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Ancient History: 12,000 BC to 500 AD Timeline

Year	Government, Politics, & War	Art & Culture	Science & Technology	Religion & Philosophy	Daily Life & Health	Year
c. 10000 BC					(1) Dog first domesticated (Middle East) (2) Development of intensive flock management in Zagros Mountains	c. 10000 BC
c. 8350 BC			Earliest known walled city at Jericho			c. 8350 BC
c. 8000 BC					(1) Potatoes and beans first cultivated in South America (2) Earliest permanent farming villages in Fertile Crescent	c. 8000 BC
c. 7500 BC			First manufacture of textiles in the Middle East using flax			c. 7500 BC
c. 7000 BC					Goats, sheep, and pigs domesticated (Middle East)	c. 7000 BC
c. 6200 BC			Copper smelting in Asia Minor			c. 6200 BC
c. 6000 BC			Irrigation in Zagros Mountains		(1) Cat domesticated (Northeast Africa) (2) Cattle domesticated (Turkey)	c. 6000 BC
c. 5500 BC			Cotton cultivated in India			c. 5500 BC
c. 5200 BC					Chickens domesticated (China)	c. 5200 BC
c. 5000 BC			Irrigation spreads to Mesopotamia			c. 5000 BC
c. 4500 BC			Sail, plow, and potter's wheel invented in Mesopotamia			c. 4500 BC
c. 4300 BC				Megalithic tombs in Western Europe	c. 4300-3100; Spread of cities in Mesopotamia	c. 4300 BC
c. 4000 BC					Horse domesticated (Eurasian steppe)	c. 4000 BC
c. 3800 BC			Bronze in Mesopotamia			c. 3800 BC
c. 3650 BC			Wheeled vehicles in Mesopotamia			c. 3650 BC
c. 3500 BC			Pottery in South America		Permanent fishing villages in South America	c. 3500 BC
c. 3400 BC			Earliest hieroglyphics in Egypt			c. 3400 BC
c. 3150 BC		Unification of Egypt under King Menes				c. 3150 BC
3000 BC			Sumerians develop Cuneiform writing		Potatoes, alpacas, and llamas domesticated (Andes Mountains)	3000 BC
2900 BC			Defensive walls around cities become more prevalent			2900 BC
2700 BC				Yin and Yang theory developed in China	Olive trees cultivated (Crete)	2700 BC
2630 BC			c. 2630; First pyramid constructed in Egypt; Imhotep is first known architect			2630 BC
2600 BC					(1) Urbanization in Indus River Valley (2) Preservation of fish and poultry (Egypt)	2600 BC
2575 BC		c. 2575-2134; Old Kingdom of Egypt				2575 BC
2528 BC			c. 2528; Cheops buried in First Great Pyramid at Giza			2528 BC
2400 BC			First wheeled war wagons in Mesopotamia			2400 BC
2350 BC		Earliest known law code in Sumer				2350 BC
2334 BC		c. 2334-2193; Sargon unifies Sumer and Akkad, creating Akkadian Empire		c. 2334-2193; First deification of kings in Sumer		2334 BC
2300 BC					Earliest permanent farming villages in Mesoamerica	2300 BC
2296 BC			Chinese record a comet			2296 BC
2200 BC		Legendary Xia Dynasty in China			Dogs, goats, pigs, oxen, and sheep domesticated in China	2200 BC
2134 BC		Collapse of central authority in Egypt; End of Old Kingdom				2134 BC
2100 BC				First Ziggurats in Sumer		2100 BC
2040 BC		c. 2040-1650; Mentuhotep restores centralized government in Egypt marking the beginning of the Middle Kingdom				2040 BC
2000 BC	Hittites establish empire in Anatolia (modern Turkey)	c. 2000 - 1450; Minoan palace civilization on Crete	Decimal notation in Babylon	(1) Stonehenge in Southern England (2) Epic of Gilgamesh is first written myth	Tea and bananas cultivated (India)	2000 BC
1813 BC	Emergence of Assyrian power under Shamshi-Adad I					1813 BC
1800 BC	c. 1800-1750; Hammurabi establishes Babylonian Empire	c. 1800-1750; Hammurabi's Code is first written legal code	Irrigation in South America	Earliest prohibitions against pork among shepherd tribes in Middle East		1800 BC
1750 BC				Collapse of Indus River Valley civilization at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa		1750 BC
1700 BC	c. 1700-1650; Chariot-equipped Hyksos begin invasions and conquer Middle Kingdom Egypt		Spread of two-wheeled war chariot in Middle East		First evidence of leavened bread (Egypt)	1700 BC
1600 BC		(1) Rise of Mycenaean Civilization in mainland Greece (2) c. 1600; First historical dynasty in China (The Shang)	(1) Canaanites invent first alphabet (2) Pictographic writing in China			1600 BC
1550 BC		Ahmose reunites Egypt; c. 1550-1070; New Kingdom in Egypt				1550 BC
