aramaic.

In 331 BC, Alexander the Great defeated the hordes of Darius II, the last of the Achaemenid dynasty. Thus ended the history of this great empire.

Peace and love - for everyone

India. 322-185 BC

The legends dedicated to the history of India and its rulers are very fragmentary. Little information dates back to the time when the founder of the religious teaching, Buddha (566-486 BC), the first real person in the history of India, lived.

In the first half of the 1st millennium BC, many small states arose in the northeastern part of India. One of them - Magadha - rose to prominence thanks to successful wars of conquest. King Ashoka, who belonged to the Maurya dynasty, expanded his possessions so much that they occupied almost all of present-day India, Pakistan and part of Afghanistan. Administrative officials and a strong army obeyed the king. At first, Ashoka was known as a cruel commander, but, becoming a follower of the Buddha, he preached peace, love and tolerance and received the nickname “The Convert.” This king built hospitals, fought deforestation, and pursued a soft policy towards his people. His decrees that have reached us, carved on rocks and columns, are the oldest, accurately dated epigraphic monuments of India, telling about government, social relations, religion and culture.

Even before his rise, Ashoka divided the population into four castes. The first two were privileged - priests and warriors. The invasion of the Bactrian Greeks and internal strife in the country led to the collapse of the empire.

The beginning of more than two thousand years of history

China. 221-210 BC

During the period called Zhanyu in the history of China, many years of struggle waged by many small kingdoms brought victory to the kingdom of Qin. It united the conquered lands and in 221 BC formed the first Chinese empire led by Qin Shi Huang. The emperor carried out reforms that strengthened the young state. The country was divided into districts, military garrisons were established to maintain order and tranquility, a network of roads and canals was built, equal education was introduced for officials, and a single monetary system operated throughout the kingdom. The monarch established an order in which people were obliged to work where the interests and needs of the state required it. Even such a curious law was introduced: all carts must have an equal distance between the wheels so that they move along the same tracks. During the same reign, the Great Wall of China was created: it connected separate sections of defensive structures built earlier by the northern kingdoms.

In 210, Qing Shi Huang died. But subsequent dynasties left intact the foundations for building an empire laid by its founder. In any case, the last dynasty of Chinese emperors ceased to exist at the beginning of this century, and the borders of the state remain practically unchanged to this day.

An army that maintains order

Rome. 509 BC - 330 AD

In 509 BC, the Romans expelled the Etruscan king Tarquin the Proud from Rome. Rome became a republic. By 264 BC, her troops captured the entire Apennine Peninsula. After this, expansion began in all directions of the world, and by 117 AD the state stretched its borders from west to east - from the Atlantic Ocean to the Caspian Sea, and from south to north - from the rapids of the Nile and the coast of all of North Africa to the borders with Scotland and along the lower reaches of the Danube.

For 500 years, Rome was governed by two annually elected consuls and a senate, which was in charge of state property and finances, foreign policy, military affairs and religion.

In 30 BC, Rome became an empire led by Caesar, and essentially a monarch. The first Caesar was Augustus. A large and well-trained army participated in the construction of a huge network of roads, their total length being more than 80,000 kilometers. Excellent roads made the army very mobile and allowed it to quickly reach the most remote corners of the empire. The proconsuls appointed by Rome in the provinces - governors and officials loyal to Caesar - also helped keep the country from collapse. This was facilitated by the settlements of soldiers who had served in the conquered lands.

The Roman state, unlike many other giants of the past, fully corresponded to the concept of “empire”. It also became a model for future contenders for world domination. European countries inherited a lot from the culture of Rome, as well as the principles of building parliaments and political parties.

Uprisings of peasants, slaves and urban plebs, and the increasing pressure of Germanic and other barbarian tribes from the north forced Emperor Constantine I to move the capital of the state to the city of Byzantium, later called Constantinople. This happened in 330 AD. After Constantine, the Roman Empire was actually divided into two - Western and Eastern, ruled by two emperors.

Christianity is the stronghold of the empire

Byzantium. 330-1453 AD

Byzantium arose from the eastern remnants of the Roman Empire. The capital became Constantinople, founded by Emperor Constantine I in 324-330 on the site of the Byzantine colony (hence the name of the state). From that moment on, the isolation of Byzantium in the bowels of the Roman Empire began. The Christian religion played a major role in the life of this state, becoming the ideological foundation of the empire and the stronghold of Orthodoxy.

Byzantium existed for more than a thousand years. It reached its political and military power during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, in the 6th century AD. It was then that, having a strong army, Byzantium conquered the western and southern lands of the former Roman Empire. But within these limits the empire did not last long. In 1204, Constantinople fell to the attacks of the crusaders, which never rose again, and in 1453 the capital of Byzantium was captured by the Ottoman Turks.

