The oldest nations in the world. See what “States of the Ancient World” are in other dictionaries

We know little about the very first state on the planet. But it was precisely this that gave impetus to the development of other civilizations.

Do you know which state was the very first? TravelAsk will tell you about it in detail.

Features of the most ancient states

The ancient states were small in their territory. In the center of the ancient country there was a fortified city with a temple of the local patron god and the residence of the head of state. The ruler was often both a military leader and a manager of irrigation works.

For example, in the Nile Valley in the second half of the 4th millennium BC. e. There were more than forty states. There were constant wars between them for territories.

The very first state

The Sumerian civilization is considered the first state in the world. It arose at the end of the 4th millennium BC. e. The state was located on the banks of the Euphrates, where it flows into the Persian Gulf. This territory was called Mesopotamia, today it is home to Iraq and Syria.

Where they came from on this earth is still a mystery to scientists. And the Sumerian language is also a mystery, since it could not be correlated with any language family. The texts were written in cuneiform, which, in fact, was invented by the Sumerians.

At first, people cultivated barley and wheat, drained swamps and even made water channels, bringing water to dry areas. Then they began to produce metals, textiles and ceramics. By 3000 BC. e. The Sumerians had the highest culture for their time, with a carefully thought-out religion and a special writing system.

How did the Sumerians live?

The Sumerians built houses away from the banks of the Euphrates. The river often flooded, flooding the surrounding lands, and its lower reaches were swampy, where many malarial mosquitoes bred.

They built their homes from clay bricks, clay was mined right there on the river, fortunately the banks of the Euphrates are rich in it. Therefore, clay was the main material: dishes, cuneiform tablets, and even children’s toys were made from it.

One of the main activities of city residents was fishing. People built boats from river reeds, smearing them with resin to prevent leaks. They moved around the ponds in boats.

The ruler of the city simultaneously performed the functions of a priest. He did not have wives or children; it was believed that the wives of rulers were goddesses. In general, the religion of the Sumerians is interesting: they believed that they existed to serve the gods, and the gods could not exist without the Sumerians. Therefore, sacrifices were made to the gods, and temples became the center of government of the state.

The emergence of civilization

Researchers suggest that the main factor in the emergence of the state was the need to cultivate the land and irrigate it through canals, because the climate in this region is desert and arid. Irrigation systems are enough complex technology, so they needed organized management. This brought the society itself together.

The Sumerians had many cities with their own government and power. The largest of these city-states were Ur, Uruk, Nippur, Kish, Lagash, and Umma. At the head of each of them was a priest, and the population lived by his decree. So, they collected taxes from the people, and in times of famine they distributed food. In general, the inhabitants of the cities did not live very peacefully, periodically fighting among themselves.

Private ownership of land was even introduced in Sumer. Of course, this contributed to the wealth stratification of the population. There were few slaves in the cities, and their labor did not play a significant role in the economy.

A special role in the Sumerian civilization was played by the lugali, the leaders of warriors. Possessing strength and military knowledge, they eventually partially supplanted the power of the priests.

As for military uniforms, the Sumerians had a primitive bow, a spear with a copper tip, a short dagger and a copper cap.

Contribution to further history

Of course, when compared with subsequent states, the economic technologies of the Sumerians were very primitive. However, it was their culture that formed the basis of subsequent civilizations: for example, the Sumerian civilization fell into decline, and in its place another major civilization arose - the Babylonian. The Sumerians were very educated; primitive communities still lived in neighboring territories during this period. They not only invented cuneiform, but also had mathematical knowledge, understood astronomy, and were able to accurately determine the area of land.

At the city temples there were schools in which this knowledge was passed on to subsequent generations. The Sumerians also had their own literature. Thus, the most famous was the epic about Gilgamesh, the king who sought immortality. This is one of the oldest literary monuments. There is a chapter in the epic that tells about a man who saved people from the Flood.

It is believed that this legend formed the basis of the biblical flood.

Decline of the State

Nomadic tribes lived in the neighborhood of Sumer. Some of them - the Akkadians - switched to a sedentary lifestyle, adopting many technologies from the Sumerians. At first, the Sumerians and Akkadians maintained friendly relations, but they also had periods of military strife. During one of these periods, the Akkadian leader Sargon seized power and proclaimed himself king of Sumer and Akkad. This happened in the 24th century BC. e. Over time, the Sumerians assimilated among these peoples, and their culture became the basis for the states that arose in Mesopotamia in the future.

The first states appeared about 6,000 years ago, but not all of them were able to survive to this day. Some have disappeared forever, while others only have their names left. Let us note 6 states that, to one degree or another, have retained connections with the Ancient World.

The most ancient states on Earth

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. center of political and cultural life the Armenian people moved to the Ararat Valley.

Iran

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 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.

China

Chinese civilization developed in the basin of two large rivers- Yellow River and Yangtze, which determined its agrarian 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.

Greece

Appeared at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. e. The Aegean civilization is already fully demonstrating state entities. 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 often called Hellas, but local residents extend the self-name to modern state. It is important for them to emphasize the historical connection with that era and culture, which essentially shaped the entire European civilization.

