TIMELINE of Ancient Mediterranean Cultures
Note about BC dates: 3rd millenium = 2000s, 5th century = 400s, etc. Within a century, higher numbers are earlier than lower numbers, e.g. 480 is earlier in the 5th century than 431
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WESTERN ASIA, MESOPOTAMIA |
LEVANT (ISRAEL, SYRIA, PHOENICIA) |
EGYPT AND NORTH AFRICA |
AEGEAN AND GREEK WORLD (INCLUDING MACEDON) |
ROME AND WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN |
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3000 BC |
ca. 3100–2000: city-states in Sumer flourish |
ca. 3100: Egypt unified under the Pharaohs |
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ca. 2750: legendary reign of Gilgamesh of Uruk |
ca. 2700–2200: Old Kingdom |
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2500 BC |
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ca. 2600–2200: Great pyramids built |
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ca. 2240: Sargon the Great of Akkad conquers Sumer and unifies Sumer and Akkad |
2200–1400: Minoan Age |
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2000 BC |
ca. 2100–1900: Amorite expansion in western Asia |
ca. 1800–1600: Age of the Hebrew patriarchs |
ca. 2040–1780: Middle Kingdom |
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ca. 2000: decline of Sumer; sack of Ur |
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ca. 1800: Emergence of Hittites and Hurrians |
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ca. 1792–1750: Hammurapi of Babylon |
ca. 1750–1550" Hyksos invasion of Egypt |
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1500 BC |
ca. 1550–1100: New Kingdom |
1600–1100: Mycenean Age |
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1400 BC |
1363–1347: Akhenaton 1347–1338: Tutankhamen |
ca. 1400: Mycenean influence in Crete; demise of Minoan civilization |
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1300 BC |
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1200 BC |
ca. 1200: collapse of Hittite empire |
ca. 1200–1100: Arrival of the Philistines ca. 1200–1000: Israelite conquest of Canaan |
?1250 Israelite Exodus from Egypt ca. 1200: invasions of Sea Peoples |
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1100 BC |
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ca. 1100–900: Emergence of the Phoenicians |
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ca. 1100: collapse of Mycenean civilization |
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1000 BC |
ca. 1000–922: David and Solomon |
ca. 940–730: Libyan rule of Egypt |
ca. 1100–800: Dark Age Greece |
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800 BC |
division of Israel into kingdom of Israel (north) and kingdom of Judah (south) |
ca. 800–500: Archaic Age Greece |
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750 BC |
height of Assyrian Empire (ca. 750–612) |
ca. 760–656: Nubian rule of Egypt |
ca. 750: invention of Greek alphabet |
753: Founding of Rome; beginning of monarchy |
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700 BC |
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ca. 700: hoplite phalanx |
ca. 700: Etruscan civilization begins to fluorish |
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650 BC |
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671–663: Assyrians contest Nubians for control |
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600 BC |
612: destruction of Nineveh in Assyria 612–539: Chaldean (Neo–Babylonian Empire |
ca. 625–500: Etruscan kings of Rome |
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575 BC |
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587 Chaldeans capture Jerusalem |
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594: Solon's reforms in Athens |
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550 BC |
Cyrus founds the Persian Empire and rules, 559–530 Cyrus conquers King Croesus of Lydia, 546 |
Babylonian Captivity of Jews: 587–538 |
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546: Cyrus and the Persians bring the Greeks of Asia Minor into the Persian Empire |
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525 BC |
Persians bring Egypt into Persian Empire |
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525: Persians conquer Egypt |
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500 BC |
514: Darius, king of Persia 522–486, conquers Thrace |
ca. 508: democratic reforms of Cleisthenes in Athens ca. 500–300: Classical Age Greece |
ca. 509: fall of monarchy, foundation of the Republic ca. 500–400: Rome fights the Oscans |
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490 BC |
Darius sends Persian fleet across Aegean |
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499–494: Ionian Revolt 1st Persian War: battle of Marathon 487: archons selected by lot ca. 484: birth of Herodotus |
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480 BC |
Xerxes leads army and navy across Hellespont to Greece |
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480–479 (2nd Persian War): Xerxes' invasion: battles of Thermopylae, Artemisium, Salamis (480), and Plataea (479) 478: creation of Delian League; 478–432: growth of Athenian Empire |
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470 BC |
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ca. 468: battle of Eurymedon 462: reforms of Ephialtes and beginning of "radical" democracy ca. 460: birth of Thucydides 460–446: "First" Peloponnesian War |
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450 BC |
ca. 450 Persians and Athenians make peace |
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ca. 450: Athenians and Persians make peace |
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430 BC |
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431–404: Peloponnesian War Plato: ca. 429–347 425: Spartans surrender to Athenians at Sphacteria |
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415 BC |
413–404: Persian involvement in Peloponnesian War |
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415–413: Sicilian Expedition 411: Oligarchic Revolution of 400 in Athens |
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400 BC |
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404: battle of Aegospotami (405) and defeat of Athens 403: Thirty Tyrants at Athens, followed by restoration of democracy 399: Trial and Death of Socrates (b. 469) |
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390 BC |
387: Persian King makes a peace treaty with the Greeks (the King's Peace) |
