The Ancient Mediterranean
from 10000 BC to 700 AD
10000 BC Beginnings of agriculture in the Middle East.
9000 BC Cultivation of wild cereals in the Fertile Crescent.
The Fertile Crescent
9000 BC Wild sheep flocks are managed in the Zagros mountains.
8000 BC End of the last Ice Age.
7700 BC First domesticated wheats in the Fertile Crescent.
7500 BC Long-distance trade in obsidian begins.
7000 BC Domestication of goats.
6500 BC Pottery.
6700 BC Domestication of sheep.
6500 BC Domestication of pigs.
6500 BC Textiles of flax.
6200 BC First copper smelting in Anatolia.
6000 BC First irrigation.
6000 BC Domestication of cattle.
5000 BC Irrigation and agriculture begin in earnest in Mesopotamia.
5000 BC Hierarchical societies emerge in southeast Europe.
4500 BC The plow.
4300 BC First megalithic tombs in Europe.
4300-3100 BC Uruk period in Mesopotamia. First cities.
4000 BC Use of wool for textiles.
3800 BC Earliest bronze working.
3650 BC The wheel.
3500 BC Farming has spread across Europe.
3400 BC Priests become the rulers of Mesopotamian cities.
3200 BC Hieroglyphic script.
3000 BC Founding of Egypt.
3000 BC Stone tombs on Crete.
2900 BC Cuneiform script, first writing.
2900 BC First city walls.
2750 BC Secular rulers replace priests.
2630 BC First pyramid is built at Saqqara, Egypt.
2575-2134 BC The Old Kingdom in Egypt.
2550 BC Great Pyramid at Giza.
2500 BC Bell beaker culture in western Europe.
2400 BC War chariots.
2350 BC First code of laws by Urukagina, king of Lagash.
2334-2279 BC Sargon of Akkad conquers Mesopotamia. First empire.
2300 BC Bronze is used in the Aegaean.
2040-1640 BC The Middle Kingdom in Egypt.
2193 BC Gutian invasion destroys Akkadian empire.
2100 BC First ziggurats in Uk, Eridu, Uruk, and Nippur.
2034 BC Amorites migrate into Mesopotamia.
2000 BC Minoan hieroglyphic script.
2000 BC Completion of Stonehenge, Britain.
2000 BC Minoan palace civilization emerges in Crete.
2000 BC Early Greeks settle the Peloponese.
2000 BC Domesticated horses introduced in Mesopotamia.
2000-1600 BC Minoan palace civilization on Crete.
2000-1500 BC Wessex culture introduces bronze working to Britain.
1900 BC Ashur, capial of Assyria, is founded.
1894 BC Amorite dynasty established in Babylon.
1800 BC Bronze working introduced to Egypt.
1787 BC Hammurabi of Babylon conquers Uruk and Isin.
1760 BC The Code of Hammurabi: One of the earliest legal codes in the world.
1757 BC Hammurabi of Babylon destroys Mari.
Maximum extent of the Babylonian Empire, ca. 1750 BC.
1700 BC Horse-drawn chariots.
1700 BC Minoan Linear A script.
1700 BC Palace of Knossos on Crete.
1680 BC Hurrians occupy Assyria.
1600 BC Founding of the kingdom of Kush, Nubia.
1600 BC Shaft burials in Mycenae.
1600 BC Canaanite alphabet.
1595 BC King Mursilis of the Hittites sacks Babylon. Begin of Babylonian “dark ages.”
1550 BC Kingdom of Mittani is founded.
1523-1070 BC The New Kingdom of Egypt.
1504-1492 BC Egyptian empire reaches greatest extent under Tuthmosis I
1500 BC Pastoral farming spreads across Eurasian steppes.
1500 BC Egyptian empire extends to the Euphrates.
Maximum extent of the Egyptian empire, ca. 1500 BC.
1472 BC Mittani annexes Assyria.
1450 BC Mycenaean palaces are built.
1450 BC Mycenaean Linear B script.
1400 BC Mycenaeaens conquer Crete and destroy the Minoans.
1400 BC Assyria regains its independence.
1350-1250 BC Hittite empire reaches its peak.
