Walk These Ancient Streets Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jericho

Jericho is located on the west bank of the Jordan River and has been the site of ongoing conflicts between Israel, Jordan and Palestine for many years. It began around 10,000 BC as a place to meet. A spring was a focal watering point for various groups of hunter-gatherers to gather in that part of the world. Within a few hundred years, a permanent settlement began to grow there. By 9,000 BC, small, circular homes were built, burial sites were established and its society base had started to gradually move from those of hunter-gatherers to that of domesticated cereal growers. Evidence has been found by archaeologists in our modern age that reveals, even way back then, the structure of a large wall that was built around the village. That wall and its follow up improvements was to figure significantly in the later biblical story of Joshua and the Israelites. This story tells of their march around it every day for a week, before a triumphant blast on their trumpets brought it tumbling down, thus enabling that nation of people to return to the Promised Land following several centuries of dwelling in Egypt.

Following the initial founding of Jericho, thousands of years of invasion appears to have been their lot in life, as the site was taken over, almost abandoned and then rebuilt on, again and again, by successive waves of conquerors. Between 4,500 and 2,600 BC the city had expanded significantly, however. By approximately 1,700 BC it had grown to be a prosperous and thriving centre, with a strong defensive wall to hold off any would-be invaders. Until Joshua came along, that is, when the city was all but destroyed by the Israelites. Yet somehow it managed to survive as small isolated groups of people and buildings. From that period until the 11th century AD, and then right up again to the 19th century AD, the bruised site continued to be occupied by other nations, ending with its subjugation and control by the Ottoman Empire. Following World War I and the fall of that empire, the city grew again, but always as a focal point between the violently clashing religions and ideologies of this troubled area.

By the early 21st century, with its rich history stretching back over thousands of years, Jericho boasted a population of some 20,000 residents. Today it has banks, schools, a casino, hospitals, industries and many ancient biblical and historical sites that draw tourists like swarms of busy bees. Its population is young and strong, thriving farming communities surround the city and many groves of banana trees provide additional income. Most of all perhaps, because of its age and rich history, this ancient city is an irresistible site for archaeologists, as they strive endlessly to go back further and further into Jericho's fascinating and compelling past.

Answer: Byblos

Though Byblos has been known by many other names during its long history, the one most recognised today derives from the old Greek word for paper or books. This lovely old city appears to have been first settled 8,000-7,000 BC. Over the next 3,000 years, it developed the trappings of civilisation we would easily recognise today with pottery utensils and clay figurines found in the old houses revealed by archaeological digs, along with plastered floors and cooking implements. Silos for storing domesticated grains have also been discovered close to those homes, and by 3,000 BC, evidence of quite sophisticated architectural techniques was appearing in its many ancient buildings.

Such was the degree of civilisation of Byblos through the ages, and its strong survival instinct to meld with its many invaders, the city eventually formed a strong alliance with the kingdom of Egypt. The resulting exchange of information between the two led to Byblos being recognised throughout the Mediterranean as a centre for scientific and technological advance and implementation. Then came the Assyrians, the Persians and the Greeks over the centuries that followed, closely followed by the Romans, the Muslims, the Israelites, Christians and Ottomans. Each succeeding wave of settlers or invaders brought with them their own technologies and advances, all of which were absorbed into the ever changing and adaptable nature of the people of Byblos.

Now into the 21st century, this remarkable little survivor, so replete with a staggering number of historical sites, has university and schools, hospitals, the only pharmacy training centre in the Middle East, entertainment venues, restaurants, bars, a beautiful anchorage for yachts full of tourists and the wealthy, Christian and Muslim places of worship, and everything else equipped to take it confidently into the future and another 10,000 years of existence - providing it continues to survive the troubled world of the Middle East.

