What is the oldest nation in Europe?

[@tibiavram]

It's simpli so complicated that nobody can give a definitive answer and to be agreed by everyone else.

[@SlaviSokol]

70% of Wales population have genes that where there for 6000 years. Making them second oldest indigenous people in Europe.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Fascinating.

[@sterlingdafydd5834]

I just tested with 23 and Me… my mam is from Llanidloes and I test 98% Welsh/Celtic… 100% European

[@mihaiilie8808]

​@@sterlingdafydd5834From you profile picture you look like R1b indoeuropean that got into europe from Russia, basically Yamnaya. These russians became celts but they are tall steppe people not the oldest celts.

[@sterlingdafydd5834]

@@mihaiilie8808 I did have a bit of “Northern European” including Finnish

[@lordcommandernox9197]

Yeah, 'cause they descend from Iberians

[@Edarnon_Brodie]

Oldest Europe nation: Basque. Existing from literally unkown years, but defentely more than 5000 years. They look like Armenians, speak like WTF, have traditions of every and none nation in Europe at the same time. They are related to Sumer and Akkadians, to Urartu and Chinease. Literally, Basque are the oldest and the mysterious(est) nation in the world.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Indeed, I would enjoy learning more about the Basques.

[@Hermanubis1]

@@BenLlywelyn Debate Keith Woods on this topic. He did a video on the nation.

[@AlexandruNicolin]

Well, at least Armenian is an Indo-European language, while Basque is an isolate, and Kartvelian (Georgian) is a very small family of languages endemic to the Caucasus. This area has actually one of the most diverse linguistic repertoire of any, especially in a geographically constrained area.

[@booneclaudi753]

They are mixed so much they even aren't Basques anymore 😂

[@UltimaGaina]

Yes, the Basques are, like Sardinians, strongly linked to the second wave of migration into Europe: the bald, dark-skin and dark-eyes Anatolian farmers who displaced and later admixed with the first wave of dark-skin and blue-eyes European hunter-gatherers. The Basques managed to preserve their language despite the overwhelming and brutal invasion of the tall, light-skin Pontic Steppes pastoralist warriors who imposed their Indo-European languages into Europe. Unlike Paleo-Sardinian, Minoan, Etruscan etc., Basque is the only Anatolian Farmers' language that has survived to the present day.

[@Lemonidas75]

Very interesting video. As a Greek I would say that the ancient Greek "spirit" was inherited by the western world via the Roman empire which conquered their land ... and so it lives on in every nation in some form. However the Greek national identity as we know it today, it goes back to the Byzantine era - itself having kept some elements inherited by the ancient world and the ancient Greeks.

[@user-mx9sl3xw9q]

The oldest population: Basques The oldest country: San Marino The oldest nation: Bulgaria

[@catalinmarius3985]

How would Bulgaria be an older nation than San Marion, was San Marion not a nation when it was founded?

[@xhevairedulja2175]

Bulgaria?????? Bulagarians are a mix between serbs and Iranians that came later....

[@GjekSelca]

Oldest people - Albanians without question

[@croatianwarmaster7872]

​@@xhevairedulja2175Bulgarian state was founded in 681.

[@almeu433]

BoolGAYria the oldest nation? My barn is older that this Turish colony

[@username7735]

Great vid. As someone who is interested in Linguistics, Politics, and Anthropology I feel like It'd be fun to sit down and have a pint with you while talking about all kinds of interesting historical stuff. Keep up the good work.

[@BenLlywelyn]

I enjoy drinking and conversation.

[@a.n.6374]

As a bulgarian, I'll go with Georgia/Armenia.

[@booneclaudi753]

They are not indo europeans

[@a.n.6374]

@@booneclaudi753 Where in the question is it narrowed down to indo-european? Which the basques aren't either by the way and are likely an older thing than any indo-europeans too. But to check all the boxes of a "nation" it has to be Georgia or Armenia.

[@stephenchappell7512]

Georgia/Armenia are south of the Caucuses hence they're not in Europe

[@Мразъ-с5я]

@@booneclaudi753 Armenians do belong to the indoeuropean group, Georgians instead form part of the kartvelian group.

[@a.n.6374]

@@stephenchappell7512 Still they are more European than Turkey on all checkboxes except Geography.

[@croatianwarmaster7872]

I'd say Greeks, since we have literary evidence by them from 1500 BC. And a literary continuity till today. As far as state is concerned I'd go with Bulgaria. Also, mythomaniacs who try to present their nation/people as "the oldest" are cringe and should stay silent.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Greece has a valid claim. But what is the difference between legacy and nation?

[@greekcomenterperson446]

They considered themselves to have one singular national identity since then, both after the persian wars and in homer we see them being refered to as a nation, even if politically disunited, i dont understand where you see the "legacy" or whatever youre thinking about and why the continuation is cut when the same people live on the same land practicing the same traditions(yould be surprised how many survive since pre christian times), and even if you take christianity into account, the religion was largely built with huge inlfuence with greek culture and language, you seem like one of those types thay tries to enforce a lack of continuity that isnt there to give you and your kind the freedom to disasociate the works of the ancients with our modern shithole

[@UlpianHeritor]

Greece is a 19th century creation. The Greek city states never united to form a unitary state. It was the Romans that united the Greeks under Roman rule as a Roman province.

[@aokiaoki4238]

​@@UlpianHeritorCopium: 18th century "descendants of the Ancient Greeks" Intro in Ικετηρία του Γένους των Γραικών

[@aokiaoki4238]

​@@UlpianHeritor17th Century "to all of us the Greeks" Bibliotheque Grecque Vulgaire

[@miastupid7911]

Constantine was not a break. You cut the BS. And everything points to Christ as in the Bible, that's what happens to the Greeks, as stated by Christ Himself about the Greeks. As stated and as fulfilled. That's why everyone wants to define it as some sort of break. Or do you want to call Christ a liar? Huh? We didn't go anywhere. We still exist, us Greeks.

[@evladifat6322]

Albanian language is a really interesting antic language that we should pay more attention.

[@Vasilios-zy1vv]

Yes I know Turkish Greek Latin

[@Forevertrue-z2w]

@@Vasilios-zy1vv and serbian

[@Hector-dk8iy]

@@Vasilios-zy1vv same turkish words have penetrated greek language to. Many greek terms derived from pregreek people in Greece. So? If you deny the authenticity of the core albanian vocabulary, phonology, morphology and syntax, you have no clue about that language. Bear in mind that linguists have shown throu comparative method that albanian belongs to Paleobalkanic Indoeuropean side by side with protogreek and other dead paleobalkanic languages (messapian, daco-thracian).

[@xhevairedulja2175]

@Vasilios-zy1vv yes...as you. You are Arvanit (Albanian) or Turkish. Ask you grand father. 80 % of greek of today are arvanit and the rest are orthodox colons came from turkey. Greek is an orthodox state and not a real nation. It was created on albanian land and blood. You the new generation do not know. Ask your grandfathers or read. Do not read what they say on school books or journals but real story that comes out of archives, or real historians. Sincerely. All of us have the same origin, but going to most near time we are different nations.

[@paganpoet3]

@@xhevairedulja2175 ...Greek school books are very clear about the "Arbanites" of Greece and their contribution to the Greek revolution and the creation of the New Greek state. Greeks do not hide anything. NOW TELL US ABOUT THE GREEK ETHINK MINORITY LIVING IN SOUTH ALBANIA TODAY RECOGNIZED BY THE U.N AND THE OFICIAL ALBANIAN STATE. The Albanian inferiority complex is unic when it comes to their relations with the Greeks. Sorry that the Grreks invented the first written language in Europe and one of the first in the world. But if you can PROOVE that there is some "Albanian" wriiten form of language before Homer (800 b.c) WHY WASTE YOUR TIME ON KZbin ? Go and claim your nobel prize ... But we need to see at least a small example of that language in written form....

[@teodorcarciumaru6118]

... Dacians and actual Romanians still live in aproximativ same aria from more than 2000 years. Is that not enogh for You to consider we are in... Competition?

[@user-mx9sl3xw9q]

The name Romania and the country of Romania came to existance less than 200 years ago

[@CocoSon-we2rg]

@@user-mx9sl3xw9q Where the Romanian colonists become peasants after settling, they named the regions Romanias. It happened in Italy with Romagna, in Bulgaria Rumelia and the entire Byzantine Empire was Romania.