Maximum extent of the Hittite empire, ca. 1300 BC.
1328 BC Western Mittani is conquered by the Hittites.
1285 BC Peak of Hittite power.
1220 BC Babylon is under Assyrian control.
1200 BC Phrygians invade Anatolia and destroy the Hittite empire.
1200 BC Downfall of the Mycenaean civilizatiton.
1200-1100 BC Hebrew tribes settle Canaan.
1180 BC Egyptians defeat the Sea Peoples.
1100 BC Dorian peoples occupy Greece.
1100 BC Phoenician alphabet.
1100 BC Hillforts in western Europe.
1080 BC Aramaeans invade Mesopotamia.
1000 BC Chaldeans occupy Ur.
1000 BC Iron working in southern Europe.
1000 BC Phoenician trading colonies in the western Mediterranean.
1000 BC Rise of the kingdom of Israel.
1000 BC David captures Jerusalem.
965-928 BC Solomon is king of Israel.
950 BC Solomon builds the temple of Jerusalem.
900 BC Sparta is founded.
900-700 BC Cimmerians dominate the western Asian steppes.
853 BC Babylonian kings depend on Assyrian military support.
850 BC Medes migrate into Iran from Asia.
841 BC Israel pays tribute to Assyria.
800-500 BC Greek colonization of the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
800-600 BC Main period of Phoenician colonization.
814 BC Carthage is founded by Phoenicians.
800 BC Beginning of the Etruscan civilization in Italy.
776 BC Olympic games are founded in honour of the god Olympos.
750 BC Persians migrate into Iran from Asia.
750 BC Emergence of Hallstatt Iron Age culture in Europe.
750 BC Iron working is introduced to Egypt.
750-705 BC Peak of the Assyrian empire.
750-510 BC The (semi-mythological) seven kings of Rome: Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Tulus Hostilius, Ancus Marcius, Tarquinius Priscus, Servius Tullius, Tarquinius Superbus.
743 BC Corinthians found the colony Syracuse in Sicily.
734 BC Babylon is captured by Chaldeans.
729 BC Babylon is occupied by Assyrians.
712-671 BC Egypt is rules by Kushite dynasty.
721 BC Israel is conquered by Assyria.
700 BC City states in Greece and the Aegaean.
700 BC Iron in wide use across Europe.
700 BC Homer writes the Iliad and the Oddysey.
700-300 BC Scythians dominate the western Asian steppes.
671 BC Egypt is conquered by Assyria.
Maximum extent of the Assyrian Empire under Ashurbanipal, ca. 660 BC.
651 BC Egypt expels Assyrians.
630-553 BC Life of Zoroaster, Persian prophet.
620-540 BC King Argantino rules Tartessos.
612 BC Downfall of the Assyrian empire.
Maximum extent of the Median empire, ca. 600 BC.
600 BC Celts settle Iberia.
600-500 BC Archaic period of Greece.
597 BC Babyloniann king Nebuchadnezar captures Jerusalem.
597-587 BC Jews are deported to Babylonia.
594-593 BC In Athens the archon Solon lays the foundations for democracy.
590 BC Nubian capital of Meroë is founded.
587-539 BC Jewish exile in Babylonia. Old Testament is written.
580 BC Carthage defeats Greece at Lilybaeum.
550 BC Cyrus founds Achemenid Persian empire.
547-546 BC Cyrus of Persia conquers Lydia.
539 BC Fall of Babylon, conquered by Cyrus of Persia. Return of the Jews.
539 BC Persia conquers Babylon.
539 BC Etruscan-Carthaginian alliance expels the Greeks from Corsica.
525-404 BC Persia conquers Egypt.
520 BC Darius of Persia fights the Scythians (not very successfully).
520 BC Darius of Persia links the Nile and the Red Sea by a canal.
518 BC Persia conquers the Indus Valley.
513 BC Darius of Persia invades southeastern Europe.
509 BC Foundation of the Roman republic.
507 BC Democratic government in Athens.
500 BC Carthage expands into southern Spain.
Maximum extent of the Carthaginian empire, ca. 500 BC.
