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Ancient History Timeline
4.5 billion 600 B.C. World History
Ra, Egyptian
Sun God
(30002000 B.C.)
The Great Pyramid at Giza
(c. 2680 B.C.)
Stonehenge (c. 30001500 B.C.)
4.5 billion B.C.Planet Earth formed. 3 billion B.C.First signs of primeval life (bacteria and blue-green algae) appear in oceans. 600 million B.C.Earliest date to which fossils can be traced. 4.4 million B.C.Earliest known hominid fossils (Ardipithecus ramidus) found in Aramis, Ethiopia, 1994. 4.2 million B.C.Australopithecus anamensis found in Lake Turkana, Kenya, 1995. 3.2 million B.C.Australopithecus afarenis (nicknamed Lucy) found in Ethiopia, 1974. 2.5 million B.C.Homo habilis (Skillful Man). First brain expansion; is believed to have used stone tools. 1.8 million B.C.Homo erectus (Upright Man). Brain size twice that of Australopithecine species. 1.7 million B.C.Homo erectus leaves Africa. 100,000 B.C.First modern Homo sapiens in South Africa. 70,000 B.C.Neanderthal man (use of fire and advanced tools). 35,000 B.C.Neanderthal man replaced by later groups of Homo sapiens (i.e., Cro-Magnon man, etc.). 18,000 B.C.Cro-Magnons replaced by later cultures. 15,000 B.C.Migrations across Bering Straits into the Americas. 10,000 B.C.Semi-permanent agricultural settlements in Old World. 10,0004,000 B.C.Development of settlements into cities and development of skills such as the wheel, pottery, and improved methods of cultivation in Mesopotamia and elsewhere. 55003000 B.C.Predynastic Egyptian cultures develop (55003100 B.C.); begin using agriculture (c. 5000 B.C.). Earliest known civilization arises in Sumer (45004000 B.C.). Earliest recorded date in Egyptian calendar (4241 B.C.). First year of Jewish calendar (3760 B.C.). First phonetic writing appears (c. 3500 B.C.). Sumerians develop a city-state civilization (c. 3000 B.C.). Copper used by Egyptians and Sumerians. Western Europe is neolithic, without metals or written records. 30002000 B.C.Pharaonic rule begins in Egypt. King Khufu (Cheops), 4th dynasty (27002675 B.C.), completes construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza (c. 2680 B.C.). The Great Sphinx of Giza (c. 2540 B.C.) is built by King Khafre. Earliest Egyptian mummies. Papyrus. Phoenician settlements on coast of what is now Syria and Lebanon. Semitic tribes settle in Assyria. Sargon, first Akkadian king, builds Mesopotamian empire. The Gilgamesh epic (c. 3000 B.C.). Abraham leaves Ur (c. 2000 B.C.). Systematic astronomy in Egypt, Babylon, India, China. 30001500 B.C.The most ancient civilization on the Indian subcontinent, the sophisticated and extensive Indus Valley civilization, flourishes in what is today Pakistan. In Britain, Stonehenge erected according to some unknown astronomical rationale. Its three main phases of construction are thought to span c. 30001500 B.C. 20001500 B.C.Hyksos invaders drive Egyptians from Lower Egypt (17th century B.C.). Amosis I frees Egypt from Hyksos (c. 1600 B.C.). Assyrians rise to powercities of Ashur and Nineveh. Twenty-four-character alphabet in Egypt. Israelites enslaved in Egypt. Cuneiform inscriptions used by Hittites. Peak of Minoan culture on Isle of Creteearliest form of written Greek. Hammurabi, king of Babylon, develops oldest existing code of laws (18th century B.C.). 15001000 B.C.Ikhnaton develops monotheistic religion in Egypt (c. 1375 B.C.). His successor, Tutankhamen, returns to earlier gods. Moses leads Israelites out of Egypt into CanaanTen Commandments. Greeks destroy Troy (c. 1193 B.C.). End of Greek civilization in Mycenae with invasion of Dorians. Chinese civilization develops under Shang Dynasty. Olmec civilization in Mexicostone monuments; picture writing. 1000900 B.C.Solomon succeeds King David, builds Jerusalem temple. After Solomon\'s death, kingdom divided into Israel and Judah. Hebrew elders begin to write Old Testament books of Bible. Phoenicians colonize Spain with settlement at Cadiz. 900800 B.C.Phoenicians establish Carthage (c. 810 B.C.). The Iliad and the Odyssey, perhaps composed by Greek poet Homer. 800700 B.C.Prophets Amos, Hosea, Isaiah. First recorded Olympic games (776 B.C.). Legendary founding of Rome by Romulus (753 B.C.). Assyrian king Sargon II conquers Hittites, Chaldeans, Samaria (end of Kingdom of Israel). Earliest written music. Chariots introduced into Italy by Etruscans. 700600 B.C.End of Assyrian Empire (616 B.C.)Nineveh destroyed by Chaldeans (Neo-Babylonians) and Medes (612 B.C.). Founding of Byzantium by Greeks (c. 660 B.C.). Building of the Acropolis in Athens. Solon, Greek lawgiver (640560 B.C.). Sappho of Lesbos, Greek poet (fl. 610c. 580 B.C.). Lao-tse, Chinese philosopher and founder of Taoism (born c. 604 B.C.).
