Which is world's oldest capital city?

Answer 1

It depends on how the question is read.

If the question is read as: What is the world's oldest city that is currently a capital? then the answer is Damascus, Syria. It is one of the oldest extant cities and the oldest surviving one that is used as a modern-day capital.

If the question is read as: What capital city that survives to this day was a capital at the earliest period in history relative to all other capitals? then the answer is Jerusalem, Israel/Palestine.

Actually, Jerusalem has been the capital city of the Jewish people since 1006 BCE. Since that time, all Jewish hearts & minds turn in prayer towards Jerusalem three times a day. "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither, let my tongue cleave to my palate if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy." (Psalm 137)

Damascus is the capital of the modern State of Syria. Following WW2, the area which became the modern country of Syria was part of the French Mandate (along with Lebanon). The word "Syria" was used previously to identify the geographic region also called the Levant and now, the Middle East. But it was not a country in and of itself with internationally-recognized borders until it gained independence in 1946.

Answer 2

Many cities claim to be the world's oldest continuously inhabited city. However, Jericho is the only one of these cities to have evidence to support its claim, as Jericho was inhabited as far back as 9,000 BC.

Answer 3

The world's oldest capital city is widely believed to be Damascus in Syria, which has been inhabited for over 11,000 years and has served as a major city since the second millennium BC.