500-300 BC Rich Scythian burials.
499-494 BC Ionian cities rebel against Persian rule.
498 - 493 BC Rome defeats the Latins.
492 BC Darius of Persia invades Greece.
490 BC Greeks defeat the Persians at Marathon.
485 BC Babylon is destroyed by Xerxes, King of Persia.
480 BC Battle of Thermopylae. 300 Spartans under King Leonidas hold back the Persians with 5600 other Greek allies.
480 BC Greeks halt Xerxes of Persia at Salamis.
Maximum extent of the Persian empire, ca. 490 BC.
478 BC Delian league created, led by Athens.
478 BC Sparta withdraws from alliance against Persia.
469-399 BC Life of Socrates.
462-458 BC Pericles introduces democratic institutions in Athens.
457 BC Hegemony of Athens over central Greece.
457-445 BC First Peleponesian War.
450 BC Laws of Twelve Tables, the basis of Roman law.
449-432 BC The Parthenon is built the architects Iktinos and Kallikrates.
448 BC Ionian cities become independent from Persia.
431-404 BC Second Peleponesian War.
430 BC Herodotus completes his Histories.
427-347 BC Life of Plato.
420 BC Democritos developes an atomic theory of matter.
412 BC Sparta allies with Persia.
400 BC Celts enter Italy and settle in the Po Valley. Etruscan power declines.
396 BC Roman expansion begins with the capture of Veii from the Etruscans.
395-287 BC Corinthian War.
387 BC Gallic Catastrophe: Duke Brennus of the Celts defeats the Romans at Allia, and subsequently sacks Rome. Celts move off after ransom is paid.
384-322 BC Life of Aristotle.
380 BC Rebuilding of Rome. Strong walls around the seven hills.
380 BC Plato founds his academy in Athens.
379-362 BC Thebes is the dominant city state in Greece.
359-336 BC Reign of Philip II of Macedon.
350 BC The Scythians have absorbed a lot of Greek culture, Scythian artefacts show Greek-style depictions.
343 BC Aristotle becomes tutor of young Alexander.
343-341 BC First Samnite War (Rome vs. Samnites).
340-338 BC Latin War, victory for Rome.
338 BC Philip II of Macedon defeats Thebes and Athen.
336-323 BC Reign of Alexander the Great.
334 BC Alexander invades the Persian empire.
333 BC Battle of Issos. Alexander is victorious against Darius of Persia.
332 BC Alexander the Great conquers Syria and Egypt. Alexandria is founded.
331 BC Battle of Gaugamela. Alexander calls himself “King of Asia.”
330 BC Persepolis is burnt to the ground by Alexander.
329 BC Alexander conquers Bactria and Sogdiana.
327-325 BC Alexander’s campaign in India.
326-304 BC Second Samnite War. Compromise.
321 BC Via Appia is constructed.
312 BC Seleucos conquers Babylon and founds the Seleucid dynasty.
307 BC Democracy is restored in Athens.
304-64 BC Rule of the Seleucids in Mesopotamia.
304-30 BC Rule of the Ptolemaic Dynasty in Egypt.
300 BC Ptolemy I founds the Museum of Alexandria.
300 BC Sarmatians conquer the Scythians.
298-290 BC Third Samnite War. Victory for Rome, peace with the Etruscans.
285-282 BC Rome defeats the Celts in Italy. Rome’s dominance in central Italy is secured.
282-272 BC Roman war against Tarentum. Rome conquers Tarentum. Rome’s dominance in lower Italy is secured.
279 BC Celts invade Thrace and Anatolia.
275 BC The lighthouse at Alexandria is completed.
270 BC Aristarchos of Samos proposes a heliocentric world view.
264-241 BC First Punic War. Carthago cedes Siciliy to Rome.
