Seoul

=== Early history ===
Settlement of the [[Han River (Korea)|Han River]] area, where present-day Seoul is located, began around 4000 BC.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/534948/Seoul/24023/Cultural-life#toc24024|title=Seoul|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=7 February 2014|archive-date=22 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222100436/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/534948/Seoul/24023/Cultural-life#toc24024|url-status=live}}</ref>

Seoul is first recorded as Wiryeseong, the capital of [[Baekje]] (founded in 18 BC) in the northeastern area of modern Seoul.<ref name="Britannica"/> There are several city walls remaining in the area that date from this time. [[Pungnaptoseong]], an earthen wall located southeast Seoul, is widely believed to have been at the main Wiryeseong site.<ref name="toseong">{{cite web|url=http://m.visitseoul.net/en/m/article/article.do?_method=view&m&p=02&menu=0004003002017&art_id=535&searchLoca&searchTheme=0002000001003&flag&searchType|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140222005911/http://m.visitseoul.net/en/m/article/article.do?_method=view&m&p=02&menu=0004003002017&art_id=535&searchLoca&searchTheme=0002000001003&flag&searchType|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 February 2014|title=Pungnap-toseong (Earthen Ramparts)|publisher=[[Seoul Metropolitan Government]]|access-date=7 February 2014}}</ref> As the Three Kingdoms competed for this strategic region, control passed from Baekje to [[Goguryeo]] in the 5th century.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LjgsBgAAQBAJ&q=three+kingdoms+korea|title=History Of Korea|date=12 November 2012|isbn=9781136166983|author1=Tennant|publisher=Routledge |archive-date=10 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010214851/https://books.google.com/books?id=LjgsBgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=three+kingdoms+korea|url-status=live}}</ref>

However, according to Samguk Sagi, both Baekje and Silla described the land as frontier border of Baekje, not as the capital region.<ref name="Samguk Sagi Silla Jinheung 19">{{Cite web |title=Samguk Sagi Silla Jinheung 19 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0040_0190 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122045955/https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0040_0190 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Samguk Sagi Baekje Seong 19">{{Cite web |title=Samguk Sagi Baekje Seong 19 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_026_0060_0190 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122045942/https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_026_0060_0190 |url-status=live }}</ref> Moreover, Jinheung Taewang Stele found at current day [[Bukhansan]] tells that the place was underdeveloped as of 6th century AD,<ref name="Jinheung Taewang Stele Seoul">{{Cite web |title=Monument on Bukhansan Mountain Commemorating the Border Inspection by King Jinheung of Silla |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_003_0010_0090_0020&oneLevelId=gskh_003_0010_0090_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_003_0010_0090_0030 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122050003/https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_003_0010_0090_0020&oneLevelId=gskh_003_0010_0090_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_003_0010_0090_0030 |url-status=live }}</ref> suggesting that the first capital Wiryeseong was not located in or nearby Seoul.

In July or August 553, [[Silla]] took the control of the region from Baekje, and the city became a part of newly established Sin Province ({{Korean|hangul=신주|hanja=新州|labels=no}}).<ref name="Samguk Sagi Silla Jinheung 19"/><ref name="Samguk Sagi Baekje Seong 19"/> Sin (新) has both meaning of "New" and "Silla", thus literally means New Silla Province.

