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3000 BCE
Cuneiform
The ancient Sumerians invented one of the first systems of writing, Cuneiform. Previous writing systems could only convey simple ideas, but this was the first to be linked to an actual language. -
2490 BCE
Pyramids of Giza were built
The Pyramids of Giza were giant tombs built for Egyptian Kings. They were made by master architects and engineers, and many of the pyramids still stand today. -
1800 BCE
Epic of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest known work of literature and was written by the Ancient Sumerians. It had themes that are still common in literature and philosophy today like the human condition and confrontation of death. -
1780 BCE
Hammurabi's Code
Hammurabi's Code was a set of laws made by the Babylonian king Hammurabi. It set out certain principles used in our legal system today, such as the right to a fair trial and innocence until proven guilty. -
1300 BCE
Phoenician Alphabet
The Phoenicians created one of the first syllabic alphabets, which means characters represent individual sounds. This made writing much easier to learn and use, which let ordinary people be literate. It would also be the basis of the Greek and Roman alphabets -
1200 BCE
Bronze Age Collapse
The Bronze Age Collapse was period of natural disaster and large scale conflict that lead to the destruction of most Bronze Age civilizations. It caused the disruption of society and trade between people and lead to the Greek dark ages. -
1100 BCE
Use of Iron
People started to use iron to make tools instead of bronze. It was harder to work with, but as technology improved its use slowly became more widespread because it was stronger and easier to find. -
700 BCE
10 commandments
The ten commandments were laws set out in the Hebrew Bible and are supposed to be the word of God. They formed the covenant and are a basis for Judaism and Christianity. -
550 BCE
Persian Empire Founded
The Persian Empire was the largest empire to ever exist at its time, occupying areas of the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa. It could be considered the world's first superpower -
500 BCE
The Torah
The Torah was finished in around 500 BCE. It is comprised of the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible. It is included in the Christian Bible and the Qur'an, so it is the basis of three of the most influential religions in the world. -
1 BCE
Summary
What are the most important events related to the development of civilization? Some of them were events that directly affected the development of civilization, like wars and the formation of empires. Others were events ideas that indirectly affected civilization, such as writing, culture, technology, and religion. Although they affected the development of civilization in different ways, all the events in this timeline drastically affected the development of civilization.