[@user-mx9sl3xw9q]

​@@CocoSon-we2rgFirst of all. Italy was called Italia by the Romans. The Byzantine empire was never actually called Byzantine, it was always Eastern Roman empire, which is normal since they are continuation of Rome. As for Bulgaria - the name Rumelia was given by the Turks, because when they came on the balkans this specific region was still under Eastern Roman rule. Romania called itself Romania, since only they in whole Europe believe to be descendands of Rome, which is absurd, not even the Italians consider themselves as descendands of the Romans. The original name of Romania was United Danubian Principalities

[@mihailvormittag6211]

@@user-mx9sl3xw9q He talks about romanians and not about Romania. The two notions are slightly different, aren't they? And talking about romanians, there is enough testimony that they have spoken Romanian and refered to themselves as Romanians. And despite that modern Romania like modern Italy was founder late, it is a fact that smaller Romanian states existent long before modern Romania was founded. The same with Italy: smaller Italian states existed long before modern Italy was founded. And the same with Germany: smaller German states existed long before modern Germany was founded and their citizens have spoken german.

[@CocoSon-we2rg]

@@user-mx9sl3xw9q "since only they in whole Europe believe to be descendands of Rome, which is absurd" No way. First, according to the same logic among the Italians, only those from the province of Romagna claim to be descendants of the Romans?!Secondly, it is about Eastern Europe where the only state whose population speaks a Romance language is Romania. Let's say that a Latin country from the Western Empire would have claimed this name, then the other 3 states would have felt unfair. In the East, however, things were clear, the Romanians (Wallachians, Vlachs) after the extinction of the Dalmatians were the only ones who had this right without offend the Western Latin countries. Where is the absurdity?

[@nih0nium24]

As a Romanian, seeing the Romanian comments makes me cringe so hard, balkan nationalism is crazy

[@BenLlywelyn]

Romania is beautiful for having even survived. And doing what it took to do it would drive anyone insane.

[@mihailvormittag6211]

Măi omule pentru ce-ți ceri scuze? De ce te înjosești. Tu nu vezi că comentariile românilor sunt o reacție la prostiile ăstuia. I-ai urmărit videourile despre România să vezi cum ne prezintă: în toate ne prezintă ca fără țară, ca întârziați, cum că națiunea și limba noastră sunt într-un fel sau altul artificiale, că avem origini incerte. Tu nu vezi că astea toate sunt exagerări? Tu nu ți-ai pus problema de ce un tip din țara Galilor este atâta de obsedat de România. Dacă ăsta e din Țara Galilor, eu bag mâna în foc! În plus mai face și niște mutre de parcă a scăpat din cămașă de torță!

[@southernhungarian]

@@mihailvormittag6211 He reads valid history unlike your fake dacian identity that was created for geopolitical reasons only. You are nomadic sheperds from Magna Wallachia.

[@cristibrad6742]

Bulgarian, Albanian and Serbian comments really take the cake :) This is the only topic where hungarians stay silent. As a modicum of historical accuracy, only the Cucuteni are worth mentioning.

[@croatianwarmaster7872]

​@@cristibrad6742Albanian and Serbian comments are the moost unhinged for sure. And I actually like the Albanians so it's sad seeing them make up pseudohistory. They are good enough with actual historiography.

[@macho7308-L]

I'm Greek. Your approach is very interesting. Well done 👍

[@BenLlywelyn]

Thank you.

[@jami1972]

For me, Bulgaria looks like the oldest state-like entity in Europe. Greeting from Hungary.

[@larsjonasson2959]

Bulgaria was occupied by the Ottoman Turks between 1396 and 1878, so the modern state has little in common with the old kingdom.

[@CocoSon-we2rg]

@@larsjonasson2959 He probably meant Bulgaria near the Volga.

[@mihailivanov2454]

@@larsjonasson2959 Except the language, alphabet, religion and traditions...

[@larsjonasson2959]

@@mihailivanov2454 Yes, to a large extent, but the question was about the state. There are many countries with a common language, religion and traditions, but completely different political administrations (often due to colonialism). For North Korea and South Korea, USA and UK, Jordan and Egypt, Brazil and Portugal and so on. Bulgarians removed many loanwords that came under foreign rule, as did Romanians and Icelanders (which I think was good). Patriots in these countries often claim that there is an unbroken linguistic tradition, but this is not entirely true, there is always some kind of artificial aspect when trying to undo hundreds of years of being subjected to a foreign power.

[@mihailivanov2454]

@@larsjonasson2959 So, by your logic Bulgaria is 30 yo? So is Russia... There weren't even a unified kingdom of Bulgaria before the Ottomans. There was like 3 of them. It was a different time, but the people are the same. And yes, language evolve. We use merci everyday. Are we french. We use ciao everyday. Are we Italian? By your logic none of the existing states is older than few hundred years.

[@aregareg7181]

I find the lack of Armenia disturbing. Excellent video though :)

[@stefanodadamo6809]

It's in Asia. We consider it "European" by virtue of being Christian in its own way, but, admittedly, it's wrong.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Lebanon was majority Christian until the 1970s.

[@WordsFromPeter]

​@@stefanodadamo6809 Georgia was mentioned, though...and it's in the Caucasus region too, so technically, in Asia too.

[@gwilwilliams5831]

What about Malta?

[@NeutralDice]

@@stefanodadamo6809 We consider it "European" because NATO and the eu want to kick Armenia out of Russia's sphere of influence. That’s the main reason. That’s the reason why countries like Kazakhstan are members of UEFA and other European organizations.

[@robertescu6435]

I think the oldest nation is the Human Nation. Slava Terra Nation !

[@BenLlywelyn]

A bit of a wide net.

[@TimtheEnchanter25]

There has never been such a thing, but ok.

[@belstar1128]

bacteria are the oldest

[@AeliusCaesar]

Thank you for the video, it's amazing

[@zachl3330]

In my view, a nation doesn’t have to be politically united to be one nation. The term was applied to the very fractious HRE in the full name (HRE of the German Nation) after 1512. The concept of nation state is more potent than some cross-border concept like “DACH” but that’s a historical anamoly. I stand by my answer of Greeks. They literally invented the word Barbarian to describe anybody who spoke a language they couldn’t understand. There’s dialect continuums that may develop and split a nation in two, often when they find themselves on one side of a border, but the Greeks remained in tact as one populi through periods of war amongst themselves, intermingling with neighbors and conquerors, and not having a state of their own, etc. Even long removed diaspora like Cypriots or Crimean Greeks maintain their Greek-ness. They traded in their old pantheon for Christ, but they still use the same alphabet theirs ancestors used centuries before. Armenia is only Europe by some definitions of the continent, but for the same reasons I think they’re quite a bit older than other nations on this list.

[@larsjonasson2959]

Yes and no. Political entities that share the same language may have infighting, but also a lot of culture in common with each other. My guess is that future historians will compare the divide between the US and the UK to the divide between Western and Eastern Rome. But compare with the development of the word German. Originally it meant any Germanic tribe. Later "any German speaking territory not part of Switzerland". Then until 1871 "any German-speaking territory not part of Switzerland or Austria".

[@bepivisintainer2975]

I really love your research and narrative. you are a true bright mind.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Thank you very much.

[@jboss1073]

19:38 - "The Greece of today is not the same nation as Old Greece" At the same time: "Ashkenazi people of European descent (and converts) can call themselves Jews based on the religious association to a culture from 2,000 years ago" How did we arrive at this situation that you have more moral ground and historical justification to call yourself and Ashkenazis "Jews" while barring the Greeks from connecting with their past and calling themselves "the same Greeks"? Is this another case of culture and ancestry and heritage for me but not for thee?

[@pequerobles]

exactly...massive hypocrisy

[@stefanodadamo6809]

In my book, it's the adjective defining the nationality a base on which to judge how "ancient" a nation actually is. While "Italy" as a term to define the peninsula is there since Greek classical antiquity, the adjective "Italian" was non-existing before the second half of the 14th century!

[@Marcelocostache]

Keep ok doing what you are doing Ben Thank You.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Thank you for the motivation.

[@gillymccyber1927]

My guess from the start was Wales, now I’m not sure. Give me some closure Ben!🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@BenLlywelyn]

Georgians, Basques and Greeks have the best claims in my opinion.

