-
4000 BCE
The Sumerians
Inventors of the earliest form of writing, a calendar, & math concepts. -
3100 BCE
Menes
Pharaoh that united all of Egypt's kingdoms along the Upper and Lower Nile River to become one country. -
1700 BCE
Hammurabi
The King of Babylon that wrote a complete collection of laws with scaled punishments for various offenses. -
1500 BCE
The Olmecs
The First American civilization. They settled along the Mexican Gulf coast in the present-day Mexico. -
1500 BCE
The Rig Veda
A collection of Indian Knowledge, hymns, prayers, and religious teachings. -
1450 BCE
The Ten Commandments
Set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. -
1070 BCE
Kush
Ancient African kingdom situated at the confluence of three rivers in the southern/upper Nile River system in the present-day Sudan. -
1000 BCE
The Phoenicians
Great sailors on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. They devised the alphabet that became the model for later Western alphabets. -
800 BCE
The Upanishads
Lessons of mortality and philosophy. The basis for Hinduism -
628 BCE
Zoroaster
A prophet and religious reformer that said man's natures was good or bad. Being either would have consequences. Unethical behavior was as sin, especially lying. -
600 BCE
The Lydians
The first people in history to use coined money. -
550 BCE
Cyrus
Persian King that was one of the greatest leaders in all history. -
500 BCE
Siddhartha Guatama
Founder of the religion of Buddhism. -
499 BCE
The Persian Wars
Series of conflicts between Persia and Greek city-states that resisted Persia's tyrannical rule. -
484 BCE
Herodotus
Ancient Greek historian and the Father of (narrative) History. -
429 BCE
Pericles
Prominent and influential Greek statesman, orator, and general of Athens during the city's Golden Age. -
399 BCE
Socrates
A classic Greek Athenian philosopher. The Father of the Idealistic School, a philosophy to the common man, known for his contribution to the field of ethics. -
395 BCE
Thucydides
Ancient Greek historian and Father of (scientific) History. -
348 BCE
Plato
The Father of Political Theory. A classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning int the western world -
323 BCE
Alexander the Great
King of Macedon. By the age of thirty, he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from Greece to India. He was undefeated in battle and is one of history's most successful military commanders. -
200 BCE
The Hopewell People
Early American civilization that settled in the Ohio River Valley. -
70 BCE
The Gospels
The written accounts that describe the life of Jesus in Nazareth. Th most widely-known examples are the four of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. -
44 BCE
Julius Caesar
Brilliant Roman general that became dictator of the Republic until his assassination by a group of senators. -
27 BCE
Octavian
Founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor, ruling from 27 B.C. until his death in 14 A.D. -
27 BCE
The Pax Romana
The longest period of relative peace and minimal expansion by military force Experienced by the Roman Empire int the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. Its span was about 207 years (27 B.C. to 180 A.D.) -
161
Marcus Aurelius
The last of "the five good emperors" (161-180). He also is considered one one the most important Stoic philosophers. -
284
Diocletian
Roman Emperor from 284-305. He is known for dividing the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western halves and providing for a separate ruler for each. -
306
Constantine
Roman Emperor from 306 to 337, he converted to Christianity & proclaimed tolerance of all religions in the empire. -
476
Odoacer
Barbarian soldier, who after 476 became the first barbarian King of Italy. His reign is commonly seen as marking the end to the Western Roman Empire. -
Ghana
The earliest of the West African kingdoms. It was important in the gold-for-salt exchange network.