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.

27-century dynastic period Ancient Egypt and there 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 business card modern Egypt.

Japan

First mention of Ancient Japan 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.

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 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 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

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 a lunar calendar and had 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

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 grew rapidly and spread its influence to the Northern Black Sea region, Asia Minor and Southern Italy.

Ancient Greece is often called Hellas, but local residents extend the self-name 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.

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.

Ancient Japan

Today there are 257 countries in the world, 193 of which are members of the UN, while others have a certain status. Many of these countries became independent only recently, while others are just fighting for their right to be sovereign.
Historians are well aware of the dates of the founding of young states, and as for the first countries on planet Earth, their history is shrouded in the darkness of millennia, hidden under a layer of ancient dust.
There is a lot of controversy over the very methodology for determining the most ancient states. After all, every nation has its own myths and legends about the founding of their state. For example, the legendary foundation of one of the smallest modern states, San Marino, dates back to the beginning of the 4th century. According to legend, in 301, a member of one of the first Christian communities found refuge in the Apennines, on the top of Monte Titano. Thus, formally San Marino has been considered an independent state since September 3, 301. In fact, we can talk about some kind of independence of the founded settlement only from the 6th century, when Italy broke up into many dependent and independent territories.
According to Japanese myths, the Land of the Rising Sun was founded back in 660 BC. e., but the first state on Japanese territory, Yamato, arose during the Kofu period, which dates back to 250 - 538.
Ancient Greece is considered one of the most ancient civilizations, the cradle of philosophy, culture, and science. But Greece became a truly independent country only in 1821 after it left the Ottoman Empire.
Therefore, in order to compile a correct rating, we took into account only those forms of organization of society that correspond modern features states: sovereignty, own territory, State symbols, language and so on. In addition, only those states that exist on modern map peace.
So, the ranking of the most ancient states was 10 modern countries from three continents.

1. Elam, 3200 BC e. (Iran)

The modern state in southwest Asia - the Islamic Republic of Iran was founded on April 1, 1979 as a result of the Islamic Revolution. But the history of statehood in Iran is one of the oldest in the world. For centuries, this country played a key role in the East. The first state on the territory of Iran - Elam - arose in 3200 BC. e. The Persian Empire under Darius I extended from Greece and Libya to the Indus River. In the Middle Ages, Persia was a strong and influential state.

2. Egypt, 3000 BC e.

Egypt is the oldest state in the world, about the history of which a lot has been preserved interesting information. It was in this mysterious and mysterious country of the pharaohs that many types and forms of art were born, which subsequently developed in Asia and Europe. They served as the basis for ancient aesthetics - the starting point of all the arts of our time.
Egypt - largest country of the Arab East, one of the centers of its political and cultural life, the “tourist Mecca” of the world. Egypt occupies a unique geographical position, located at the junction of three continents - Africa, Asia and Europe and two of the world's largest civilizations - Christian and Islamic.
Egypt arose on the territory where one of the most powerful and mysterious civilizations, whose history dates back centuries and millennia. In 3000 BC. e. Pharaoh Mines united Egyptian lands and created a state that Egyptologists today call the Early Kingdom.
Echoes of that era are the Great Egyptian Pyramids, the mysterious Sphinxes and the grandiose Temples of the Pharaohs.

3. Wanglang, 2897 BC e. (Vietnam)

Vietnam is a country in South-East Asia, located on the Indochina Peninsula. The name of the country consists of two words and is translated as “the country of the Vietnamese in the South.” The Viet civilization arose in the Red River basin. According to legend, the Viet were descended from a dragon and a fairy bird. The first state on the territory of Vietnam, Van Lang, appeared in 2897 BC. e. For some time, Vietnam was part of China. In the second half of the 19th century, Vietnam became colonially dependent on France. In the summer of 1954, Vietnam became an independent state.

4. Shang-Yin, 1600 BC e. (China)

China is a state in East Asia, the largest state in the world by population (over 1.3 billion); ranks third in the world in terms of territory, behind Russia and Canada.
Chinese civilization is one of the oldest in the world. According to Chinese scientists, its age may be five thousand years, while the available written sources cover a period of at least 3,500 years. The long-standing presence of administrative systems, which were improved by successive dynasties, created obvious advantages for the Chinese state, whose economy was based on developed agriculture, compared to its more backward nomadic and mountaineer neighbors. Chinese civilization was further strengthened by the introduction of Confucianism as a state ideology(1st century BC) and unified system letters (2nd century BC).
The state of Shang-Yin, which existed from 1600 to 1027 BC in the territory modern China, is the first state formation, the reality of whose existence is confirmed not only by archaeological finds, but also by narrative and epigraphic written sources.
In 221 BC. e. Emperor Qin Shi Huang united all Chinese lands and created the Qin Empire, the territory of which corresponds to modern China.

5. Kush, 1070 BC e. (Sudan)

The modern state of Sudan in northeast Africa is equal in area to the entire Western Europe, and its population is only 29.5 million people. The country is located in the middle reaches of the Nile River with surrounding plains, plateaus and the adjacent Red Sea coast.
Kush (Meroitic Kingdom) is an ancient kingdom that existed in the northern part of modern Sudan from 1070 to 350 BC. e. The existence of the kingdom of Kush is confirmed in the remains of temples, sculptures of gods and kings. There is evidence that writing, astronomy and medicine were already developed in Kush at that time.