[@gillymccyber1927]

@@BenLlywelyn Thanks, loved the video

[@MasDeLoMismo-x2n]

Walles are celto Dacian! just joking

[@peterparker5484]

Greeks

[@UlpianHeritor]

Most European countries began in the 19th century, including Greece.

[@aokiaoki4238]

​@@UlpianHeritor The title says nation not country

[@UlpianHeritor]

@@aokiaoki4238 ok, most European NATIONS began in the 19th century, including Greece.

[@CocoSon-we2rg]

@@UlpianHeritor Another is the problem. What ancient peoples gave the current nations? It is known that the nations resulting from migrations often bear the names of the last migrants in a motivated way because they were genetically absorbed by the local population. The unfair part consists in the fact that some of the natives, after centuries of humiliation, were left without a country of their own, continuing to endure persecution. Two examples come to mind, although there are more. The Kurds in particular and the Balkan Vlachs who still have a small base in Romania. So, the notion of the oldest is relative. It seems to me that Greece is a candidate for the oldest, but it also has its challengers. Who are they and whose seniority do they claim?

[@Agapi-dg7th]

​@@aokiaoki4238 what is the difference of country and nation? Do you speak english?

[@popacristian2056]

Cucuteni. It is 7800 years old.

[@Forevertrue-z2w]

Lepenski vir people 12000 years old settlements - Serbia

[@ionbrad6753]

@@Forevertrue-z2w Lepenski vir people didn't know the borders of the future so they took the liberty to live on both banks of the Danube :)

[@ionbrad6753]

Cucuteni is not a country, nation etc - today. The same is valid for all prehistoric peoples / cultures: Gumelnita, Lepenski Vir, Hohle Fels, Altamira ...

[@popacristian2056]

@@ionbrad6753 Maybe not a country in the modern sense, but Cucuteni was still the most advanced civilization of that time, and it lasted over 3000 years. ...Nation of sedentary farmers. :)

[@fitzstv8506]

The Irish.....ancient Ireland was not a nation in the modern sense but the people of the island were united by language and a uniform system of law, the different clans in ancient Ireland regularly clobbered each other for power and land but there was still a sense of honour and respect among them for the common rules and traditions that they all shared.

[@Forevertrue-z2w]

Because they married the women of Helm- Balkans

[@pequerobles]

Cataluna has never been a nation ...it was part of the Kingdom of Aragon which in 1492 joined with the Kingdom of Castile to become Spain

[@Benito-lr8mz]

This video is crazy check the no legal flag nationalis Catalonia lol in image of video in miniature ; you have all the reason Catalonia no is a country .

[@TwpsynMawr]

Love the channel and love the videos, from llanelli with love ❤️

[@BenLlywelyn]

Diolch yn fawr! Appreciated. Great to have you with me here.

[@evladifat6322]

Interesting fact 1: Do you know the Troy? TROYA in Albanian means THE LAND. It is written as TROJA. (J=Y) TROYA WAR=LUFTA E TROJES=THE LAND WAR Not: On Google write in plural form TROJET or a phrase TROJET TONA=OUR LANDS

[@Notme17111]

Troja is a loanword.

[@Notme17111]

Troja is a loanword in Albanian.

[@Vasilios-zy1vv]

Know one knows Albania stop making stories you don't exist you have no history you claim other people's history and you have nothing to do with the illirians 🎉GREEKS

[@nikolaykolev1438]

Illion/Troy/-ila/mud/Illion=tempered.

[@HNH421]

@@nikolaykolev1438 YUCK 🤮Mud eating, also known as geophagia, is the intentional practice of eating earth or soil-like substances such as clay, chalk, or termite mounds🤤

[@racheotes]

The Greeks of course! Also, St. Paul converted them to Christianity first! Read your history. The language, culture. and religion has always defined them! By the way, the Byzantine Empire’s National Hymn was sung in Greek and it pays tribute to the Virgin Mary! The laws which govern current democracies originated from the Greeks. The oldest continually occupied city in Europe is Athens! The oldest civilization in Europe is Greek.

[@almeu433]

St. Paul ,first,converted the Chew$ from Greek towns..

[@almeu433]

Malakka...google " Cucuteni culture"

[@dassolosyndikat5113]

He converted the albanians first. The first christians of Europe are albanians.

[@almeu433]

@@dassolosyndikat5113 🤣🤣🤣

[@dassolosyndikat5113]

@@almeu433 It's either 1.Albanians 2.Greeks or 1.Greeks 2.Albanians well most christian albanians are catholic greeks are orthodox, orthodox came after catholic. How can greeks be the first european christians when theyre orthodox a religion that came much later?

[@virgilspornic193]

Bulgaria !!!

[@jackportugge5647]

I think the oldest is the Basque Country, the basques (and the Sami?) were already there before all the Indo-Europeans arrived. Wales must come in 2nd or 3rd position, i think. Portugal was founded and legally established in the year 1143, and the borders are stabilized since the 13th century, which makes us one of the oldest as well.

[@nih0nium24]

The earliest signs of samis are 2500 years old, its a common misconception that they're like the basque and that they predate the indoeuropean arrival, but its not true

[@oierelorduygoyeneche674]

On the coast and the Pyrenees there are many Upper Paleolithic sites with painted caves...in the land of the Basques, human beings have been settled for many years and it was a natural refuge during the time of ice ages.

[@oierelorduygoyeneche674]

If France and Castile had not usurped the crown and lands of Navarre and the United Nations after the Second World War had not collaborated with Franco and whitewashed the false democracy that they had planted since 1978, Navarra would be free.

[@PaloclegenyIYI]

I enjoyed this video. I thought I would have something to argue with at the end, but no. You really looked into all of the corners of this question. And I think you did it right. Would you like to make a video about Asia in this topic? Or it would be too much? Like three times longer.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Whoa. Which is the oldest nation in Asia?! Tibetans, Jews, Tamil, Arabs... and that without even looking into it.

[@PaloclegenyIYI]

​@@BenLlywelyn Or.... Andamanese people? With Dravidians being the second oldest? I would say Ainu people too, but I almost certainly know that they formed later as a culture. And Kets are also in the top ten, together with the Yukaghirs for sure.

[@apmoy70]

Are you talking about _nation_ or _nation-state_ ? Historically there are nations that existed for hundreds of years, with out being self-governed, eg Poland. -If the latter, then probably San Marino or France are indeed the oldest. -If the former, then Herodotus gives the definition for it. It has four characteristics, ὅμαιμον (same ethnicity), ὁμόγλωσσον (same language), ὁμόθρησκον (same religion), ὁμότροπον (same culture)...you be the judge of the nations that tick all the boxes and are the oldest 🤷

[@BenLlywelyn]

But when was France France?

[@davidvaughn367]

Very nicely done as always. Still hard to tell. I have an unfair application for a couple of the runners up. Perhaps we could throw in written language as a variable, but that might also become messy especially given the question of date for the earliest written form of Georgian, and the recent discovery of the Hand of Irrulegi. Ultimately how a nation is to be defined is very much similar to what I say about gardening. Gardening is about defining the lines of separation, and unification of one area and its relationship to other areas.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Gardens are good for the soul.

[@davidvaughn367]

@@BenLlywelyn Yes, they are indeed, as are languages and nations. All of them also require tending, love and attention.

[@Benito-lr8mz]

This video lose the credibility with the laughlable no legal flag of Catalonia independent suposse the autor of video known the Catalonia is part of Spain? and never has a country independent named Catalonia or similar maximum Count of Barcelona at the few years integrated almost 900 years ago in Aragon Crown in fact a part of actual Catalonia Cristian conquer with Count of Barcelona integrated in Aragonese Crown a own language never is sinonime a diferent country than other and other thing in a Poblet monastery in Catalonia is the mausoleum.of Aragonese Kings .

[@Superator69]

The oldest official nation was Bulgaria in 600 AD. The oldest culture and people in Europe are the Greeks. The second oldest are the Thracians (modern day Bulgarians and Romanians) which are an Aryan people from Persia and Sumeria originally where the Aliens first made modern humans by mixing their DNA 🧬 with our Ape like ancestors. The old blind lady that predicted the future like Nastradamus was an ethnic Romanian Vlach from northwestern modern day Bulgaria.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Who was the blind woman?

[@Superator69]

@@BenLlywelyn Google "Baba Vanga".

