Damascus

City · 2,001 BCE · in the Middle East

Capital of Umayyad Caliphate (661–744), Zengid dynasty (1139–1250), French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon (1923–1945), and 4 more.

Uplistsikhe (2,001 BCE – 740 CE): Capital of Principality of Iberia (682–740).
Itjtawy (c. 2,000–1,782 BCE): Capital of Middle Kingdom of Egypt (2000 BCE–1782 BCE).
Carchemish (1,901–901 BCE): Capital of Assyria (1800 BCE–901 BCE).
Babylon (2,201 BCE – 1 CE): Capital of Babylonia (1800 BCE–601 BCE), Neo-Babylonian Empire (600 BCE–539 BCE), Achaemenid Empire (550 BCE–330 BCE).
Harran (c. 1,800 BCE): Capital of Assyria (1800 BCE–901 BCE), Umayyad Caliphate (744–750).
Nimrud (c. 1,800–612 BCE): Capital of Assyria (1800 BCE–901 BCE).
Nineveh (c. 1,800–612 BCE): Capital of Assyria (1800 BCE–901 BCE).
Dur-Sharrukin (c. 1,800–605 BCE): Capital of Assyria (1800 BCE–901 BCE).
Tell Leilan (c. 1,800–901 BCE): Capital of Assyria (1800 BCE–901 BCE).
Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta (c. 1,800–901 BCE): Capital of Assyria (1800 BCE–901 BCE).

Around the same time and place

Eridu (c. 5,400–600 BCE): Regarded by the Sumerians as the first city; its temple to the god Enki was rebuilt many times from the Ubaid period onward.
Uruk (c. 5,000 BCE – c. 700 CE): Sumerian city on the Euphrates that by about 3100 BCE was probably the largest city in the world, centre of the first urban civilization.
Minoan civilization (c. 3,000–1,100 BCE): Bronze Age civilization centred on Crete, known for palace complexes such as Knossos, vivid frescoes and the undeciphered Linear A script.
Thebes (3,200–801 BCE): Capital of Middle Kingdom of Egypt (2000 BCE–1782 BCE), New Kingdom of Egypt (1500 BCE–801 BCE).
Tyre (2,750–501 BCE): Capital of Phoenicia (1150 BCE–501 BCE).
Assur (2,500–609 BCE): Capital of Assyria (1800 BCE–901 BCE), Neo-Assyrian Empire (900 BCE–609 BCE).
Karnak temple complex (c. 1,971 BCE): A vast temple complex at Thebes dedicated chiefly to the god Amun, begun in the Middle Kingdom under Senusret I and expanded by pharaohs for some two thousand years.