599 1 B.C. World History
Pythagoras
(c. 582c. 507 B.C.) 
Buddha
(c. 563c. 483 B.C.) 
Confucius(551479 B.C.) 
Parthenon(447432 B.C.)
Plato
(c. 427348 or 347 B.C.) 
Mayan Hieroglyphics
(c. 200 B.C.) 
Roman Aqueduct Montpellier, France
Pantheon in Rome(27 B.C.; c. A.D. 118128)
Christ 
Celtic Cross
600500 B.C.Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar builds empire, destroys Jerusalem (586 B.C.). Babylonian Captivity of the Jews (starting 587 B.C.). Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Cyrus the Great of Persia creates great empire, conquers Babylon (539 B.C.), frees the Jews. Athenian democracy develops. Aeschylus, Greek dramatist (525465 B.C.). Pythagoras, Greek philosopher and mathematician (c. 582c. 507 B.C.). Confucius (551479 B.C.) develops ethical and social philosophy in China. The Analects or Lun-y (collected sayings) are compiled by the second generation of Confucian disciples. Buddha (c. 563c. 483 B.C.) founds Buddhism in India. 500400 B.C.Greeks defeat Persians: battles of Marathon (490 B.C.), Thermopylae (480 B.C.), Salamis (480 B.C.). Peloponnesian Wars between Athens and Sparta (431404 B.C.)Sparta victorious. Pericles comes to power in Athens (462 B.C.). Flowering of Greek culture during the Age of Pericles (450400 B.C.). The Parthenon is built in Athens as a temple of the goddess Athena (447432 B.C.). Ictinus and Callicrates are the architects and Phidias is responsible for the sculpture. Sophocles, Greek dramatist (496c.406 B.C.). Hippocrates, Greek Father of Medicine (born 460 B.C.). Xerxes I, king of Persia (rules 485465 B.C.). 400300 B.C.Pentateuchfirst five books of the Old Testament evolve in final form. Philip of Macedon, who believed himself to be a descendant of the Greek people, assassinated (336 B.C.) after subduing the Greek city-states; succeeded by son, Alexander the Great (356323 B.C.), who destroys Thebes (335 B.C.), conquers Tyre and Jerusalem (332 B.C.), occupies Babylon (330 B.C.), invades India, and dies in Babylon. His empire is divided among his generals; one of them, Seleucis I, establishes Middle East empire with capitals at Antioch (Syria) and Seleucia (in Iraq). Trial and execution of Greek philosopher Socrates (399 B.C.). Dialogues recorded by his student, Plato (c. 427348 or 347 B.C.). Euclid\'s work on geometry (323 B.C.). Aristotle, Greek philosopher (384322 B.C.). Demosthenes, Greek orator (384322 B.C.). Praxiteles, Greek sculptor (400330 B.C.). 