Answer: Greece

Argos, which sprang to life in 5,000 BC, was so large in its earlier days that, by 2,000 BC, it had developed into a city-state. Like all ancient cities, however, it began as a small settlement on a fertile area of land near a readily available water source, and grew from there. This early beginning is thought to be around 5,000 BC. Luckier than most ancient cities, Argos didn't have quite the amount of bloody history that their unfortunate residents were forced to endure. Instead, eventually absorbed, it could be considered one of the jewels in the crown of the Mycenaean Empire which held sway in that area of the world from 1,600 until 1,100 BC. When the might of the Roman and Byzantine Empires spread their shadows over much of the known western world, up until 476 and 1453 respectively, Argos continued to flourish, apart from a little hiccup caused by the Crusades. Evidence of many massive public works set in place by these empires is still very much in evidence in Argos today, to the delight of archaeologists everywhere.

When the Ottoman Empire conquered that part of the world in the late fourteenth century, plundering and destroying, large number of its residents were sold as slaves, and the once beautiful city of Argos began to crumble. The Venetian Empire repopulated the area in its struggle to the death with the Ottomans, but it fell once more to the Ottomans in 1453. It remained in their hands until the Greek war of independence in 1821 when it returned to the bosom of that nation.

Today, Argos has a population of 30,000. Its primary industries are agriculture, olive growing and tourism. It is a peaceful area, serene and lovely, much like an old gentlewoman nodding on the porch of a retirement home. One wonders perhaps, though, if sometimes on moonlit nights, the ruins of that beautiful old city which slumber under the feet of the passing trade, cry out in sorrow for their lost gods and once glorious and passionate past.

Answer: Genghis Khan

From its early beginnings several hundred years earlier, Balkh had, by 3,000 BC, an impressive reputation as a centre of commerce and was trading with kingdoms as far away as Mesopotamia. After the Indo-Iranian tribes began to migrate into the area from approximately 2000 BC onwards, the city grew larger still, outliving by many years other earlier villages and towns in that region that had failed to stand up to the ravages of time. The land was rich, fertile and green then, and hadn't known the tragedy of desertification it knows today. Balkh became a mighty centre of the arts, education, trade and science in that dream time existence of long ago, earning itself the title of "Mother of the Cities" and giving birth to the powerful Zoroastrian religion along the way. When Buddhism replaced the Zoroastrian religion in Balkh shortly after the invasion by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, so strong was this second wave of spiritualism that, at one stage in its long history, the city was home to 30,000 monks and enormous numbers of Buddhist monuments.

As the winds of time and change rippled past Balkh once more however, the city faced the onslaught of Arab invaders from the 7th century onwards. The shrines were plundered, the people were killed indiscriminately, the monks, initially left to continue their timeless ways, eventually brutally murdered or forced to abandon their faith, and the town, with its magnificent institutions of learning, science and the arts, plundered mercilessly. This was a pattern that would continue many times over the following centuries as Balkh fought back, only to be re-taken time and again by the Arabs. Eventually though the city stumbled, and then fell to its knees, and what the Arabs didn't destroy, the brutal invasion by Genghis Khan in 1220 completed. The inhabitants of the city were dreadfully butchered and any building capable of being used as defence, razed to the ground. Rebuilt, destroyed, rebuilt, destroyed became the subsequent existence for Balkh over the following centuries as other waves of invaders swept through the city. This endless soul-destroying pattern was finally halted in 1850 when Balkh was taken over by the Emir of Afghanistan.

Today, in the early 21st century, and now only a small town, Balkh is a haunting mix of modernity and timelessness, life and constant death, soldiers and cemeteries, business suits and centuries old customs of dress, donkeys and cars, mosques and ruins. It struggles to renew itself with a small cotton industry and agricultural products, averting its eyes from the looting and destruction of its recent and ever threatening wars. Who knows though, one day perhaps, that beautiful old city of so much learning, science and the arts that existed long ago, will somehow manage to eventually find its way back home again.

