Who's the oldest?

[Evenstar1]

My point, though, is that there are many older things than Treebeard in Middle Earth but they do not 'walk under the sun'. Bombadil is older but is unique in not truly existing on Middle Earth in quite the same way as anything else. Balrogs and first-born creatures and all sorts of Morgothian monsters are also older than Treebeard, IMHO.

Interesting point, Rimbaud. It made me stop and consider whether spirits -- or those who could possibly be argued to be spirits -- (i.e. Ainur, Maiar, Bombadil, etc.) could legitimately have the label of "oldest," "older," etc. because these names imply the concept/restriction of Time. The Ainur, for instance, existed outside of the boundaries of Time, not entering into it until they descended to Middle Earth and became Valar. And even then, the concept of "death" could never have been applied to them, so would Time even have mattered (to them, at least)? Am I completely off-base with this line of reasoning?