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Spartan hegemony: 404–371 387: the King's Peace with Persia; Persia regains control of Greeks in Asia Minor Aristotle: ca. 385–322 |
396: Rome captures Veii 390: The Celts (Gauls) sack Rome |
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380 BC |
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377–338: Athenian "Second Empire" |
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370 BC |
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371: battle of Leuctra 371–338: Theban Hegemony |
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360 BC |
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359: Accession of Philip II of Macedon |
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340 BC |
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338: battle of Chaeronea; Greece under Macedonian control 336: death of Philip; accession of Alexander |
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330 BC |
334: Alexander begins campaigns in Asia Minor; battle of Granicus 333: battle of Issus 331: battle of Gaugamela |
332: Fall of Tyre |
332: Alexander conquers Egypt; founds Alexandria |
334: Alexander and Greeks cross Hellespont into Asia; battle of Granicus |
340–338: Latin Revolt against Rome |
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320 BC |
327–325: campaigns in India 323: Death of Alexander in Babylon |
326–290: Rome at war with the Samnites |
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300 BC |
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305–283: reign of Ptolemy I |
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275 BC |
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283–246: reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus |
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280–275: Rome at war with Pyrrhus |
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250 BC |
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264–241: First Punic War (Carthage and Rome) |
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264–241: First Punic War (Carthage and Rome) |
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225 BC |
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200 BC |
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218–201: Second Punic War 202: battle of Zama (Rome defeats Carthage) |
200–146: Wars between Rome and Macedon in Greece (Macedonian Wars) 196: battle of Cynoscephalae (Rome defeats Philip V) |
218–201: Second Punic War 216: battle of Cannae (Hannibal defeats the Romans) 197: Spain becomes province of Roman Empire (wars there until 133) |
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175 BC |
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175–141: Jewish (Hasmonean) Revolt against Seleucids |
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167: Macedonia becomes a Roman province |
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150 BC |
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141: Jewish independence from Seleucid kingdom |
146: Roman sack of Carthage |
146: Rome destroys Corinth; Greece becomes a province |
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130 BC |
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133: Tribunate and Death of Tiberius Gracchus |
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80 BC |
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82–79: Dictatorship of Sulla |
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60 BC |
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66–62: Pompey's campaigns in the east |
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50 BC |
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58–52: Conquest of Gaul by Caesar 49: Caesar begins the Civil war 48: battle of Pharsalus |
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40 BC |
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44: assassination of Caesar 42: battle of Philippi |
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30 BC |
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31: battle of Actium 27: Augustus' "Restoration of the Republic": "reign" begins; Pax Romana shortly begins, lasts until end of 2nd century |
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10 AD |
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14: Augustus dies; Tiberius "succeeds" (dies in 37) |
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30 AD |
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ca. 30: death of Jesus |
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40 AD |
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ca. 40: Paul begins ministry in Antioch, then begins travels throughout Mediterranean |
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70 AD |
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destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in reign of Vespasian |
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80 AD |
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81–96: reign of Domitian |
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110 AD |
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98–117: reign of Trajan |
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125 AD |
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132–135: Bar Kochba Rebellion |
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117–138: reign of Hadrian |
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200 AD |
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212: Caracalla's Edict of Citizenship |
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280 AD |
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284: Diocletian proclaimed emperor (steps down in 305 with co–emperor) |
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300 AD |
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303–313: Great Persecution |
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320 AD |
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312–337: reign of Constantine 324: reunites empire; foundation of Constantinople 325: Council of Nicaea |
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400 AD |
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410: Visigoths sack Rome |
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450 AD |
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Vandals invade N. Africa |
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455: Vandals invade Spain |
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475 AD |
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476: Romulus Augustulus deposed |