So today I wanted to figure out what’s actually the oldest city in Europe. Seems simple, right? Yeah, no. It totally wasn’t.
The Research Mess
First thing I did was grab my notebook and fired up the computer. Typed "oldest city in Europe" and BAM, instant chaos. Every website was shouting something different. Like literally yelling at me. One page screamed about some place in Greece. Another one pointed hard at Plovdiv in Bulgaria. Saw Cadiz in Spain pop up too. Felt like being stuck in a noisy market where everyone’s trying to sell you rotten fruit.
Digging Deeper
Alright, fine. Pulled out my library card – remember those? – and scrolled through academic journals online. Found theories piled on top of theories:
- Plovdiv folks bragged about 8,000 years of continuous living. Had photos of ancient theatres and Roman stuff right under apartment blocks. Wild.
- Argos in Greece countered with “5,000 years minimum!” Like, old, yeah, but… Plovdiv’s older?
- Cadiz chimed in claiming Phoenician roots dating back 3,100 years. Impressive, but not the oldest.
Hit a point where I yelled at the screen: “Which one is it?!” My coffee got cold. Twice.
The Realization
Took way too long to realize the problem: it all depends on what the heck you call a “city”. Archaeologists kept moving the goalposts. Some cared only about fancy city walls or writing. Others counted any big prehistoric village where people buried their dead beside mud huts. This was ridiculous. Felt like trying to nail jelly to a wall. No solid answer anywhere.
Picking a Winner
Finally threw my hands up. Went with Plovdiv as the practical choice. Why? Proof everywhere you look. Like:
- Seen pics of Neolithic pottery dug up from somebody’s basement renovation.
- That Roman stadium just chilling downtown between a kebab shop and a bank? Insane.
- Byzantine fortress ruins scattered around like spare change.
Doesn’t need perfect definitions. Stuff keeps being found there every time they dig a hole. Simple as that. Went back to those smug Bulgarian tourism sites and nodded. Annoying? Yeah. Probably right? Yep.
Final Thoughts
Took three hours and made my eyes hurt. Learned that history’s messy, definitions suck, and sometimes the answers aren’t perfect – they’re just the ones you can touch. If you ever drive through Plovdiv, remember: people partied in that spot before pyramids were cool. My old bones aren’t spring chickens, but walking streets layered like an onion? That’s a whole different kind of old. Total headache, but worth it.