247 BC - 227 AD Empire of the Parthians.
238 BC Foundation of the Parthian kingdom.
229-228 BC Rome fights Illyrian pirates. Queen Teuta pays tribute to Rome.
222 BC Rome conquers Cisalpine Gaul (modern-day Provence, France).
219 BC Illyrian coast is under Roman control.
218-201 BC Second Punic War. Hannibal leads 50,000 foot soldiers, 9000 cavalry, and 37 war elephants over the Pyrennees and the Alps.
216 BC Battle of Cannae. Worst defeat in Roman history, against Carthage.
216 BC “Hannibal ante portas.” Hannibal directly threatens the city of Rome, but cannot advance due to lack of supplies and reinforcements.
214-205 BC First Macedonian War: Rome defeats Philip V of Macedon.
207 BC Battle of Metaurus. Carthage loses against Rome and loses control of Iberia (Spain).
204 BC Scipio Africanus sails over to Africa.
202 BC Battle of Zama. The Carthaginian army is defeated, Hannibal flees to Hadrumentum.
202 BC “Carthago delenda est.” Roman conquest of Carthage, end of the Third Punic War. Peace terms: Carthage loses Iberia, gives Numidia to its King Masinissa, pays 10,000 talents in 50 years, gives all warships to Rome (except 10 triremes), is forbidden to wage war outside Africa, requires Roman approval for wars within Africa.
201 BC Syracuse joins the Roman Empire, province of Sicily is formed.
200-196 BC Second Macedonian War: Roman victory.
200-100 BC Oppida (Celtic fortified tribal centers) spread.
191-134 BC Various resistance movements against Rome in Iberia. Viriato leads the Lusitanians against Rome from 154 to 139 BC.
172-168 BC Third Macedonian War: Perseus of Macedon and challenges Rome. Macedonia is defeated and dissolved.
146 BC Rome sacks Corinth and dissolves the Achaean league. Greece is ruled by Rome.
146 BC Rome destroys the city of Carthage.
140 BC Venus of Milio is completed.
139 BC Parthians conquer Mesopotamia. The Silk Route to China is now controlled by the Parthians.
133 BC Rome captures Numantia. End of Iberian resistance.
121 BC Gallia Narbonensis becomes a Roman province.
120-101 BC Migrations of the Germanic Cimbri and Teutoni.
107-100 BC Gaius Marius reforms the Roman army.
100 BC Ctesiphon becomes Parthian capital.
88-63 BC Mithridates of Pontus fights three wars to free Greece from Rome.
86 BC The Roman general Sulla sacks Athens.
64 BC The Roman general Pompey defeats the Seleucid Antiochus XIII and incorporates Syria as a province of the Roman empire.
59 BC - 17 AD Life of Livy.
58-51 BC Julius Caesar’s conquest of Gaul.
53 BC Parthians defeat Romans at Carrhae.
50 BC Invention of glassblowing.
48 BC Battle of Pharsalus: Julius Caesar defeats Pompey.
44 BC Julius Caesar is murdered.
43-42 BC Roman Triumvirate: Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus defeat the Republicans.
43 BC - 17 AD Life of Ovid.
37-4 BC Herod the Great is installed as King of Judaea. Rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem.
32-31 BC Battle of Actium: Octavian (the later Emperor Augustus) defeats Cleopatra of Egypt.
30 BC Egypt becomes part of the Roman empire.
27-19 BC Cantabrian Wars: Roman conquest of the Iberian Penninsula.
14 BC - 96 AD Rome launches an extensive cultural patronage and construction programme in Iberia.
6 BC - 30 AD Life of Jesus of Nazareth.
1 AD First non-stop voyages from Egypt to India.
1-100 AD Mithraism spreads in the Roman empire.
9 AD Roman army is defeated in Germania.
Maximum extent of the Roman empire, ca. 14 AD.
42-62 AD St. Paul goes on missionary journeys across Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome.
43 AD Claudius commences the Roman conquest of Britain.
64 AD Christians are being persecuted in Rome.
68-69 AD Year of Four Emperors: Civil war in Rome.
