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10,000 BCE
Neolithic Revolution
Agricultural revolution. Hunting and gathering -> farming. -
4500 BCE
Sumerian Civilization
Known for their innovations in language, governance, architecture and more, Sumerians are considered the creators of civilization as modern humans understand it. -
Period: 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE
Harappan Civilization
The Harappans are known for developing the first accurate system of standardized weights and measures. -
Period: 3150 BCE to 323 BCE
Ancient Egypt
Egypt is very famous for its ancient civilization and the monuments of the majestic pharaohs, such as the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx. They made great technological advancements. They also created hieroglyphics. -
Period: 2000 BCE to 1500 BCE
Aryan Invasion of India
The Aryans created ancient Hinduism, or Vedicism, in India. -
Period: 2000 BCE to 1600 BCE
Hammurabi´s Babylon
Hammurabi, the ruler of Babylon, is best known for the development of a code of laws known as the Code of Hammurabi, which was used to regulate Mesopotamian society. -
Period: 1200 BCE to 1150 BCE
The Bronze Age Collapse
Societal collapse (also known as civilizational collapse) is the fall of a complex human society characterized by the loss of cultural identity and of socioeconomic complexity, the downfall of government, and the rise of violence. -
Period: 1150 BCE to 587 BCE
Ancient Israel
Jewish monotheism has had both universalistic and particularistic features. Along universal lines, it has affirmed a God who created and rules the entire world and who at the end of history will redeem all Israel (the classical name for the Jewish people), all humankind, and indeed the whole world. -
Period: 1100 BCE to 200 BCE
The Phoenician Golden Age
They are famed for their commercial and maritime prowess and are recognized as having established harbors, trading posts and settlements throughout the Mediterranean basin. -
Period: 911 BCE to 609 BCE
The Neo-Assyrian Empire
Known for their incredible military strength, technological innovation, and sophisticated government, the Neo-Assyrians created the largest empire the world had seen at that time. Several important kings led the empire to great success, exemplified by the magnificent palaces built during their reigns. -
Period: 814 BCE to 146 BCE
Ancient Carthage
Its name means “new city” or “new town.” Before the rise of ancient Rome, Carthage was the most powerful city in the region because of its proximity to trade routes and its impressive harbor on the Mediterranean. At the height of its power, Carthage was the center of the Phoenician trade network. -
Period: 800 BCE to 146 BCE
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece was known for the concept of democracy and sophisticated architecture. It was the home to many major philosophers that have influenced modern cultures. -
701 BCE
The Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
In 701 BC, the Assyrian emperor Sennacherib besieged the city of Jerusalem. -
Period: 626 BCE to 539 BCE
Neo-Babylonian Empire
The Neo-Babylonians are most famous for their architecture, notably at their capital city, Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar (604-561 B.C.E.) largely rebuilt this ancient city including its walls and seven gates. ... Though mentioned by ancient Greek and Roman writers, the "Hanging Gardens" may, in fact, be legendary. -
Period: 600 BCE to 101 BCE
Spartan Oligarchy
An oligarchy is a small group that has power over the masses. Sparta was an oligarchy. The state was ruled by two hereditary kings of the Agiad and Eurypontid families, both supposedly descendants of Heracles and equal in authority, so that one could not act against the power and political enactments of his colleague. -
Period: 563 BCE to 483 BCE
Siddartha Gautama
Gautama started the religion of Buddhism, which is extremely predomiant in south Asia. -
Period: 550 BCE to 330 BCE
The Persian (Archaemenid) Empire
The Persians were the first people to establish regular routes of communication between three continents—Africa, Asia and Europe. They built many new roads and developed the world's first postal service. -
Period: 510 BCE to 27 BCE
The Roman Republic
One of the innovations of the Roman Republic was the notion of equality under the law. In 449 B.C.E., government leaders carved some of Rome's most important laws into 12 great tablets. The Twelve Tables, as they came to be known, were the first Roman laws put in writing. -
Period: 508 BCE to 322 BCE
Athenian Democracy
In a pure democracy, laws are made directly by the voting majority leaving the rights of the minority largely unprotected. In a republic, laws are made by representatives chosen by the people and must comply with a constitution that specifically protects the rights of the minority from the will of the majority -
Period: 498 BCE to 448 BCE
The Greco-Persian Wars
The Greco-Persian Wars were a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire and Greek city-states that started in 499 BC and lasted until 449 BC. -
480 BCE
The batter of Thermopylae
The Persian victory at Thermopylae allowed for Xerxes' passage into southern Greece, which expanded the Persian empire even further. Today the Battle of Thermopylae is celebrated as an example of heroic persistence against seemingly impossible odds. -
Period: 431 BCE to 405 BCE
The Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War was an ancient Greek war fought between the Delian League, which was led by Athens; and the Peloponnesian League, which was led by Sparta. Sparta won. -
Period: 400 BCE to 461
The Celts