[@maiarostiashvili6489]

Iberia is Georgia, country. Europe was already inhabited by Pelasgians, Etruscans, Picts, Basques, Celt-Iberians are Iberian people, today's Europe arose as a result of Indo-Europeans and Iberian people, Iberians lived there before Indo-European people.

[@BenLlywelyn]

There were people in Iberia.

[@davsalda]

Awesome video as always Ben Llywelyn! Allow me a winded comment though, I disagree about the idea of a discontinuation of the Greek city-states nationess/identity into the Greco-Roman Christian entity that later developed. A change in religion, I see it as analogous to our current Western countries becoming more secular. The classical Greeks going into the age of the Greco-Roman Christian Empire maintained their language (it evolved and changed of course), they maintained many of their institutions like the Senate, and they still were fervently proud of their classical Greek heritage way into the later stages of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire). Rome rolling over the classical Greeks did impose a forced unity and change of religion when the Roman empire began to go Christian. But Rome looked to Greece as the Pinnacle of culture (what the French were for the West), Roman elites learned Greek in order to be snobby. The conquest of Greece by the Romans didn't hurt their national identity. Essentially the Romans incorporated the dismembered Macedonian empire and it remained dominantly Greek even into non Greek areas in the levant and eastern Anatolia. The continuation is there, all the characteristics of the nation survived except for the religious aspect 🏛️ =>⛪. I would say the same in a religious sense for the other contenders of oldest nation in Europe 🇦🇱🇸🇲🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇬🇪🇱🇹 and basques (although the Bulgars 🇧🇬 were nomadic steppe people so their cultural change was probably the most drastic, like the Huns 🇭🇺). The changes seen in the Greco-Romans up to the Renaissance are similar to the changes that other nations in Europe went through. Greece as an independent nation was gone from the map for a while, but the people were still there, and into many areas of the old empire even into the start of the 20th century. The gap was not as long as the gap for the Jews, and the Greeks did not have to resurrect their language. I think nations are made up of a combination of the types of nation definitions described. The change of religion on its own I don't think is enough for a change in society unless that religion supplants, erases or makes a conscious effort to discontinue the prior national identity. France certainly came close with it's revolutions on par with Maoist cultural upheaval (and the language was never the same 🫤), but they remember and use many of the old customes, ideas, and symbols today ⚜️ ⚜️⚜️. To contrast it in a different direction, look at the aggressively secular nations/countries of the Soviet Union. Once the dissolution of the Soviets was signed into law in the Duma, there was a big bounce back in all these nations to the old religions (especially Poland). A break with one of the pillars of identity (religion) was not enough to mutate the nations into wholly new entities (maybe if there had been more time elapse then yes). Even China today is allowing old religious traditions to be practiced. Also look at South Korea, it is today predominantly nonreligious and Christian. I don't think there are many people who would consider the unified Joseon Korea and the current South Korea discontinous nation states. Governments and religions have changed (and it split in two), but the nation of Korean people survives (Even in relation to the North). The proof is all the period K-dramas out there 😅. However, if you throw in a change of a people's identity based on a change of their religion that wishes to break with the past, on top of a change of language and customs, then you get a wholly new society that is antagonistic to the past and a new nation for sure. Exhibit A: 🦃, or Egypt. Religion is surely a huge pillar that plays into national identity, but it is not always the strongest pillar. Especially with polytheistic/animistic religions that are not as dogmatic. As far as my vote for the oldest 'nation' in Europe... It gets split between the non-indoeuropean Basques and Georgians.

[@BenLlywelyn]

It seems to me that Basques and Georgians are at the furthest ends of a lost spectrum of cultures and language, of which the Etruscans and Minoan may (or may not have) been part of. So yes, I tend to agree with Basques and Georgians being quite old. But when did they have self awareness beyond mere tribal or petty kingdom groups?

[@frankboulton2126]

I think that Georgia would very likely be the oldest nation in Europe, were it not for the fact that Modern Georgia straddles East Europe and West Asia. It's also hard to decide what is the difference between several political entities uniting and one entity engaging in territorial expansion.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Indeed, and the blending of Asia with Europe does make that one difficult. But looing back into history, they are there even in Greek stories.

[@frankboulton2126]

@@BenLlywelyn I might have said that the Basques constituted the oldest country in Europe, were it not for the following issues. Traditionally Basque has been divided into seven dialects spoken in seven provinces. Standard Basque is comparatively modern. The Basque coat of arms with the motto "Zazpiak Bat" (The Seven are One) dates back only to 1897, although the motto was first cited in 1836. Currently, there are three dialects and provinces in France and four in Spain. So, the Basques and their language are split between two countries withe the language having no official recognition in France. I have much affection for the Basques, Georgians and Sami, because they give us an idea of the linguistic complexion of Europe before the arrival of Indo-Europeans.

[@oierelorduygoyeneche674]

Castile and France usurped his crown and his lands... it is a European shame that Navarra is not recognized and compensated

[@GeogeOprescu-kh6uf]

The idea of a nation grew in the nineteenh century . San Marino was fouded by a venitian who wanted to flee from taxes . He copied the republic of Venice .

[@BenLlywelyn]

The idea of nation has changed.

[@antoniodesousa9723]

For a example of pre 19th century ideas about nation and race, on good source is the national poet of Portugal, Luis Camoes and his epic poem Os Lusiadas / The Lusiads. To be honest I'm not that familiar but its not ethnogenesis because portugal as a state/kingdom was already 500 years old. I think its an after the fact rationalization of the portuguese nation/race.

[@besnikcupi5806]

Albania is the original greks in Europe there language is mor dhene 6000 to 8000 years old and continue speaking even today

[@BenLlywelyn]

Their language is Indo-European, so more modern than 6,000 years ago.

[@Agapi-dg7th]

Oh yeah ,albania is an old nation, but in the caspian sea, in thevarea of sirvan north asia. Thecalbanians came to cicily first time with the muslim halifat, the albanian language is not european, their religion isnt european,their names isnt european, their life style is more asian with islamic influence, no albanian is christian in a 100% christian continent,..exept bosnia,and albania that is 112 years old country, 112 YEARS OLD COUNTRY, the greek people liberated albania from the turkish in 1912 , you didnt know that did you? Greek people in the balkan wars ,,kicked out bulgaria and tyrkey from the eipirus and macedonia and thace,...... and.......albania became a republic thanks to greece,,, any questions?

[@fallenstate5933]

Classic Shqip education:we are the original, we were first, we build civilization, absolutely no evidence for anything, yawwwn

[@besnikcupi5806]

I can guarantee you, if you do DNA test your become Russia Slavic or Anatolian, you’re not European Except if you are Albanian do DNA test are you going to find out who you are?

[@besnikcupi5806]

@@Agapi-dg7th Hundred percent Christian, who bring Christianity in the public is Constantine the great is Albanian origin are you mad that’s why you don’t know nothing

[@BunyipToldMe]

In the year 410 Rome withdrew from the British Islands, allowing the Jutes to acquire the vacated territory and thus England was formed. Yes there are nations that claim to be older, but they don't matter and they have accents.

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

Britain is named after the Britons, if it’s the country, then it’s thousands of years old, if We talk about Wales specifically, it’s still almost two thousand years old. 383!

[@waynesworldofsci-tech]

Hmm. Canada is technically a remnant of the Roman Empire (long complicated explanation needed but this can be argued - not proved). There’s so many neat things in each country’s history, and I love learning them all. Never been to Europe, it’s on my ‘if I can afford a year long vacation’ part of my bucket list.

[@BunyipToldMe]

@@WalesTheTrueBritons The welch get their name from the Old English "welchen" meaning foreigners.

[@booneclaudi753]

Well I have to say you got it wrong. You cannot find the oldest "nation" on the mainland Europe where the tribes and clans were already mixed 1000-2000 years ago. After each "mixture" a new kind of "nation" emerged. And this has nothing to do with the DNA because even the first indo-europeans were already mixed when they came to Europe than they mixed once again with the "Basques" like people. Keep searching. Very nice video and story though. Love it! ❤

[@mihailvormittag6211]

Please stop making videos about history and especially about eastern european history! 🙏 You don't have any idea about the history of this people and also no idea about when they become conscious of their ethnicity. You don't even speak their Languages. And I bet you never visited this eastern European Countries.