Answer: It surrendered without a fight

The area around Sidon, a thriving city in Lebanon today, was inhabited by small groups of people as long ago as pre-historic times. Sidon itself can be dated back to 3,000 BC when it began to grow from its initial small settlement, into a large city considered one of the most important in the Phoenician civilisation (1,200-539 BC). Noted for its fishing industry, its beautiful glassware, its famous purple dyes and lovely embroidered cloth, Sidon, whose name is associated with a grandson of the biblical Noah, had craftsman whose skills were legendary all over the Mediterranean. Then came the Assyrians, the Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, all wanting a share of this shining jewel.

While it is true that Alexander the Great didn't demolish the city when he routed the Persian Leader, Darius III, in 333 BC, one wonders if this was more a result of the lure of its valuable industries rather than any generosity of spirit on the part of Alexander. Whatever the case, the Romans were the next to take Sidon, and once again, the city was lucky in its conquerors. The Romans built many beautiful monuments and public works throughout the city and its surrounds. The city continued to thrive over the following centuries even though it was taken by the Arabs, the Crusaders and Jerusalem in rapid succession. It was almost destroyed by the Saracens and the Mongols during the 13th century, but when taken over by the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, Sidon began to rapidly recover some of its former glory.

In 1900 this city had a population of 10,000 people, but by the turn of the next century, this figure had passed 200,000. Today Sidon is still known for its fishing industry, in addition to its fascinating historical sites, its hospitals and schools and its nightlife, but, sorrowfully so, the once beautiful face of Sidon at the beginning of this, the 21st century, appears to be suffering somewhat from a severe case of acne. Many of its buildings are neglected, and the urban sprawl that has been allowed to develop unchecked is a mishmash of varying styles and architecture, accompanied by very poor planning. Gone are its famous gardens and lovely scented orchards. They have instead been turned into tasteless shopping malls, giant car parks, and badly functioning sewage plants that threaten to destroy all sea life along its once beautiful shores. In truth, Alexander the Great himself couldn't have done more damage than that. Hopefully though, the once lovely city of Sidon will one day soon begin to rediscover traces of its former beauty.

Answer: Tyre

The other three choices above are all cities in Iraq. Tyre though, which is in Lebanon, began its life approximately 2,700 BC, on a small island just off the coast of that nation. It was an absolutely ideal location for this area of the world at the time, and the city developed rapidly, growing rich from its maritime trade, its famous purple dye, and its abundant inland resources. This was obviously a prize too irresistible to resist, and by 586 BC, Tyre found itself fighting off the might of King Nebuchadnezzar II, as his forces tried, but failed, to take the now heavily walled fortress. Alexander the Great, who seems to have popped up everywhere in the ancient world, finally brought the beautiful old site down in 332 BC, when he attacked and captured it after a long drawn out siege. As punishment for their resistance, he then killed all Tyre's military personnel, sold the women and children into slavery, and, linking the two permanently, used many of the stones from its gracious old buildings to build a causeway built between the island and the mainland.

When the Romans took the area in the year 64, the city began to finally recover, economically, socially and nationally. That flowering anew lasted for 1,000 years, until the city was captured by the Crusaders in 1124, where it then became part of Jerusalem's kingdom. The Ottomans soon followed, and Tyre was absorbed into that nation until the First World War (1914-1918), when it was dissolved by the victorious allies.

It would be satisfying to say that Tyre has known an era of peace and security ever since that time, but alas, given the volatile nature of the Middle East, this is still not the case well into the 21st century. In the breathing spaces between onslaughts both from and against adversaries, Tyre, a predominantly Shi'a Muslim city has been flooded by more than 60,000 predominantly Sunni Muslims from the Palestine. Oh dear. It is controlled by militant political organisations, many of its exquisite antiques are sold illicitly, its archaeological sites are being swamped by commercial developments, and its awe-inspiring old buildings are beginning to crumble from lack of care and maintenance. The tears of Tyre will continue to drop unheeded into the soil of this beautiful old city until these problems can be resolved.