6. Sri Lanka, 377 BC e.

Sri Lanka (“Blessed Land”) is a state in South Asia, on the island of the same name off the southeastern coast of Hindustan. The history of Sri Lanka begins with the Neolithic period when the first settlements were discovered in Sri Lanka. Written history begins with the arrival of the Aryans from India, who spread the rudiments of knowledge of metallurgy, navigation, and writing among the local population.
In 247 BC. e. Buddhism penetrated into Sri Lanka, which had a decisive influence on the formation of the country and its political system.
In 377 BC. a kingdom arose on the island with its capital in ancient city Anuradhapura.

7. Chin, 300 BC. e. (Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Republic of Korea)

Korea is a geographical territory that includes the Korean Peninsula and adjacent islands and is united by a common cultural and historical heritage. In the past there was a single state. In 1945, after the defeat of Japan in World War II, the territory of Korea, which was at that time a Japanese colony, was delimited into two zones of military responsibility: the Soviet zone - north of the parallel of 38 ° N. w. and the American one to the south of it. Subsequently, in 1948, two states emerged on the territory of these zones: the Republic of Korea in the south and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north.
According to legend, the first Korean state was founded by the son of a bear woman and a celestial being, Tangun, in 2333 BC. e. Historians call the earliest stage of Korean history the period of the Ko Joseon state. Most modern historians agree that the date is 2333 BC. e. is greatly exaggerated, since it is not confirmed by any historical documents other than individual medieval Korean chronicles.
It is believed that at the dawn of its development, Ancient Joseon was a tribal union consisting of separately governed city-states, and centralized state he became in 300 BC. e. Around the same time, the proto-state of Chin was formed in the south of the peninsula.

7. Iberia, 299 BC e. (Georgia)

Modern Georgia is considered a young independent state. But the history of the formation of Georgian statehood goes back to antiquity. Georgia is one of the places where the most ancient monuments of human civilization were discovered.
Historians believe that the first states on the territory of Georgia were formed back in the 3rd-2nd millennium BC. e. These were the kingdom of Colchis, located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, and Iberia, modern eastern Georgia. In 299 BC. e. Pharnavaz came to power in Iberia. During the reign of Farnavaz and his immediate descendants, Iberia achieved great power and became a state with significant territories. In the 9th century, a new united state arose on the territory of Georgia, the ruler of which was a king from the Bagrationi dynasty.

8. Greater Armenia, 190 BC e. (Armenia)

The first mentions of Armenia are found in the cuneiform writings of the Persian king Darius I, who reigned from 522 to 486. BC e., also in Herodotus (5th century BC) and Xenophon (5th century BC). On the maps of the largest historians and geographers of antiquity, Armenia is marked along with Persia, Syria and other ancient states. After the collapse of the empire of Alexander the Great, the Armenian kingdoms arose: Greater Armenia, Lesser Armenia and Sophene.
Greater Armenia, a large state stretching from Palestine to the Caspian Sea, created in 190 BC. Historians call it the first state on the territory of the modern republic.

9. Yamato, 250 (Japan)

Japan is an island country in East Asia located in Pacific Ocean in the Japanese archipelago, consisting of 6,852 islands. According to Japanese legend, in 660 BC. e. Jimmu founded the Land of the Rising Sun and became its first emperor.
The first written mentions of ancient Japan as a single state are contained in historical chronicles of the 1st century AD. e. Chinese Han Empire. In the 3rd century compendium of the Chinese Wei Empire, 30 Japanese countries are mentioned, among which Yamatai is the most powerful. Its ruler, Himiko, is reported to have maintained power using "charms."
From 250 - 538 , Kofun period, the Yamato state emerges. It is assumed that Yamato was a federation.
The Kofun period is so named because of the Kofun mound culture that was prevalent in Japan for five centuries. The photo shows the Daisenryo Mound, the tomb of Emperor Nintoku, early 5th century.

10. Great Bulgaria, 632 (Bulgaria)

Bulgaria is a state in South-Eastern Europe, in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The first state of the Bulgarians about which exact details have been preserved historical information, there was Great Bulgaria, a state that united the tribes of the Proto-Bulgarians and existed in the Black Sea and Azov steppes for only a few decades from 632 to 671. The capital of the state was the city of Phanagoria, and its founder and ruler was Khan Kubrat. This is where the history of Bulgaria as a state began.

6 most ancient states in the world

Armenia can rightfully be called one of the most ancient states in the world, if not the most ancient. 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. The Armenian presence in Asia Minor has lasted for about 20,000 - 30,000 years. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 a lunar calendar and had invented the first examples of hieroglyphic writing. At the same time, a professional army was formed in China, using bronze weapons and war chariots.

4. 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 grew rapidly and spread its influence to the Northern Black Sea region, Asia Minor and Southern Italy. Ancient Greece is often called Hellas, but local residents extend the self-name 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.