[@BenLlywelyn]

I make what is interesting and learning about.

[@catalinmarius3985]

Clearly it's not Romania by any metrics, but I'd be curious to find out where Romania stands by the 4 metrics, when did they develop legal, ethnic, religious and cultural unity? Could the Vlach Law be considered it? As for the oldest, I would say the Basque, they have an uninterrupted continuity while everyone else save for Bulgars were something else before their modern form. There is heritage but no direct continuity. The Basque I would say have direct continuity.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Good idea for a video.

[@mihailvormittag6211]

Keep going on providing your information about history solely from Bens KZbin channel and continue to dream about valach law!

[@loperet100]

Ben, as a Catalan, I think it would be better the Catalan flag without the star, just the four bars, because it's the official one. The one with the star is intended to express the independentism (which I support), it has a political sense. Anyway, very interesting video.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Thank you for watching. Glad you liked it.

[@o_s-24]

Mentions Georgia is the SECOND Christian country. Might as well mention the neighbour, who were first?

[@BenLlywelyn]

Is Armenia in Europe?

[@euphoriaggaminghd]

@@BenLlywelyn yes if you claim georgia is

[@NeutralDice]

The Celtoland

[@yusufturner1971]

thought that Denmark 🇩🇰 is the oldest Kingdom in Europe, followed by England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿?

[@BenLlywelyn]

It is old, indeed. But not as old as those mentioned here.

[@C43S4R3]

Colchians are oldest. Mostly defined by langueage (Margal and Laz languages). Now Colchians live in two states: Georgia and Turkie. Have great many problems around identity and lnguages under threat of extinction, also turkish and georgian imperialistic nationalism, but this is the group wich had its own states, spent more time outside of turkie and georgia than inside of them and always had group identity during whole historic period of mankind.

[@mihaiilie8808]

Blue eyes and haplogroup I2 have appeared at same time, 12 000 years ago in western Black Sea. 12000 years ago Black Sea was flooded by the melting of lake Agassiz in Canada. You should make a video about the formation of the Black Sea, haplogroup I2 and the apearance of the blue eyes. The Black Sea is the youngest sea on the planet and haplogroup I2 is the youngest haplogroup. But should be mentioned that altough I2 is the only native european haplogroup, the rest of europe haplogroups are much older and they are just as european as I2.

[@LuDa-lf1xd]

I don't know if someone said it, but the Catalonian flag is wrong. It has no star, it's only the lines. That flag is the separatist one.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Madrid should respect referendums. Then I will be nicer.

[@occasionalwind]

Albanians are the original & the oldest Europeans. For those who don't know much about the Albanians I recommend this book: "THE ALBANIANS An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present" written by the American born historian Edwin Jaques who was of English/French ethnicity. Albanians pre-date Greeks in every sense & the Albanian language is the oldest language in Europe. Indeed we Albanians descend from the Illyrians & in the year 57 St. Paul himself preached the gospel of Jesus to the pagan Albanians in person which makes us Albanians one of the earliest Europeans who converted to the Christianity. Also the famous Christian symbol the 'cross' was adapted & introduced to the Roman Empire by the Albanian (Illyrian) blooded Constantin the Great who was Dardanian an (Albanian tribe) of Illyrian roots in present day of the Albanian Republic of Kosova (Kosovo) & declared the Christianity in the early 300's as state religion of the Roman Empire.

[@ivaneskic9775]

It is old, but NOT European. DNA prove it. Originally , from today Azerbaijan , 2 similar tribes, merged .The name "Illyrians", as applied by the ancient Greeks to their northern neighbors, may have referred to a broad, ill-defined group of people. It has been suggested that the Illyrian tribes never collectively identified as "Illyrians", and that it is unlikely that they used any collective nomenclature at all. Illyrians seems to be the name of a specific Illyrian tribe who were among the first to encounter the ancient Greeks during the Bronze Age. The Greeks later applied this term Illyrians, pars pro toto, to all people with similar language and customs. The first account of Illyrian people dates back to the 6th century BC, in the works of the ancient Greek writer Hecataeus of Miletus.

[@shpetimahmeti8008]

​@ivaneskic9775 haha you definitely don't have a clue what you are talking you read serbian propaganda that Albanians came from Albania in Azerbaijan. Fislrst of all you guys have to change more things coz the one you've done isn't enough like adding a VIČ a IČ at your surnames doesn't hide your origin Gjoka-Djokovič, Daci-Dačič, Vuka-Vukovič, Vuci-Vučič, Arnaut- Arutovič and many more, even name of your places allover Belgrade you have streets named Shkodra. Yes today after so much pressure under regime and religion you are converted to slaves orthodox or myslims and all Albanians disappeared from map but some deep down they know they are Albanians orthodox or myslim they are autoctone and it is lately proven in all forms you just got to get out of your brainwashed propaganda.

[@occasionalwind]

Nice Try Of You To Downplay the Albanian European Originality! We Albanians built the Acropolis not the Greeks. Greeks were not yet in Europe. We Are The Founding Fathers & Mothers Of The Western Civilization not the Greeks. LOL. That's Why I Recommended: 'The Albanians An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present' by Edwin Jaques. @@ivaneskic9775

[@Battlefiend]

Another vic scientist. How does dna prove that when albanian and greek dna is almost identical?​@@ivaneskic9775

[@Battlefiend]

We find that modern Albanians descend from Roman era western Balkan populations, with additional admixture from Slavic-related groups. Remarkably, Albanian paternal ancestry shows continuity from Bronze Age Balkan populations, including those known as Illyrians. Please scientovic, stop pushing your agenda anymore. It's old and outdated. Give up dude, its not gonna happen.

[@anafernandes225]

I thought we were the oldest country 🙆 Portugal.

[@AverageHungaryan]

Hungary oldest one. We came from the Sirius 50000 bce and dried up the pannonian sea, and built the carpathian mountains to keep out the uncivilized neandethrals and indeuros.

[@ionbrad6753]

: )

[@BenLlywelyn]

This sounds like Stargate.

[@mihaiilie8808]

I looked into Sami and they are not the oldest in Europe. Their language along with haplogroups V and N came in 1500 BC from Siberia. Romanians haplogroup I2 is steady present in Romania since 10 000 BC.

[@BenLlywelyn]

We know nothing about 10000 bce's people.

[@mihaiilie8808]

@@BenLlywelyn We know haplogroup I2 thats the only native european haplogroup appeared 12 000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, in Romania and Bulgaria, near the Black Sea. The majority of romanian mens today have I2 haplogroup( i think 30% of romanians). Means we are here since 12 000 years ago genetically speaking. Its just undeniable science. You can google if you wish. Sami got in europe 1500 bc from Siberia. Romanians are many thousands of years older in Romania. Romanians 12 000 years old, Sami 3500 years old in europe.

[@MasDeLoMismo-x2n]

Romania is the oldest country in Europe...ok i.m joking ofc ...the concept of nation is bizarre bcs change the meaning so many times ...and it is a bit artificial bcs on nanny ways we still are tribal s ...

[@veronicalogotheti1162]

Romania dacians One of the oldest with thracians bulgaria basques

[@mitkodimitrov8396]

Thracians and scythians are first indoeuropians and i think all Europe share,from their blood.coming from around Black see and Balkans,but as country,wich give alfabet,literacy and old church slavonic(old bulgarian),to many nations in the East,legaly Bulgaria is maybe oldest,never change name and still existing country in Europe hihi(even we are shitiest EU country,but coz of our greedy politicians and rullers).All europians,are blood related,as cousins hihi.Example: Scotovudstvo in bulgarian mean animal husbandry,Scotland is fameous,with this in old times,wath they name mean hihi and they use bagpipes,as in Bulgaria(gaida),who say we are not related hihihiBTW,we dont know nothing,but lies about bulgars,before today's Bulgaria,we lose 2 other bulgaria countries.Healt, happynes and Peace

[@noelleggett5368]

'Scoti' is what the ancient Romans called the Gaels (Irish people). A group of (Irish) Scots from Northern Ireland settled in northwest Britain in the seventh century, and started a kingdom called 'Dal Riada', which eventually became the kingdom of Scotland.

[@mateim2619]

“Somewhere”, haha just poor taste. That somewhere is the whole Carpatian basin where they sill are today.