In November 555, Jinheung Taewang made royal visit to Bukhansan, and inspected the borderline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samguk Sagi Silla Jinheung 24 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0040_0240 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122090207/https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0040_0240 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 557, Silla abolished Sin Province, and established Bukhansan Province ({{Korean|hangul=북한산주|hanja=北漢山州|labels=no}}).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samguk Sagi Silla Jinheung 28 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0040_0280 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122050001/https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0040_0280 |url-status=live }}</ref> The word Hanseong ({{Korean|hangul=한성|hanja=漢城|labels=no|lit=Han Fortress}}) appears on the stone wall of "Pyongyang Fortress", which was presumably built in the mid to late 6th century AD over period of 42 years, located in Pyongyang, while there is no evidence that Seoul had name Hanseong dating the three kingdoms and earlier period.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pyongyang Fortress Stone 1 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_001_0030_0020_0020&oneLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0020_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0020_0030 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122074047/https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_001_0030_0020_0020&oneLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0020_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0020_0030 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pyongyang Fortress Stone 2 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0030&oneLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0030_0030 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122074047/https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0030&oneLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0030_0030 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pyongyang Fortress Stone 3 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0030&oneLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0040_0030 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122074045/https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0030&oneLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0040_0030 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pyongyang Fortress Stone 4 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0030&oneLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0030 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122033727/https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0030&oneLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0050_0030 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pyongyang Fortress Stone 6 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_001_0030_0070_0030&oneLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0070_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0070_0030 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122074045/https://db.history.go.kr/item/compareVerticalViewer.do?levelId=gskh_001_0030_0070_0030&oneLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0070_0020&otherLevelId=gskh_001_0030_0070_0030 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 568, Jinheung Taewang made another royal visit to the northern border, visited Hanseong, and stayed in Namcheon on his way back to the capital. During his stay, he set Jinheung Taewang Stele, abolished Bukhansan Province, and established Namcheon Province (남천주; 南川州; South River Province), appointing the city as the provincial capital.<ref name="Jinheung Taewang Stele Seoul"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Samguk Sagi Silla Jinheung 45 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0040_0450 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122045941/https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0040_0450 |url-status=live }}</ref> Based on the naming system, the actual name of Han River during this time was likely Namcheon (Nam River) itself or should have the word ending with "cheon" (천; 川) not "gang" (강; 江) nor "su" (수; 水). In addition, "Bukhansan" Jinheung Stele clearly states that Silla had possession of Hanseong (modern day [[Pyongyang]]), thus Bukhansan has to be located north of Hanseong. Modern day Pyongyang was not Pyongyang, [[Taedong River]] was likely Han River, and Bukhansan was not Bukhansan during the three kingdoms period.<ref name="Jinheung Taewang Stele Seoul"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=22 January 2013 |title="고구려 수도 평양은 북한땅에 없었다" |url=https://shindonga.donga.com/3/all/13/111825/1 |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=신동아 |language=ko |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122055048/https://shindonga.donga.com/3/all/13/111825/1 |url-status=live }}</ref> Moreover, Pyongyang was a common noun meaning capital used by Goguryeo and Goryeo dynasties, similar to Seoul.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 July 2016 |title=고대 평양은 지금의 평양이 아니다 |url=http://www.ikoreanspirit.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=47046 |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=K스피릿 |language=ko |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122062318/http://www.ikoreanspirit.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=47046 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 603, Goguryeo attacked Bukhansanseong (북한산성; 北漢山城; Bukhan Mountain Fortress), which Silla ended up winning.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samguk Sagi Silla Jinpyeong 30 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0060_0300 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122101657/https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0060_0300 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Samguk Sagi Goguryeo Yeongyang 15 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_020_0020_0150 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122101658/https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_020_0020_0150 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 604, Silla abolished Namcheon Province, and reestablished Bukhansan Province in order to strengthen the northern border. The city lost its provincial capital position and was put under Bukhansan Province once again.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samguk Sagi Silla Jinpyeong 32 |url=https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0060_0320 |website=[[National Institute of Korean History]] |access-date=22 January 2023 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122051026/https://db.history.go.kr/item/oldBookViewer.do?levelId=sg_004_0060_0320 |url-status=live }}</ref> This further proves that Bukhansan was located in the North of modern-day Pyongyang as changing the provincial name and objective would not be required if Bukhansan was located within Seoul.

In the 11th century [[Goryeo]], which succeeded [[Unified Silla]], built a summer palace in Seoul, which was referred to as the "Southern Capital". It was only from this period that Seoul became a larger settlement.<ref name="Britannica"/>