It has been established that the most ancient states of the world were formed about six thousand years ago, and most of them disappeared from the face of the earth, leaving their names in memory of descendants at best. But there are those among them who, passing through the centuries, were able at all historical stages to adapt to constantly changing realities and, thus, survive to this day.
The First States of the Ancient World
Regarding where and when the world's first civilization arose, researchers have no consensus, but most of them agree that, most likely, it was the state of Sumer. Formed at the end of the 4th century BC in the region of Southern Mesopotamia (Southern Iraq) and existed for more than two thousand years, it disappeared from the historical scene, leaving many monuments of its culture discovered during excavations. Like many other ancient states of the world, it collapsed under the onslaught of conquerors.
At the dawn of civilization, states, as a rule, occupied very small territories and did not differ in large population. It is knownfor example, that in the middle of the fourth millennium BC, in the Nile Valley alone, there were more than forty. The center of each of them was a fortified city, which housed the residence of the ruler and the temple of the most revered local deity.
Survival of the fittest
The ancient states of the world waged an incessant struggle for survival, as there were few fertile lands, and there were many contenders for their possession. As a result, endless wars broke out, in which the local ruler acted as a leader, and, if successful, led the irrigation work. Slave labor was used little, since, due to the primitiveness of weapons, it was dangerous to keep a large number of prisoners. They were usually killed, leaving only women and teenagers.
Formation of the State of Ancient Egypt
The picture changed at the beginning of the fourth millennium BC, when the most successful of the local kings, who went down in history under the name of Pharaoh Mines, managed to subjugate several neighboring peoples. The names of the states of the Ancient World that became part of the new kingdom, for the most part, remained unknown, but they gave rise to a great civilization, which modern Egyptologists call the Early Kingdom.
Of all the existing states, Egypt is considered the most ancient. Its history spans about forty centuries and is divided by researchers into several stages, each of which has its own characteristics of government and economic development. Thisunique in its culture, the country of the pharaohs enriched the world with many forms of art, which then spread to other continents.
Armenia, which came from ancient times
The first states of the Ancient World, which have survived to this day, for the most part had a completely different ethnic composition of the population compared to the current one. An example of this is Armenia, which has two and a half thousand years of its history, but, according to a number of researchers, it arose much earlier and originated from the ancient kingdom of Arme-Shubria, which existed back in the 12th century BC.
In those years, it was a complex conglomerate of small, but independent states and peoples, constantly replacing each other. As a result of a long historical path, the Armenian nation was formed on their basis. The very name of this state in its modern sound was first mentioned in one of the documents dating back to 522 BC. There, Armenia is described as a region subordinate to Persia and located on the territory of the ancient state of Urartu, which had disappeared by that time.
Ancient Iranian state
Another ancient state in the world is Iran. Regarding the period of its occurrence, scientists agree that it was formed from the state of Elam that existed in the same territory five thousand years ago and was mentioned in the Bible. In the 7th century BC, the Iranian state significantly expanded its territory, strengthened economically and transformed into a powerful andthe warlike kingdom of Media, which in size exceeded the territory of present-day Iran. Its military potential was so great that over time the Medes managed to defeat the hitherto invincible Assyrians and subjugate their neighbors around them.
Iran, as well as many ancient states of the world, with fire and sword made its way into the future. In the oldest monument of ancient Iranian literature - "Avesta" - it is called the "country of the Aryans". The tribes that later formed the bulk of the population of Iran moved to it from the northern regions of the Caucasus and the steppes of Central Asia. Having quickly assimilated the local non-Aryan peoples, they easily managed to establish control over the entire territory of the country.
Civilization of Ancient China
Listing the states of the Ancient World, the most adapted to the vicissitudes of history, one cannot but recall China. According to the scientists of this vast eastern country, civilization on its territory arose no later than five thousand years ago, although a number of written monuments testify to a somewhat younger age - three thousand six hundred years. It was during this period, marked by the reign of the Shang Dynasty, that a strict administrative system was established in the country, constantly improving and covering all aspects of society.
The natural conditions of China, which developed in the basin of the Yellow River and the Yangtze, favored the development of agriculture in the best possible way, thus determining the agrarian nature of its economy. Others adjacent to himThe states of the Ancient World were located in mountainous and steppe regions unsuitable for arable farming.
Since its inception, China has pursued an active aggressive policy, which, with sufficient economic potential, has allowed it to significantly increase its already vast territory. It is widely known how high the level of science and culture was in ancient China. Suffice it to mention that already in the 11th century BC, its inhabitants used the lunar calendar and knew the basics of hieroglyphic writing. Around the same period, a regular army appeared in the country, created on a professional basis.
Cradle of European civilization
This title rightfully belongs to Greece. It is known that about five thousand years ago, the island of Crete became the birthplace of a unique culture that eventually spread to the mainland. For the first time, the foundations of statehood were formed on it, trade and diplomatic relations with the countries of the East were established, and writing in its modern form and the foundations of legislation were born.
The state and law of the ancient world reached the highest point of their development on the coast of the Aegean Sea, where in the first millennium BC an advanced civilization at that time was formed. It was a fairly developed state structure, built on the model of oriental despots and having a developed bureaucracy at its disposal. In a short time, the influence of Greece spread to vast areas of the Northern Black Sea region, Southern Italy and MalayaAsia.
Despite the fact that historically the name Hellas belongs to Ancient Greece, today the inhabitants of this country extend it to the modern state, thereby emphasizing the connection with the great culture of which they are heirs.
A country born on islands
And at the end of the article, it is appropriate to recall one more, this time, an island state that came to our world from ancient times - this is Japan. In 661 BC, the reign of its first emperor, Jimmu, began. He began his activities by establishing control over the entire archipelago, which he achieved not so much by force of arms as by thoughtful diplomacy.
Japan has gone through a unique path in its development. While the states of the Ancient World, whose history is connected with wars, appeared on the world stage and then disappeared without a trace, the Land of the Rising Sun managed to avoid any serious political and social upheavals for many centuries. Undoubtedly, this was largely facilitated by the geographical isolation of the state. In particular, it was she who saved the country from the Mongol invasion, which at one time overwhelmed a significant part of Asia.
A country that has preserved itself through the ages
Japan is the only country where the dynastic succession of imperial power has been preserved for two and a half millennia, and the outlines of the borders practically do not change. This allows us to consider it the most ancienta country that has been preserved almost in its original form, since other ancient states of the world, even those that managed to overcome the centuries-old path, changed their political appearance many times.