[@Forevertrue-z2w]

The Serbs and other Balkan people. We all have I2a haplogroups,Lepenski vir culture from 12000 ago, Starchevo culture. And the oldest civilization in Europe - Vinchan civilization, with first letters, first metallurgy..

[@ionbrad6753]

True, but those guys 12k years ago were not Serbs, were not indo-europeans actually. Then, Venus of Hohle Fels is 40k old...

[@albodomi1979]

Serbs have nothing to do with Vinca culture, same as slav macedonians have nothing to do with ancient macedonians.

[@Edarnon_Brodie]

Oh, almost forgot, the oldest nation is ALBIDOSI! IDBMIRRRHAA! NEHHTVROBBACENEVVMAQQOTALLUORGH! I Albidosi agem! In reality, Picts can literally be the oldest nation, older tha. The Basques, existing right through the first inhabitants of Scotland (14 000 BCE).

[@BenLlywelyn]

Picts are gone. Like fog before the sun, sadly.

[@Edarnon_Brodie]

@@BenLlywelyn I just... Still hope that their language can be revived. After all, I am still researching it, especially oghams, and I am sound pretty well it that, I was even able to reconstruct some phrases. It is really bad to lose such a culture, even after 1000 years, because before of that they most likely existed more than 10 000 years, and they even had embryonic civilization (like in Scara Bray), and they were the only nation in the whole world who was able to defeat the Romans in a 1 VS 1 battle.

[@herculianthegreat]

ΟNLY HELLAS!!

[@mihaiilie8808]

Means you dont know european history. Plovdiv is at least 1000 years older than Argos and 3000 years older than Athens. Plovdiv and Sofia are older than anything greek and anything ancient egyptian.

[@HNH421]

VERY interesting 👍 I AM GLAD WE ALL DESIDED THAT ENGLAND IS THE BEST NATION IN EUROPE ✊

[@BenLlywelyn]

I'm not having my Welsh card revoked.

[@fabiogoncalves6811]

Why not considering borders?

[@BenLlywelyn]

Borders have changed so much they are largely arbitrary when considering the nation. It is in the people.

[@fabiogoncalves6811]

@@BenLlywelyn maybe its propaganda in my countries school system, but Portugal claims that we are the oldest country because out borders are the same since the 12th Century. But even i take it with a grain of salt

[@mariadespina80]

The Romanian nation is the oldest in Europe. Romania is the ancient Kingdom of Dacia. The Geto-Dacian King Burebista united the Getae and Dacians tribes (the same people, tribes with different names -) and created the first state, Dacia. He managed, in the first half of the 1st century BC, through different methods, to unify the entire Geto-Dacian area. Iordanes states that, in the year 82 B.H. (at the time when Syla seized power in Rome), when Deceneu arrived at his court, Burebista was in office. The two manage to unify a large part of the Geto-Dacian political organizations, the resulting new state being subjected to an institutionalization process. The state constitution process is the result of the good interaction of three political factors: the tribal aristocracy, the warriors and the royal power, to which was added the direct contribution of the high priest Deceneu, whose authority was extended over all the Geto-Dacians. The Dacian state stretched over today's Austria, up to the border of Germany, Slovakia and south of the Danube, over today's Bulgaria. After his death, the somewhat smaller Dacian State was ruled by King Decebal until 106 AD when part of it was conquered by the Romans. After Decebal's death, the Dacian Kingdom was divided among his descendants. It remained so even in the Middle Ages, as statuettes led by Dukes. After the Middle Ages, the Principalities of Moldova, Muntenia, and Transylvania were formed on the territory of the former Dacia, led by princes - voivods. Unions of this province followed, restoring the unchanged nation of Daco-Romanians, in 1918. We have always been a kingdom. Paleogenetic studies from Germany in 2012 on the population of Romania showed that we carry the DNA of the populations that succeeded this territory from perihistory - 7000-8000 years - and of the Dacians. The Romanians are the ancestors of the Getae Dacians. We are the only indigenous nation in Europe from prehistoric times. We were born here. And we have been a Nation-State since ancient times.

[@BenLlywelyn]

We will make a video about Romania's age.

[@KATOLIBAN]

Indo-Iranian Proto-Croats (pre-Slavonic origins of early Croatians): 120 Croat and non-Croat university professors and several academics have compiled 249 research works of which many have been printed in various publications and thereby have proven that Croats are of earlier Iranian origin. There are many real evidences about the identity of ancient Croats which almost dismiss the imposed theory that Croats are of pure Slav origin only. Although research works on the earlier origins of the Croats could not be published due to the censorship that was widely practiced in the former Yugoslavia, the now available data reveal that the initiator on research about the early Iranian origin of the Croats appeared yet two centuries ago. In his Ph.D. thesis in 1797, J. Mikocsy-Blumenthal made a study on the Iranian origin of the Croats and proved the conclusion that the ancestors of actual Croats emigrated from the western part of ancient Persia. Following the formation of Yugoslavia in 1918, the bigot Slavs destroyed all original copies of that dissertation in an attempt to erase any data about the Pre-Slavic history of early Croats. To date, only a minor digest of that research published in 1938 persisted.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Croatian is a Slavic Language, no?

[@NibanoTransmontano]

If Portugal isn't the oldest is one of the oldest one with almost 900 years off existence

[@BenLlywelyn]

900 years is still young in Europe. But Portugal still has the best seafood, surely?

[@pauliusbaranauskas7915]

The identity of "true, modern" Lithuania started to form in 19th century, with "modern" Lithuanians being catholic peasants who spoke lithuanian. At the time there were also "old Lithuanians" which basically meant anyone living in former Grand Duchy territory. Back then any national identity was kind of a mess of origin, language, religion and so on. There were polish-speaking Lithuanians and lithuanian-speaking poles, anti-zionist jews who considered themselves Lithuanians/Poles/Belarusians/etc. My favourite example: poet Adam Mickiewicz, who was born in modern-day Belarus, spoke and wrote in Polish, but called himself 'Lithuanian'... and yes, we still bicker over which one he AcTuAlLy WaS.

[@BenLlywelyn]

%90 of Lithuanian Jews were killed, including nearly every single anti-Zionist Jew of that era. Another reminder to the %1 of Jews who are anti-Zionist that Israel is needed.

[@pauliusbaranauskas7915]

@@BenLlywelyn There were 153 743 jews counted in Lithuania in 1923. They made up the middle class and were a common sight in every city as doctors, shopkeepers, businessmen and the like. After WW2 there were... around 11 000.

[@assomeoneelse2275]

I would say the oldest in terms of the Constitution would be San Marino would signed it in the year 1600, however I believe the oldest in terms of language could be the Baltic languages or even Basque considering that Basque is so old and nobody knows where it comes from

[@BenLlywelyn]

Yea, Basque is quite mysterious.

[@assomeoneelse2275]

@@BenLlywelyn I would like you to make a video maybe on where they might have came from but I'm sure you're just going to come up with the same theories as pretty much everyone else I'm going to say they probably came from the caucuses just like the Indo Europeans probably

[@assomeoneelse2275]

@@BenLlywelyn there's another theory saying that they might be native American but that kind of doesn't make a whole lot of sense but it could be a real theory who knows

[@st0rmrider]

The Greeks were considering themselves one nation at least from the Trojan war. If you are missing this from your analysis, that is a big red flag.

[@belstar1128]

there is also a lot of written evidence that the Greeks actually were Greek back then .the others mentioned here may have existed in prehistoric times but nobody knows how old they really are and what was going on over there before the romans .

[@mihaiilie8808]

Yea but the greeks were not name greeks but hellenes so it doesnt count.

[@belstar1128]

@@mihaiilie8808 Greek is just the Latin word for heline. for some reason the romans called them that and most of Europe started calling them that including the English. But modern Greeks still call themselves that and it's also in some other languages .

[@a.l.3664]

​@@belstar1128greek from latin? 😂

[@belstar1128]

@@a.l.3664 yea ofcourse

[@HNH421]

It is likely that most, if not all, Jews left Wales after Edward I's act of 1290 although the writ of the English king would not have run in many of the Marcher Lordships. The Welsh chronicle Brut y Tywysogion refers to the act but only in the context of the Jews in neighbouring England.

[@HNH421]

i will just leave this ^^^ Comment section ,, hand grenade ,, laying here with the pin out L0Lz 😉

[@BenLlywelyn]

Could be a video sometime.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Don't explode.

