Damascus is widely regarded as one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities.
The Syrian capital has a history extending back thousands of years, although scholars debate exact definitions of “oldest” and “continuously inhabited.” Archaeological evidence shows long-term settlement in the wider Damascus area, and the city became especially important because of its location near the Barada River and at crossroads linking the Levant, Mesopotamia and the Arabian Peninsula.
Damascus was a major centre under the Arameans and later became the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate in 661 CE. Its Umayyad Mosque stands in the historic core. Jericho is often described as one of the oldest settlements, but its periods of abandonment make city-ranking claims dependent on the criteria used.