Answer: Babylon

Oh my goodness, Babylon. "By the rivers of Babylon, where we sat down, ye-eah we wept..." when we tried to encapsulate its enormous history into one or two paragraphs of additional information for this quiz. It's impossible. Suffice it to say that this once glorious city and kingdom, filled with exquisite furnishings, incredible towering statues, and awe-inspiring edifices, this work of architectural and historical delight that has filled thousands of volumes of books for thousands of years, this astonishing entity with rulers so powerful that their very names filled the hearts and minds of people in their vast kingdoms with terror or wonder - is now nothing but a massive, deserted pile of shattered, broken debris.

The city-state of Babylon first rose to power in 1,800 BC under the mighty Amorites who set to work developing a powerful kingdom on the lands that had been occupied with minor settlements by the Sumerians for several thousand years. The Amorites, in turn, were defeated by the Assyrians, who were defeated by the Hittites, who took a blow from the Kassites, with the Assyrians downing them to take another bite of the Babylonian apple. Babylon's highs were very high indeed, with its recognition, twice during its long history, as the largest city in the world - but its lows were dreadful. The city was constantly plundered, and all but destroyed, by wave after wave of invaders. The Elamites took over next, followed by a brief defiant spurt by the native Akkadians, who were replaced by the Arameans, the Suteans and the Chaldeans in quick succession. From 900 to 600 BC, Babylon was in constant turmoil and revolt. Total destruction loomed dangerously on the horizon. Once more the war-weary, exhausted city rebuilt itself, only to be besieged again by the persistent Assyrians. And on it went. Babylon's final death throes commenced at the hands of the Persians, a brief last gasp at life occurred under the Macedonian, Alexander the Great, but on his death, the city finally collapsed under the weight of the infighting that took place among his generals. Babylon the great, the once glorious shining citadel of the ancient world, was no more.

Today this city, unlike others in this quiz, knows no throbbing of life that they claim as their right. It faces no hope of a bright and promising future. It welcomes no technological advances or new and beautiful architectural delight. Instead, Babylon today, that broken mass of shattered debris, mecca for archaeologists and inquisitive tourists who come to seek and wonder at its fall, is a tragedy of weeping, silent sands.

Answer: Georgia

Kutaisi began its existence from approximately 2,000 BC. In its long life, it has been the capital city of several kingdoms. These includes the powerful kingdom of the Colchis, an area of the world believed by legend lovers to have been the final destination for Jason and his team of Argonauts. Over the centuries that followed its formation and growth, this old city found itself the target of constant invasions, most notably from the Mongols sweeping down from the north of the continent.

Following that period of struggle and eventual recovery, Kutaisi underwent a period of startling prosperity almost unrivalled in the old world. By the time the pages of the 12th century were opened, it had become so strong and powerful it found itself the capital city of the nation we know today as Georgia. That's when the Ottoman Empire began casting a dangerous eye over the land. By 1508, that glance became a fixed stare - and Kutaisi fell to its might. All appeals to their powerful neighbour Russia for assistance went unanswered because that nation didn't wish to break ties with the powerful Ottoman Turks. It wasn't until Catherine the Great took the Russian throne in 1762 that a positive response was forthcoming. Not that it did Kutaisi or Georgia much good. In a series of Russo-Turkish wars that followed, Georgia was indeed freed from the Ottoman yoke, but then the powerful Russian nation promptly placed their own yoke upon Georgia's unwilling neck instead. It wouldn't be until 1991 that full independence from that new master became official.

Now in the early years of the 21st century, Kutaisi is the second largest city in Georgia, and that country's legislative capital. It has a population well over the 200,000 mark, its streets are wide, gracious and tree-lined, and echo with the footsteps of history, and its buildings are a combination of tastefully designed modern architecture, and beautiful monuments of antiquity. Perhaps, in the greatest tribute of all to this enchanting city's past and future, Kutaisi is now listed as one of Georgia's UNESCO heritage sites.