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

Well Wales if we see them as the heirs of Britain on the whole as they are the Britons, It’s one of the oldest no doubt. If we don’t and claim it as old it is from its inception - it’s still one of the oldest. 383CE!

[@Edarnon_Brodie]

I think Lithuanians, Bulgarians, San Marinos and Welsh aren't old enough. They are too IE. Basque is, of cource, the oldest. Greeks are the earliest IE in Europe, so they are old enough. And Albanians are, most likely, Thyrrenians, similar to Ethruscans and Rhaets and even maybe Basques. And of cource Georgians, similar to Basque too, having a very interesting history. And I think we need to count Armenia, since they are non-IE who was influenced by IEs, and they are also related to Basque.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Armenia was the 1st nation to officially convert to Christianity, so quite old. If we include them in Europe. They speak an Indo-European language.

[@norielgames4765]

Albanians are Indo-European what are you spewing my friend?

[@mihaiilie8808]

If you have common sence to check wikipedia, you will see the oldest country of Europe is Bulgaria. Thats only related to the name Bulgaria, continuous in use and its second oldest in the world, after Japan but with little difference. Speaking of who is the oldest, Bulgaria has the oldest civilisations of Europe, the oldest cities of Europe wich are Plovdiv, #1 and Sofia. And the whole name of the continent comes from a river in Bulgaria, Maritsa river( celtic name) wich greeks call Evros. But of course Maritsa name is much older than anything greek.

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

The “Welsh”, or the correct name for them being “British” have had the same culture, and have been in Britain for almost 3000 years. Yes, they are among the oldest peoples in Europe.

[@CocoSon-we2rg]

@@mihaiilie8808 You suggest something about the Thracians, then you and the Getae are the same race.

[@Hector-dk8iy]

Linguistically I think Albanians and the Greeks. Their languages emerged from Paleobalkanic Indoeuropean. Albanian and Greek language share common innovations in some agrocultural terms that doesn' t exist in other IE languages: albanian farë < protoalb. *sparā = greek spora (seed), albanian elb < protoalb. *albi = greek alphi (barley). The notion of nation is a different story, as it is connected with the formation of the state, but I guess all groups of people have some sense of self-awareness (volksgeist) before the state formation.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Volksgeist. That is a truly fine word.

[@asiersanz8941]

Basque is older. it is preindoeuropean.

[@Hector-dk8iy]

@@asiersanz8941 I agree but they are old in Southwestern Europe. The question should have been which "nation" is the oldest in different parts of Europe. In Balkanic Peninsula there are only two remained paleobalkanic languages still spoken nowdays (Albanian & Greek). Slavs came in 6th century and Vlachs are romanized indigenous people with albanoid linguistic substratum.

[@lagjescuni5482]

@@Hector-dk8iy yah but the greek nation and ethnicity They were formed in the 19th century and the majority of their heads of state and national heroes were Orthodox Albanians....

[@Hector-dk8iy]

@@lagjescuni5482 I'm talking from a linguistic point of view. I don't think that nations are formed only from the state, that's why I used the term "Volksgeist" - the spirit of the peoples that I think pre existed the state formation.

[@emanuelskelaj9843]

The Albanian one is so interesting and ancient origins

[@corneliusteslaru9450]

This video reminds me of the space race. 😅 1st satellite into space- Soviet Union, 1st animal into space- Soviet Union, 1st man into space- Soviet Union, 1st woman into space- Soviet Union, 1st space walk- Soviet Union, 1st woman space walk- Soviet Union (btw she's still alive and kicking, I think she's a member of the Russian parliament), 1st space station and only that lasted for decades and was sunk while fully functional and with a significant exploitation reserve left- Soviet Union, 1st unmanned craft on the Moon- Soviet Union, 1st unmanned craft on Mars- Soviet Union. The USA claim to 1st have managed to put a man on the Moon and somehow they won the space race. 😂😂😂 Not sure how that works. 😅 But I guess is something similar with the named oldest nation in Europe. I don't even know how to put it nicely, perhaps by repeating the author's words "I'm sorry!".😅

[@mihaiilie8808]

Oldest continously named country in Europe is Bulgaria and its second only to Japan in the world. And culturally, DNA related and everything, Bulgaria is the oldest as it has the oldest cities in Europe, Plovdiv and Sofia wich gave birth to the celtic coulture. A bit older than Bulgaria are the civilisations in west Turkey. Romania doesnt claim to be the oldest but its related to the oldest, the thracians from Bulgaria and that means old enough 😂. Albania is also old same as North Macedonia wich would beat everybody at DNA because they have the most isolated populations in Europe with the most mountain peaks per citizen. North Macedonia is the most mountainous country of Europe.

[@WalesTheTrueBritons]

Nope, is Britain a country? If so, that would mean it’s over 3000 years old. If not, Wales would be the oldest on the island with its inception in 383!

[@mihaiilie8808]

@@WalesTheTrueBritons Bro, do you know the bulgarians made up that callendar your using to date your country age? 😂. There is a cave in Bulgaria with a really old callendar of 365 days. Maybe check it up to find where your ancestors come from, Bulgaria!

[@belstar1128]

Bulgaria was founded in the early middle ages it his about the same age as most European countries

[@mihaiilie8808]

@@belstar1128 Bulgaria its the oldest country in Europe, just google it. Im not saying that Bulgaria has the oldest european coulture, oldest city in Europe ( that you never heard about), but Bulgaria as a country is there with this name from 632 AD. The only country older than Bulgaria in the world, is Japan.

[@belstar1128]

@@mihaiilie8808 that is bogus Greece was already unified many times before that time. and Bulgaria got conquered a bunch of times too.

[@dinofangzz]

Brilliant video, i loved your part about former-yugoslavia and appreciate the neutrality :)

[@BenLlywelyn]

You are welcome. Serbia in particular, most simply do not realise how many young men they lost in WW1.

[@dinofangzz]

@@BenLlywelyn and during WW2, around 700,000 is the estimate for the ustaše's genocide

[@paganpoet3]

Funny you use the Greek term "Ethnic" trying to find who is the oldest "Ethnos" in Europe! You must be really clever! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnos keep in mind that the last permafrost age started to retrat in central Europe 12.000 years ago. The first great society stractures was formed in Mesopotamia midle east and in Egypt around that time.. In Europe you can only be sure about the Greeks becose of their almost magical at the times language in WRITTEN FORM. That written form of documentation gave the power to form bureaucracies and state stractures. And almost everything else we know about other peoples in Europe at that time is due to that great invetion of a real aphabet.

[@mihaiilie8808]

Plovdiv city in Bulgaria is older than anything egyptian and anything greek. Plovdiv is the oldest city on Europe, its celtic and where the celtic coulture comes from. Almost all the rivers and mountains in Europe have celtic names. Vulgar latin also comes from the thracians as well as the Romans, the etruscans and the Trojans. Greeks, altough superior coulture, had much little influence.

[@paganpoet3]

@@mihaiilie8808 ...You mean "Philipoupolis"... "Older than Egyptians"???? good luck with that one...! Again the only things historians are 100% SURE about the city you are mention here as Plovdiv (aka Philipoupolis) is THROUGHT THE GREEK HISTORIANS. We are not talking here about the olldest city somewhere in Europe. Here we are talking about States and nations. In order to have a concept of a nation or a concept of a state YOU NEED FIRST TO HAVE A FORM OF WRITTEN LANGUAGE... Written language. And the only infos historians have about ethnic groups and states ARE ALMOST 100% FROM GREEK CLASICAL HISTORIANS. If you have any other WRITTEN INFORMATION about people and coultures at that time please don't waste your time here go to claim YOUR NOBEL PRIZE IN ARCHEOLOGY. TY.

[@mihaiilie8808]

@@paganpoet3 Greeks asked the locals the name of the river in my city, wich is Buzau. The greeks couldnt spell the letter Z and they wrote Mousaios instead of Buzau. That doesnt mean the river is in Greece or that greeks lived here. And read about Plovdiv. Its trully older than anything egyptian, anything greek and even older than Jerusalem. Ending the name of the city in div dava is celtic thracian.