In the name of Allah

Arab Caliphate. 600-1258 AD

The sermons of the Prophet Muhammad laid the foundation for the religious and political movement in Western Arabia. Called "Islam", it contributed to the creation of a centralized state in Arabia. However, soon as a result of successful conquests, a vast Muslim empire was born - the Caliphate. The presented map shows the greatest scope of the conquests of the Arabs, who fought under the green banner of Islam. In the East, the Caliphate included the western part of India. Arab world left indelible marks in the history of mankind, in literature, mathematics and astronomy.

From the beginning of the 9th century, the Caliphate gradually began to fall apart - the weakness of economic ties, the vastness of the territories subjugated by the Arabs, which had their own culture and traditions, did not contribute to unity. In 1258, the Mongols conquered Baghdad and the Caliphate broke up into several Arab states.

People began to unite into large and small states a long time ago - at least 6 thousand years ago! But even such “serious structures” as states do not always live long...

We know most of the ancient states only from the records of historians, and about others we know nothing. Few of the famous and powerful cities, countries and empires have survived to this day - some of them do not even have their names left.

But, of course, there are also the most ancient states in the world, which appeared thousands of years ago and still exist. In a modified form or with a modified territory - it doesn’t matter.

Let's remember at least six states that originated in the Ancient World and still proudly bear the name given to the country by their ancestors.

Top 6 most ancient states

Ancient Armenia

The history of Armenian statehood goes back about 2,500 years, although its origins should be sought even deeper - in the kingdom of Arme-Shubria (XII century BC), which, according to historian Boris Piotrovsky, at the turn of the 7th and 6th centuries BC. e. turned into a Scythian-Armenian association.

Ancient Armenia is a motley conglomerate of kingdoms and states that existed simultaneously or succeeded one another. Tabal, Melid, the Mush kingdom, the Hurrian, Luwian and Urartian states - the descendants of their inhabitants eventually merged with the Armenian people.

The term “Armenia” is first found in the Behistun Inscription (521 BC) of the king of Persia, Darius I, who so designated the Persian satrapy on the territory of the disappeared Urartu. Later, in the valley of the Araks River, the Ararat kingdom arose, which served as the basis for the formation of three others - Sophen, Lesser Armenia and Greater Armenia. From about the 3rd century BC. e. the center of political and cultural life of the Armenian people moves to the Ararat Valley.

Ancient Iran

The history of Iran is one of the most ancient and eventful. Based on written sources, scientists suggest that Iran is at least 5,000 years old. However, in Iranian history they include such a proto-state formation as Elam, located in the southwest of modern Iran and mentioned in the Bible.

The first most significant Iranian state was the Median kingdom, founded in the 7th century BC. e. During its heyday, the Median kingdom was significantly larger than the ethnographic region of modern Iran, Media. In the Avesta this region was called the “Country of the Aryans.”

The Iranian-speaking tribes of the Medes, according to one version, moved here from Central Asia, according to another - from the North Caucasus and gradually assimilated the local non-Aryan tribes. The Medes very quickly settled throughout western Iran and established control over it. Over time, having grown stronger, they were able to defeat the Assyrian Empire.

The beginnings of the Medes were continued by the Persian Empire, spreading its influence over vast territories from Greece to India.

Ancient China

According to Chinese scientists, Chinese civilization is about 5,000 years old. But written sources speak of a slightly younger age - 3600 years. This is the beginning of the Shang Dynasty. Then a system of administrative management was laid down, which was developed and improved by successive dynasties.

Chinese civilization developed in the basin of two large rivers - the Yellow River and the Yangtze, which determined its agricultural character. It was developed agriculture that distinguished China from its neighbors, who lived in less favorable steppe and mountainous regions.

The state of the Shang dynasty pursued a fairly active military policy, which allowed it to expand its territories to the limits that included the modern Chinese provinces of Henan and Shanxi.

By the 11th century BC, the Chinese were already using lunar calendar and invented the first examples of hieroglyphic writing. At the same time, a professional army was formed in China, using bronze weapons and war chariots.

Ancient Greece

Greece has every reason to be considered the cradle of European civilization. About 5,000 years ago, the Minoan culture arose on the island of Crete, which later spread to the mainland through the Greeks. It was on the island that the beginnings of statehood were indicated, in particular, the first writing appeared, and diplomatic and trade relations with the East emerged.

Appeared at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. e. Aegean civilization already fully demonstrates state formations. Thus, the first states in the Aegean Sea basin - in Crete and the Peloponnese - were built according to the type of eastern despotism with a developed bureaucratic apparatus. Ancient Greece is rapidly growing and spreading its influence to the Northern Black Sea region, Asia Minor and Southern Italy.