300251 B.C.First Punic War (264241 B.C.): Rome defeats the Carthaginians and begins its domination of the Mediterranean. Temple of the Sun at Teotihuacan, Mexico (c. 300 B.C.). Invention of Mayan calendar in Yucatnmore exact than older calendars. First Roman gladiatorial games (264 B.C.). Archimedes, Greek mathematician (287212 B.C.). 250201 B.C.Second Punic War (219201 B.C.): Hannibal, Carthaginian general (246142 B.C.), crosses the Alps (218 B.C.), reaches gates of Rome (211 B.C.), retreats, and is defeated by Scipio Africanus at Zama (202 B.C.). Great Wall of China built (c. 215 B.C.). 200151 B.C.Romans defeat Seleucid King Antiochus III at Thermopylae (191 B.C.)beginning of Roman world domination. Maccabean revolt against Seleucids (167 B.C.). 150101 B.C.Third Punic War (149146 B.C.): Rome destroys Carthage, killing 450,000 and enslaving the remaining 50,000 inhabitants. Roman armies conquer Macedonia, Greece, Anatolia, Balearic Islands, and southern France. Venus de Milo (c. 140 B.C.). Cicero, Roman orator (10643 B.C.). 10051 B.C.Julius Caesar (10044 B.C.) invades Britain (55 B.C.) and conquers Gaul (France) (c. 50 B.C.). Spartacus leads slave revolt against Rome (71 B.C.). Romans conquer Seleucid empire. Roman general Pompey conquers Jerusalem (63 B.C.). Cleopatra on Egyptian throne (5131 B.C.). Chinese develop use of paper (c. 100 B.C.). Virgil, Roman poet (7019 B.C.). Horace, Roman poet (658 B.C.). 501 B.C.Caesar crosses Rubicon to fight Pompey (50 B.C.). Herod made Roman governor of Judea (37 B.C.). Caesar murdered (44 B.C.). Caesar\'s nephew, Octavian, defeats Mark Antony and Cleopatra at Battle of Actium (31 B.C.), and establishes Roman empire as Emperor Augustusrules 27 B.C.A.D. 14. Pantheon built for the first time under Agrippa, 27 B.C. Ovid, Roman poet (43 B.C.A.D. 18).
Some Ancient Civilizations
Name
Approximate dates
Location
Major cities
Akkadian
23502230 B.C.
Mesopotamia, parts of
Syria, Asia Minor,
Iran
Akkad, Ur, Erich
Assyrian
1800889 B.C.
Mesopotamia, Syria
Assur, Nineveh,
Calah
Babylonian
17281686 B.C. (old)
625539 B.C. (new)
Mesopotamia, Syria,
Palestine
Babylon
Cimmerian
750500 B.C.
Caucasus, northern Asia
Minor
Egyptian
2850715 B.C.
Nile valley
Thebes, Memphis,
Tanis
Etruscan
900396 B.C.
Northern Italy
Greek
900200 B.C.
Greece
Athens, Sparta,
Thebes, Mycenae,
Corinth
Hittite
16401200 B.C.
Asia Minor, Syria
Hattusas, Nesa
Indus Valley
30001500 B.C.
Pakistan,
Northwestern India
Lydian
700547 B.C.
Western Asia Minor
Sardis, Miletus
Mede
835550 B.C.
Iran
Media
Minoan
30001100 B.C.
Crete
Knossos
Persian
559330 B.C.
Iran, Asia Minor, Syria
Persepolis,
Pasargadae
Phoenician
1100332 B.C.
Palestine (colonies:
Gibraltar, Carthage,
Sardinia)