[@paganpoet3]

@@mihaiilie8808 ..."The greeks couldnt spell the letter Z"... Greeks literaly invented the alphabet you use today in your language. But they can't spell the letter "z"... Do you speak Greek? No you don't. We are not talking here about the olldest city somewhere in Europe. Here we are talking about States and nations. In order to have a concept of a nation or a concept of a state YOU NEED FIRST TO HAVE A FORM OF WRITTEN LANGUAGE... What part of those words you don't get? You can find older traces of people in caves date back 100.000 years. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT "NATIONS" AND "STATES"... PLOVDIV WAS A "NATION" OR A "STATE"?

[@mihaiilie8808]

​@@paganpoet3Plovdiv is the thracian city and these thracians are the ancestors of all the celts. Romanian getae ( wich are thracian) spread the language into India and sanscrit comes from romanian language. Thats why all europe has celtic river names, celtic mountain names. Thracian coulture, its way older than greek coulture and greeks actually were just merchants from Egypt that the thracians let to settle in Europe.

[@Mr-__-Sy]

are Basques older than sea people, because if not than it'll be Sardinia

[@BenLlywelyn]

Sardinia has very old history, and DNA, and the romance language there is very conservative.

[@KFP_Prophet]

The oldest European nation is Israel, they're in Eurovision so they count and they controlled their homeland 10 bajillion and a half years ago.

[@BenLlywelyn]

Maybe not 10 billion. 4,000 years ago, certainly.

[@mihaiilie8808]

Plovdiv city is older than Jerusalem and thracian coulture its the oldest,older than anything greek or egyptian.

[@mawkernewek]

@@BenLlywelyn depends on your interpretation of the book of Genesis

[@evladifat6322]

Interesting fact 2: IYON SEA in Albanian means OUR SEA. Written as I JON; seperate and with "j" letter instead of "y" (J=Y). Read as "iyon". I JON=our; DET = sea On Google: DET I JON = OUR SEA Everyone who knows Albanian know that.

[@Notme17111]

Made up etmyologies not true, however Albanian is an old language.

[@evladifat6322]

@@Notme17111 This is a meaning that everyone who can speak Albanian can understand. That is a really interesting coincidence. There are more. I wrote it to make people who are engaged woth this area to pay more attention to Albanian.

[@euphoriaggaminghd]

@@Notme17111 nice coincidence that albanian is old but these etymologies are made up haha

[@user-iv3gd2lu9i]

Nazione o stato?

[@BenLlywelyn]

Infatti.

[@EmmanuelSavvi]

We don't speak about the oldest state of Europe but for the oldest nation. So that is Greece 🇬🇷

[@BenLlywelyn]

Basques may have a word. :)

[@stanvanev109]

He speaks about a community of people inhabiting a defined territory and organized under an independent government; a sovereign political state with the same name for the whole period of existance. This is the definition of nation. In this sense, Greece is a state since 1822, when The FIRST hellenic republic was created.

[@Hector-dk8iy]

@@stanvanev109 In this sense Bulgaria may have a point but that medieval bulgarian state colapsed in 11th century. The second Bulgarian state 12th - 14th century was a conglomerate of people.

[@stanvanev109]

Its people were still Bulgarians like in the later Third Bulgarian state. All Bulgarian states had always the name Bulgaria. Did you get it? 😂

[@Hector-dk8iy]

@@stanvanev109 I get it but you are describing a civic nation under a political entity. The debate still remains. Is the nation formed before or after the state? Bulgars existed prior their state but not in Balkans. Paleobalkanic nations or peoples (call it as you want) that remained untill nowdays are only two: Albanians either descending from Illyrians or from Daco-Mysians and Greeks.

[@tomejovanoski7862]

Serbia of course

[@BenLlywelyn]

:)

[@HeiseiGojilEdits]

Greece

[@Hermanubis1]

You are working hard to be a gatekeeper. So hard.

[@australiaprisonisland9156]

The oldest nation is not Albania but the oldest language is Gheg Albanian. Why because Nephilim litterally means 'in the beginning.'

[@BenLlywelyn]

We simply don,'t know how old Albanian is.

[@ovidiuswatart]

romania

[@logotec]

Genetic studies have proven that 70% of the Sardinians are still related to their ancestors who came to the island around 12.000 years ago. That would make them by far the oldest "nation" in Europe. Of course, Basques have a strong claim too, because their language is not indoeuropean, but they aren't as genetically homogeneous as Sardinians. And yes, Sardinia is a "failed nation".... Apart from that, Sardinia has a very distinct and ancient culture and had its hey-day during the bronze age (--> nuragic culture) and the Sardinians may have been one of the sea people (sherden) around 1200 BC. Being an island, it is inherently genetically and culturally conservative. After the Eastern Roman Empire wasn't able to control the island anymore, it developed 4 indipendent reigns (-> giudicati) that remained for a very long time. The last of the indipendent Sardinian kingdoms was defeated by the Kingdom of Aragon (1409) and the island lost it's indipendence ever since.

[@asiersanz8941]

I am Basque, and we have always mix up with different peoples, but keeping our language and culture. Btw, I did a DNA test and it happened that I am 24% sardinian!

[@logotec]

@@asiersanz8941, we’re probably related:-) Yes, “Sardinian” is a separate distinctive genetic category because it retained the characteristics of the early Europeans before the advent of the Yamnaya culture

[@asiersanz8941]

@@logotec I did know it. A very interesting heritage, the nuraghs... In our case take into account our geographical situation. We are between two big states and in a place of passage...it's a mistery how we survive.

[@logotec]

@@asiersanz8941, yes, quite frankly fascinating. Sardinian (in it's logudorese variant) is considered the romance language which is closest to latin. However, modern Sardinian dialects retain many toponyms and also words that are neither Latin nor Cartaginian but derive from an ancient language that was spoken on the island before the Cartaginian and Roman conquest. Some linguist believe that some of these words could be related to basque words, others see similarities with semitic languages (accadian). It's difficult to assess what the nature of the language was which was spoken in the bronze age and early iron age was... In any case it was radically different from Latin

[@asiersanz8941]

@@logotec So interesting, my friend. I thought sardinian was closely related to corsican as well.

[@paulinmargariti8365]

Albania Grecce Armenia They're the oldiest in the world There are no other glory ILLYRIA 🇦🇱💪

[@BenLlywelyn]

No bias.

[@aokiaoki4238]

Protochronism theories 😂

[@giannisstamys9080]

Pelasgi..... leleges..... If you now the camp of ogigos... 15000 bc .

[@veronicalogotheti1162]

Europe is grekoroman

[@BenLlywelyn]

Finland.

[@aokiaoki4238]

​@@BenLlywelynFinland Is not European

[@user-or2dt8de3l]

Take ya meds boy

[@BenLlywelyn]

Vitamin B is good for hair.

[@cgabriel777]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucuteni%E2%80%93Trypillia_culture. "The Cucuteni-Trypillia culture, also known as the Cucuteni culture or the Trypillia culture, is a Neolithic-Chalcolithic archaeological culture (c. 5500 to 2750 BC) of Southeast Europe. It extended from the Carpathian Mountains to the Dniester and Dnieper regions, centered on modern-day Moldova and covering substantial parts of western Ukraine and northeastern Romania, encompassing an area of 350,000 km2 (140,000 sq mi), with a diameter of 500 km (300 mi; roughly from Kyiv in the northeast to Brașov in the southwest)."

[@Hermanubis1]

He has shown his colours everyone. He is a Franz Boasian anti-nationalist. Waiting for him to use sapir whorf ideas of language any second now hahaha.

[@UltimaGaina]

"That" Bulgaria was in fact a Bulgar Empire, not Bulgarian. The Bulgars were not Slavs, but a Turkic tribe who conquered the Slavic and Romanized Thracian peoples in the Balkans. The Bulgar elites were absorbed into the pre-existing gene pool and Slavicized. This is why today's Bulgarians have almost no trace of the Asian Bulgars' DNA in their genes.

[@stanvanev109]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 What does it mean Българи ( Bu:lgari) in Bulgarian, or Bulgari in Italian, or Bulgares in French, or Bulgaros in Spanish 🤣🤣🤣 Get a proper education somewhere :) And who told you that the Bulgars were Turkic tribe 🤣🤣? When you claim such bullshits you must have the knowledge to explain your statement 😄 Statements, based on ghost words and random guesses are not history. Tell us " educated boy" do you have any idea when the ethnonym Turk is historically documantated for first time and when the ethnonym Bulgar is historically documantated for first time 🤣🤣🤣