The start date of this event is when the Celts had settled across Europe and the end date is when the Irish, one of the last independent Celtic groups, were converted to Christianity by St. Patrick. The Celts were the largest group in ancient Europe. The Celts once extended far beyond the British Isles. With territory stretching from Spain to the Black Sea, the Celts were geographically the largest group of people to inhabit ancient Europe. Druids are an example of these peoples. -
Period: 336 BCE to 323 BCE
Conquests of Alexander the Great
Although king of ancient Macedonia for less than 13 years, Alexander the Great changed the course of history. One of the world's greatest military generals, he created a vast empire that stretched from Macedonia to Egypt and from Greece to part of India. This allowed for Hellenistic culture to become widespread. -
Period: 322 BCE to 185 BCE
The Mauryan Empire
The Mauryan Empire was the largest ancient empire of india. Chandragupta Maurya established the Mauryan dynasty which is the largest empire in Indian history. King Ashoka is considered to be one of the greates ruler of India. -
Period: 305 BCE to 30 BCE
The Ptolemaic Empire
In 305 BC, Ptolemy took the title of King. As Ptolemy I Soter ("Saviour"), he founded the Ptolemaic dynasty that was to rule Egypt for nearly 300 years. Hellenistic Alexandria was best known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; its Great Library (the largest in the ancient world); and the Necropolis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. -
Period: 300 BCE to 900
Mayan Civilization
The Maya peoples are noted for its logosyllabic script—the most sophisticated and highly developed writing system in pre-Columbian Americas—as well as for its art, architecture, mathematics, calendar, and astronomical system. -
Period: 264 BCE to 241 BCE
The First Punic War
The First Punic War (264–241 BC) was the first of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage. The Romans won. -
Period: 221 BCE to 206 BCE
Qin Dynasty
The Qin empire is known for its engineering marvels, including a complex system of over 4,000 miles of road and one superhighway, the Straight Road, which ran for about 500 miles along the Ziwu Mountain range and is the pathway on which materials for the Great Wall of China were transported. -
Period: 218 BCE to 202 BCE
The Second Punic War
The Second Punic War, which lasted from 218 to 201 BC, was the second of three wars fought between Carthage and Rome. The Romans won. -
Period: 202 BCE to 220
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty is known for its long reign and its achievements, which included the development of the civil service and government structure; scientific advancements such as the invention of paper, use of water clocks and sundials to measure time, and development of a seismograph. -
Period: 167 BCE to 160 BCE
The Maccabean Revolt
The Maccabean Revolt was a Jewish rebellion, lasting from 167 to 160 BCE, led by the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire and the Hellenistic influence on Jewish life. After Antiochus IV issued his decrees forbidding Jewish religious practice, a rural Jewish priest from Modiin, Mattathias the Hasmonean, sparked the revolt against the Seleucid Empire by refusing to worship the Greek gods. -
Period: 149 BCE to 146 BCE
The Third Punic War
Rome and Carthage battled again. Rome destroyed Carthage and salted the Earth so nothing could grow again. -
Period: 134 BCE to 44 BCE
The Crisis of the Roman Republic
The crisis of the Roman Republic refers to an extended period of political instability and social unrest from about 134 BC to 44 BC that culminated in the demise of the Roman Republic and the advent of the Roman Empire. -
Period: 130 BCE to 1453
The Silk Road
The Silk Road was and is a network of trade routes connecting the East and West; from the 2nd century BCE to the 18th century CE. It was central to the economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between these regions. -
Period: 69 BCE to 30 BCE
Cleopatra
Why is Cleopatra famous? While queen of Egypt (51–30 BCE), Cleopatra actively influenced Roman politics at a crucial period and was especially known for her relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She came to represent, as did no other woman of antiquity, the prototype of the romantic femme fatale. -
Period: 63 BCE to 14
Augustus Caesar
Caesar Augustus was one of ancient Rome's most successful leaders who led the transformation of Rome from a republic to an empire. During his reign, Augustus restored peace and prosperity to the Roman state and changed nearly every aspect of Roman life. The Pax Romana is a roughly 200-year-long timespan of Roman history which is identified as a period and golden age of increased as well as sustained Roman imperialism, order, and prosperous stability. -
30 BCE
Crucifixion of Jesus
The Easter holiday commemorates this event. -
Period: 27 BCE to 476
The Roman Empire
Governing the Empire. In order to control their large empire, the Romans developed important ideas about law and government. They developed the best army in the world at that time, and ruled by force. They had fine engineering, and built roads, cities, and outstanding buildings. -
4 BCE
The Birth of Jesus Christ
Christmas commemorates this event. -
1 BCE
The Traditional Date for the Birth of Christ
This event is at the center of the BC/AD timeline because BC stands for "before Christ" and AD stands for "anno domini" which means "in the year of our lord". -
Period: 284 to 305
The Tetrarchy
Diocletian formed the Tetrarchy as a solution to the unstable succession of Roman emperors in the third century. Originally from Dalmatia (modern Croatia), Diocletian came into full power in 285 CE and ruled the eastern half of the Empire. He established his comrade Maximian as responsible for Italy and the West. -
Period: 312 to 312
Battle of the Milivian Bridge