70-100 AD Christian gospels are written.
85-86 AD Dacians invade Moesia and defeat the Romans.
101-106 AD Trajan conquers Dacia.
113 AD Trajan’s column in Rome.
115-117 AD Rome occupies Mesopotamia.
133 AD Hadrian’s wall in northern England.
165-167 AD Plague epidemic in the Roman empire.
167 AD Marcomanni sack Aquileia.
167-180 AD Marcomannic Wars.
192 AD Emperor Commodus is murdered, civil war ensues (until 197).
200 AD Completion of the Roman road system.
212 AD Roman citizenship granted to all inhabitants of the empire.
220 AD Zoroastrianism becomes Persian state religion.
224 AD Sasanians overthrow the Parthians.
240 AD Shapur I brings the Sasanian empire to its peak.
257-263 AD The Goths raid Greece.
260 AD Shapur I captures the Roman emperor Valerian at Edessa.
267 AD The Goths sack Athens, Corinth, Sparta, and Argos.
286 AD The Roman empire is split into the Western and Eastern Roman empires.
300 AD Armenia is the first state to adopt Christianity as state religion.
313 AD Roman emperor Constantine tolerates Christianity.
330 AD Constantinople is founded as “the new Rome.”
350 AD End of the Kingdom of Meroë in Nubia.
361-361 AD Roman emperor Julian attempts to revive Paganism.
367 AD Picts, Scots, Saxons, and Franks attack the Roman empire.
372 AD Huns conquer the Ostrogoths.
376 AD The Visigoths are fleeing the Huns, entering the Roman empire.
378 AD The Goths defeat Rome: Emperor Valens is defeated near Adrianople.
Migration of the Goths, ca. 300 AD to 700 AD.
391 AD Emperor Theodosius closes pagan temples.
402 AD Ravenna becomes the capital of the Western Roman empire.
406 AD Vandals, Suevi, and Alans invade Gaul.
410 AD Alarich of the Visigoths sacks Rome.
418 AD Visigoths settle in Aquitaine.
429 AD Vandals cross Spain to the Maghreb.
450 AD Angels and Saxons settle Britain.
451 AD Aetius defeats the Huns at the Catalaunian Plain, together with Rome’s allies.
455 AD Vandals sack Rome.
462 AD Visigoths expand into Spain.
480 AD Julius Nepos, the last Western Roman emperor, dies.
486 AD Clovis of the Franks defeats the Romans in Gaul. Founding of the Frankish kingdom.
489-493 AD Teoderich of the Ostrogoths conquers Italy.
503 AD Clovis converts to Christianity.
507 AD Clovis defeats the Visigoths and drives them into the Iberian peninsula.
534 AD Justinian of East Rome conquers the Vandal kingdom in Africa.
536-562 AD East Rome conquers Italy.
554 AD East Rome conquers southern Iberia.
568-582 AD Lombards invade northern Italy.
570 AD Prophet Muhammad is born.
571 AD Visigoths conquer Cordoba.
607-627 AD East Rome defeats Sasanid Persia.
610-622 AD Heraclius restructures the Eastern Roman empire into the Byzantine empire.
633 AD The recorded prophecies of Muhammad are published as the Qu’ran.
634-651 AD Arabs conquer the Sasanian empire.
638 AD Arabs capture Jerusalem.
1st and second peloponesian wars? Also, the Dorians possesed knowledge of iron, this is what they used to storm through Greece to Pelloponese.
Hello Thamis my friend….TAM keeps on going…going….and going. Thanks for being the driving/guiding force behind TAM. Good Luck and continued prosperity my friend.
Great! I’m looking about trade history, and there are a lot of thinks I found here. Thank you!
Is the first time I’m finding maps with the maximum surface of empires, and the year, and roads, like silk roads. On the web there are maps like Bactria, but you can’t see not neighbors countries. I’ll keep this site as reference.
Britain invaded by Roamns in 43AD, and if u want to talk about the empires maximum extent 117AD with Armenia, Dacia, Mesopotamia included would have been the better choice.