Tyre, Sidon, Byblos
Phrygian
1000547 B.C.
Central Asia Minor
Gordion
Roman
500 B.C.A.D. 300
Italy, Mediterranean
region, Asia Minor,
western Europe
Rome, Byzantium
Scythian
800300 B.C.
Caucasus
Sumerian
32002360 B.C.
Mesopotamia
Ur, Nippur
1999 (A.D.) World History
Mayan Pyramid at
Chichn Itz
Japanese Pagoda
Viking Ship (c. 900)
149Birth of Jesus Christ (variously given from 4 B.C. to A.D. 7). After Augustus, Tiberius becomes emperor (dies, A.D. 37), succeeded by Caligula (assassinated, A.D. 41), who is followed by Claudius. Crucifixion of Jesus (probably A.D. 30). Han dynasty in China founded by Emperor Kuang Wu Ti. Buddhism introduced to China. 5099Claudius poisoned (A.D. 54), succeeded by Nero (commits suicide, A.D. 68). Missionary journeys of Paul the Apostle (A.D. 3460). Jews revolt against Rome; Jerusalem destroyed (A.D. 70). Roman persecutions of Christians begin (A.D. 64). Colosseum built in Rome (A.D. 7180). Trajan (rules A.D. 98116); Roman empire extends to Mesopotamia, Arabia, Balkans. First Gospels of St. Mark, St. John, St. Matthew. 100149Hadrian rules Rome (A.D. 117138); codifies Roman law, rebuilds Pantheon, establishes postal system, builds wall between England and Scotland. Jews revolt under Bar Kokhba (A.D. 122135); final Diaspora (dispersion) of Jews begins. 150199Marcus Aurelius rules Rome (A.D. 161180). Oldest Mayan temples in Central America (c. A.D. 200). 200249Goths invade Asia Minor (c. A.D. 220). Roman persecutions of Christians increase. Persian (Sassanid) empire re-established. End of Chinese Han dynasty. 250299Increasing invasions of the Roman empire by Franks and Goths. Buddhism spreads in China. Classic period of Mayan civilization (A.D. 250900); develop hieroglyphic writing, advances in art, architecture, science. 300349Constantine the Great (rules A.D. 312337) reunites eastern and western Roman empires, with new capital (Constantinople) on site of Byzantium (A.D. 330); issues Edict of Milan legalizing Christianity (A.D. 313); becomes a Christian on his deathbed (A.D. 337). Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) defines orthodox Christian doctrine. First Gupta dynasty in India (c. A.D. 320). 350399Huns (Mongols) invade Europe (c. A.D. 360). Theodosius the Great (rules A.D. 392395)last emperor of a united Roman empire. Roman empire permanently divided in A.D. 395: western empire ruled from Rome; eastern empire ruled from Constantinople. 400449Western Roman empire disintegrates under weak emperors. Alaric, king of the Visigoths, sacks Rome (A.D. 410). Attila, Hun chieftain, attacks Roman provinces (A.D. 433). St. Patrick returns to Ireland (A.D. 432) and brings Christianity to the island. St. Augustine\'s City of God (A.D. 411). 450499Vandals destroy Rome (A.D. 455). Western Roman empire ends as Odoacer, German chieftain, overthrows last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, and becomes king of Italy (A.D. 476). Ostrogothic kingdom of Italy established by Theodoric the Great (A.D. 493). Clovis, ruler of the Franks, is converted to Christianity (A.D. 496). First schism between western and eastern churches (A.D. 484). 500549Eastern and western churches reconciled (519). Justinian I, the Great (483565), becomes Byzantine emperor (527), issues his first code of civil laws (529), conquers North Africa, Italy, and part of Spain. Plague spreads through Europe (542 et seq.). Arthur, semi-legendary king of the Britons (killed, c. 537). Bothius, Roman scholar (executed, 524). 550599Beginnings of European silk industry after Justinian\'s missionaries smuggle silkworms out of China (553). Mohammed, founder of Islam (570632). Buddhism in Japan (c. 560). St. Augustine of Canterbury brings Christianity to Britain (597). After killing about half the population, plague in Europe subsides (594). 600649Mohammed flees from Mecca to Medina (the Hegira); first year of the Muslim calendar (622). Muslim empire grows (634). Arabs conquer Jerusalem (637), destroy Alexandrian library (641), conquer Persians (641). Fatima, Mohammed\'s daughter (606632). 650699Arabs attack North Africa (670), destroy Carthage (697). Venerable Bede, English monk (672735). 700749Arab empire extends from Lisbon to China (by 716). Charles Martel, Frankish leader, defeats Arabs at Tours/Poitiers, halting Arab advance in Europe (732). Charlemagne (742814). Introduction of pagodas in Japan from China. 750799Charlemagne becomes king of the Franks (771). Caliph Harun al-Rashid rules Arab empire (786809): the golden age of Arab culture. Vikings begin attacks on Britain (790), land in Ireland (795). City of Machu Picchu flourishes in Peru. 800849Charlemagne crowned first Holy Roman Emperor in Rome (800). Charlemagne dies (814), succeeded by his son, Louis the Pious, who divides France among his sons (817). Arabs conquer Crete, Sicily, and Sardinia (826827). 850899Norsemen attack as far south as the Mediterranean but are thwarted (859), discover Iceland (861). Alfred the Great becomes king of Britain (871), defeats Danish invaders (878). Russian nation founded by Vikings under Prince Rurik, establishing capital at Novgorod (855879). 900949Beginning of Mayan Post-Classical period (9001519). Vikings discover Greenland (c. 900). Arab Spain under Abd ar-Rahman III becomes center of learning (912961). Otto I becomes King of Germany (936). 950999Mieczyslaw I becomes first ruler of Poland (960). Eric the Red establishes first Viking colony in Greenland (982). Hugh Capet elected King of France in 987; Capetian dynasty to rule until 1328. Musical notation systematized (c. 990). Vikings and Danes attack Britain (988999). Otto I crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope John XII (962). |
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