Ancient Greece is often called Hellas, however local residents self-designation is also extended to the modern state. It is important for them to emphasize the historical connection with that era and culture, which essentially shaped the entire European civilization.

Ancient Egypt

At the turn of the 4th-3rd millennium BC, several dozen cities of the upper and lower Nile were united under the rule of two rulers. From this moment the 5000-year history of Egypt begins.

Soon a war broke out between Upper and Lower Egypt, which resulted in the victory of the king of Upper Egypt. Under the rule of the pharaoh, a strong state is formed here, gradually spreading its influence to neighboring lands.

The 27-century dynastic period of Ancient Egypt is the golden time of ancient Egyptian civilization. A clear administrative and management structure is being formed in the state, advanced technologies for that time are being developed, and art and architecture are rising to unattainable heights.

Over the past centuries, a lot has changed in Egypt - religion, language, culture. The Arab conquest of the country of the pharaohs radically turned the vector of development of the state. However, it is the ancient Egyptian heritage that is the hallmark of modern Egypt.

Ancient Japan

The first mention of Ancient Japan is contained in Chinese historical chronicles of the 1st century AD. e. In particular, it says that there were 100 small countries in the archipelago, 30 of which established relations with China.

The reign of the first Japanese Emperor Jimmu supposedly began in 660 BC. e. It was he who wanted to establish power over the entire archipelago. However, some historians consider Jimma a semi-legendary person.

Japan is a unique country, which, unlike Europe and the Middle East, has developed for many centuries without any serious social and political upheavals. This is largely due to its geographical isolation, which, in particular, protected Japan from the Mongol invasion.

If we take into account the dynastic continuity that has been uninterrupted for more than 2.5 thousand years and the absence of fundamental changes in the country’s borders, Japan can be called a state with the most ancient origins.

Which country is the most ancient in the world? It is not so easy to answer this question, but we will still try to figure it out. So, this post is about which country existing today has the greatest right to be called the most ancient.

The simplest, but also the most formal way is to associate a country and state with a specific name and form of government. From this point of view, the oldest country will be the dwarf state of San Marino, located in Italy. It was founded more than 1,700 years ago - in 301 AD. e. And here modern Russia, USSR and Russian empire or Germany before the First World War, after the First World War and after the Second World War will be formally different countries, although, as we understand, there is quite clear historical and cultural continuity between them. It would also be strange to consider, for example, that after the great french revolution year, one country (the Kingdom of France) disappeared somewhere and a new one (the French Republic) appeared in its place. Therefore, it seems more natural to use less formal criteria and consider that the country, its name, government system may change, but at the same time traditions and culture must be preserved, and the majority of people must continue to consider themselves the same people, nation as before. In this case, Russia as a country will begin its history from the 8th-9th centuries, when the Old Russian state appeared, and France - from the end of the 5th century, when the former Roman province of Gaul was conquered by the Franks.

Which states appeared the very first? According to modern ideas, among the most ancient civilizations of the world, three can be distinguished - the Sumerian civilization on the territory of modern Iraq, the Ancient Egyptian civilization, and the Harappan civilization on the banks of the Indus. But have they survived to this day? Unfortunately no. The Sumerian state was conquered in ancient times, and traces of this people are lost in the weaves of history. Today it is difficult to even say whether the descendants of the Sumerians live today and among which peoples. In any case, the traditions, language, and culture of the Sumerians are familiar to us today only on the basis of archaeological research. The same fate befell the Harappan civilization.

fresco - an episode from the life of the ancient Egyptians

As for Ancient Egypt, traces of this civilization and people can still be traced to the present day. But Ancient Egypt can hardly be correlated with modern Egypt, and the reason for this is the following. Egypt was conquered many times, and if the country could somehow digest the first conquerors, then after the Arab conquest the continuity was lost. The newcomer Arab population mixed with the local one, but brought their own language, religion and culture, so the modern population of Egypt for the most part perceives themselves as Arabs, and not at all as descendants of the ancient Egyptians. Only a small part of the Egyptian population (Copts) partially retained adherence to pre-Arab traditions, mainly in the field of religion, but they also speak Arabic.

And the oldest existing civilization, which, on the one hand, arose quite a long time ago, and on the other, was able to safely survive all the cataclysms of history, is China. Having emerged more than 4 thousand years ago, China disintegrated and reunited many times, was conquered several times, but its huge population and rich culture led to the fact that all conquerors sooner or later became “Sinicized.” So the Chinese to this day observe their centuries-old traditions, study ancient legends, and are proud of their thousands of years of history. And China can rightfully claim the title of the most ancient country in the world.