Answer: Luoyang

Because the vast area all around the ultimate site of the city we know today as Luoyang was considered sacred ground for millennia, several smaller cities in that general vicinity were built and tumbled over time. All of them, confusingly so, were called Luoyang, or versions of that name. Nine dynasties in all were based in these earlier settlements. In 1,130 BC however, the Luoyang referred to in this question was founded by one Duke of Zhou, for the purpose of housing captured nobility. At that time the city was called Chengzhou, but by the year 25, Luoyang, as it became known, had been rebuilt on that earlier foundation, and was subsequently declared to be the capital of the Eastern Han Dynasty. From this period, Luoyang became one of China's most important centres of civilisation.

Luoyang is home to the first Buddhist temple in China and is considered to be the cradle of Buddhism in that country. By the second century AD, however, and for several centuries following, the city was in a state of decline, weakened by years of rebellion and civil war. In fact, it almost crumbled away altogether under the continual onslaught, but managed to survive until the end of the fifth century when it was once again restored to its former glory under the leadership of the Emperor Yang of Sui. At that time it housed almost one million people. Over the centuries that followed, it was rebuilt, and rebuilt, and rebuilt once again, presenting a new face each time to a wondering world.

Today, this ageless yet modern city of some seven million people is known for its flowers, cuisine, music, astonishing museums, its varied dialect, its universities, ageless architecture, and its artists and poets. Most of all, however, Luoyang is best known for its ancient Buddhists sites which draw visitors from all over the world. These include the serenity of its White Horse Temple, its 1,3000 additional temples, and the awe-inspiring sight of its rock carved Longmen Grottoes which contain more than 30,000 Buddhist statues, and which is now listed as one of UNESCO's World Heritage sites. This, then, is incredible, eternal, enchanting and spiritual Luoyang.

Answer: Nigeria

People were living in the region around Ife by at least 600 BC, and this old city began to develop from that time. In a centre replete with mythology and many gods, the Yoruba people from that area believe that all life originated in their part of the world, and that its first humans were created there out of the clay of the land. As life spread out from Ife, and the years slipped silently by, one after another, that part of Nigeria eventually developed into one of the strongest medieval kingdoms in Africa. It wouldn't be until the 19th century that this kingdom collapsed.

During its most prosperous period however, between the 9th and 12th centuries, the walls of its buildings were adorned with beautiful mosaics, buildings were filled with lovely bronze and stone sculptures, its streets were paved and clean, and its houses were beautifully maintained. It was also the centre for the entire region for hundreds of years in the realm of economics and politics, with its influence reaching far and wide, before its slow, steady decline began. That commenced in the 14th century when Ife's power and influence began to be slowly taken over by the nearby kingdom of Benin. A follow up major war which took place in the region in the 18th century, coupled with the flourishing slave trade, and colonisation by Europeans in their grab for Africa almost demolished Ife completed.

Now however, at the beginning of the 21st century and the new millennium, Ife has fully recovered. Its surrounding area is still known today for its more than 400 deities, its many festivals to celebrate same, its dedicated holy men and its unusual and striking art work. Yet, with a population of several hundred thousand people, the city itself has changed rather drastically. It is home to a university, modern buildings, shopping centres, schools, churches, sporting groups, and various businesses and places of entertainment. It is also a major trading centre for a broad regional area of farming industries producing grain, cacao, tobacco and cotton. Little really exists there now of Ife's long and colourful history, beyond the few obligatory museums and festivities and lessons at school. Necessity has, to a large degree, demanded instead that it turn to face its bright and promising future rather than dwelling on memories of its long ago past. Ife is achieving this goal with vigour. Somehow though, it all seems just a little sad that the past of such a powerful and lovely nation is being so competently left behind. We need to remain in touch with our roots.