Homo sapiens began to appear around 300,000 years ago. However, it wasn’t until around 10,000 years ago that humans began building permanent settlements, the Smithsonian explains. The first civilizations — with urban development and governing bodies — date back a few thousand years. Likewise, the history of empires – a few people controlling larger numbers of people and vast regions – goes back many millennia.

Since ancient times, groups of all sizes often fought against each other. Some of this was probably related to food and water. Either way, the desire to gain “territory” for resources or other reasons has often served as a justification for building empires – and the oldest empire in history is the Pandyan dynasty. .

An empire comprises many territories ruled by a centralized governing body, often an emperor or other monarch. As long as humans have aspired to rule, there have been empires. Some date back more than 4,500 years, almost to the end of the Stone Age, which is a remarkably short period in the history of human life on Earth. (These are, on the other hand, the newest countries in the world.)

To determine the oldest empire in history, 24/7 Tempo reviewed numerous historical and archaeological articles, encyclopedia entries, and websites, including the British, The history of the world, HistoryFiles, New World Encyclopedia and India maps.

In many cases, it is impossible to determine a precise founding date for an empire, either because there are no reliable historical records, or because some empires are created slowly, starting with minor dynasties that turn into empires. It is also sometimes difficult to pinpoint the exact end of a declining empire unless it has been definitively conquered. The given date ranges are therefore often approximate and may be disputed. (It was also difficult to determine the exact date of the founding of this city: it is the oldest city in America.)

Regardless of their lifespan, running an empire seems to have been a difficult task. Some have succeeded in holding distant possessions by allowing varying degrees of autonomy. It was one of the factors that allowed the Holy Roman Empire to last as long as it did. Other empires, such as the Saudeleur dynasty in what is now the island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia in the South Pacific, imposed strong centralized government.

The oldest empire in the world is the Pandyan dynasty, which lasted for 1,925 years between 580 BC. AD and 1345 AD.

Around AD 960, the Pandyans were driven into exile in Sri Lanka by the Cholas, but the empire slowly came to life. In the early 1200s, Marco Polo identified the Pandyan dynasty as the wealthiest empire in the world. It lasted until a two-decade period of wars and invasions resulted in its disbandment.

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