Treebeard is called the oldest living thing in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
Treebeard is an Ent, a tree-like shepherd of forests, and his Elvish name is Fangorn. He lives in Fangorn Forest and meets Merry and Pippin after they escape from the Orcs who captured them. His slow, careful speech reflects the Ents’ deliberately unhurried way of making decisions.
The claim about age is made within the story and helps establish Treebeard as a living link to the ancient history of Middle-earth. He is older than many of the peoples and kingdoms encountered by the hobbits, though Tolkien’s mythology includes other beings whose exact ages and categories are difficult to compare.
Treebeard eventually leads the Ents against Isengard after learning how Saruman’s servants have damaged the forests. Their attack destroys Saruman’s power base and becomes one of the major turning points in the War of the Ring.