As the first Roman emperor to claim conversion to Christianity, Constantine played an influential role in the proclamation of the Edict of Milan in 313, which decreed tolerance for Christianity in the empire. He called the First Council of Nicaea in 325, at which the Nicene Creed was professed by Christians. -
Period: 320 to 543
The Gupta Empire
Gupta had developed advancements in Science, Engineering, art, dialectics, laterature, logic, mathematics, astronomy, religion, and philosophy. They were the first to use algebra, develop the idea of zero, and explain the concept of infinity.The golden age brought more knowledge including architects making amazing temples and structures. -
Period: 330 to 1453
The Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire influenced many cultures, primarily due to its role in shaping Christian Orthodoxy. The modern-day Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest Christian church in the world. Orthodoxy is central to the history and societies of Greece, Bulgaria, Russia, Serbia, and other countries. -
Period: 618 to 907
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty is considered a golden age of Chinese arts and culture. In power from 618 to 906 A.D., Tang China attracted an international reputation that spilled out of its cities and, through the practice of Buddhism, spread its culture across much of Asia. -
Period: 622 to 750
Spread of Islam
Islam spread through military conquest, trade, pilgrimage, and missionaries. Arab Muslim forces conquered vast territories and built imperial structures over time.Islam spread quickly because its lands were well governed and orderly. The rulers of Islamic lands were expected to rule their land fairly and some of their methods are very similar to ideas in the US government today. -
Period: 622 to 1258
The Islamic Golden Age
Scientists advanced the fields of algebra, calculus, geometry, chemistry, biology, medicine, and astronomy. Many forms of art flourished during the Islamic Golden Age, including ceramics, metalwork, textiles, illuminated manuscripts, woodwork, and calligraphy. -
Period: 768 to 899
The Carolingian Renaissance
Known as the Carolingian Renaissance, it ended the cultural stagnation of the Dark Age which had marred Europe for centuries and laid the foundation for the rise of the Western civilization.During this period, there was an increase of literature, writing, the arts, architecture, jurisprudence, liturgical reforms, and scriptural studies. -
Period: 793 to 1066
The Viking Age
The economic model states that the Viking Age was the result of growing urbanism and trade throughout mainland Europe. As the Islamic world grew, so did its trade routes, and the wealth which moved along them was pushed further and further north. -
Period: 801 to 1492
The Reconquista
The Reconquista was a centuries-long series of battles by Christian states to expel the Muslims (Moors), who from the 8th century ruled most of the Iberian Peninsula.This ushered the end of religious tolerance on the Iberian Peninsula, which led to the exile and death of Jews and Muslims. The Reconquista ends with the rendition of Granada by Boabdil, the Christians control the Iberian Peninsula. -
Period: 960 to 1279
Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty is particularly noted for the great artistic achievements that it encouraged and, in part, subsidized. The Bei Song dynasty at Bianjing had begun a renewal of Buddhism and of literature and the arts. The greatest poets and painters in the empire were in attendance at court. -
1066
The Norman Conquest
The conquest saw the Norman elite replace that of the Anglo-Saxons and take over the country's lands, the Church was restructured, a new architecture was introduced in the form of motte and bailey castles and Romanesque cathedrals, feudalism became much more widespread, and the English language spread to new parts of the country. -
Period: 1096 to 1291
The Crusades
The Crusades were a series of military campaigns organised by Christian powers in order to retake Jerusalem and the Holy Land back from Muslim control. An estimated 90,000 men, women, and children of all classes were persuaded by political and religious leaders to participate in the First Crusade (1095-1102 CE). -
Period: 1235 to
The Mali Empire
During the 9th century, Muslim Berber and Tuareg merchants brought Islam southward into West Africa. ... Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim who was reported to have built various major mosques throughout the Mali sphere of influence; his gold-laden pilgrimage to Mecca made him a well-known figure in the historical record. -
Period: 1325 to 1521
The Aztec Empire (Triple Alliance)
The Aztecs were famous for their agriculture, cultivating all available land, introducing irrigation, draining swamps, and creating artificial islands in the lakes. They developed a form of hieroglyphic writing, a complex calendar system, and built famous pyramids and temples. -
Period: 1346 to 1353
The Black Death (Bubonic Plague)
It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causing the death of 75–200 million people in Eurasia and North Africa, peaking in Europe from 1347 to 1351. Bubonic plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, but it may also cause septicaemic or pneumonic plagues. -
Period: 1368 to
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644 A.D., during which China's population would double. Known for its trade expansion to the outside world that established cultural ties with the West, the Ming Dynasty is also remembered for its drama, literature and world-renowned porcelain. -
Period: 1438 to 1533
The Inca Empire
Famed for their unique art and architecture, they constructed finely-built and imposing buildings wherever they conquered, and their spectacular adaptation of natural landscapes with terracing, highways, and mountaintop settlements continues to impress modern visitors at such world famous sites as Machu Picchu.