1500 BC	c. 1504-1492; Thutmose I expands Egypt into Palestine, Syria, and Nubia		Geometry developed in Egypt		(1) Silkworm domesticated (China) (2) c. 1500 Rabbit domesticated (Europe)	1500 BC
1458 BC		Thutmose III ascends to Egyptian throne; First usage of the term Pharaoh				1458 BC
1450 BC	Mycenaean Greeks conquer Minoan Civilization on Crete			Brahma worship in India		1450 BC
1440 BC			First metalworking in South America			1440 BC
1400 BC			Iron Age begins in Asia Minor		Maize cultivation in Mesoamerica	1400 BC
1353 BC				Amenhotep IV introduces monotheism to Egypt		1353 BC
1350 BC			War chariot introduced to China			1350 BC
1333 BC				Tutankhaman (King Tut) reestablishes polytheism as official religion in Egypt		1333 BC
1200 BC		(1) c. 1200-400; Olmec Civilization in Mesoamerica (2) c. 1200-1100; Bronze Age palaces destroyed throughout Mediterranean world		c. 1200-1100; Judaism established in Palestine	c. 1200-800; Rise of Phoenician maritime dominance in the Mediterranean	1200 BC
1150 BC					Aristocrats in Egypt use chairs	1150 BC
1122 BC		c. 1122-256; Zhou Dynasty in China				1122 BC
1100 BC			Phoenician traders begin spreading alphabet throughout Mediterranean			1100 BC
1070 BC		End of New Kingdom in Egypt				1070 BC
1047 BC		c. 1047-1007 BCE; Saul reigns as first Hebrew king in Judaea				1047 BC
1006 BC	c. 1006-965; David becomes king of Israel and conquers Jerusalem					1006 BC
957 BC				Solomon builds first Jewish temple in Jerusalem		957 BC
900 BC		Etruscans establish cities in Tuscany				900 BC
883 BC	Revival of Assyrian power under Ashurnasirpal II					883 BC
850 BC				c. 850-750; Approximate date of written transcriptions of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey from existing oral tradition		850 BC
814 BC		Traditional date for the founding of Carthage				814 BC
800 BC			(1) Hieroglyphic script in Mesoamerica (2) c. 800-750; Development of Greek alphabet	Olmecs build pyramids in Central America (modern Mexico)		800 BC
780 BC		c. 780-755; Alara establishes Napata Kingdom of Kush				780 BC
776 BC				First Olympic Games held in Greece		776 BC
772 BC				Construction begins on Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World		772 BC
771 BC		Destruction of the Zhou capital at Hào marks end of Western Zhou Dynasty in China; Beginning of Eastern Zhou Dynasty				771 BC
753 BC		Traditional date of the founding of Rome				753 BC
744 BC	Tiglath-Pileser III succeeds in Assyria; Conquers Syria, Palestine, Israel, and Babylon					744 BC
722 BC	Sargon II seizes power in Assyria; destroys the Kingdom of Israel	c. 722-481; Spring and Autumn Period in China; Decentralization and rise of powerful nobles				722 BC
720 BC			Chinese record solar eclipse			720 BC
700 BC			Aqueducts in the Middle East			700 BC
671 BC	Assyrians conquer Egypt					671 BC
660 BC		Legendary date for foundation of Japan by Emperor Jimmu; Celebrated in Japan as National Foundation Day				660 BC
657 BC		Cypselus becomes first tyrant in Corinth				657 BC
650 BC					First coins used by Lydians	650 BC
621 BC		First written legal code in Athens attributed to Draco				621 BC
612 BC	Babylonians sack Nineveh; Assyrian power collapses					612 BC
609 BC			Nekan of Egypt launches first known circumnavigation of Africa			609 BC
605 BC	Babylonians defeat last Assyrian army at Megiddo; End of Assyria as an independent kingdom					605 BC
600 BC	c. 600; Greeks colonize southern France			c. 600; Sappho is priestess of love cult on Lesbos		600 BC
594 BC		Solon's reforms in Athens				594 BC
587 BC	Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon destroys Jerusalem; Babylonian Captivity of the Jews begins					587 BC
585 BC			Greek astronomer Thales predicts an eclipse			585 BC
565 BC				Spread of Taoism in China		565 BC
553 BC				c. 553; Death of Zoroaster; Teachings emphasizing monotheism and eschatology become official religion of Persian Empire		553 BC
550 BC		Persian Empire unified by Cyrus II; Beginning of Achaemenid Dynasty	Earliest use of cast iron in China			550 BC
539 BC	Babylonian empire conquered by Cyrus the Great of Persia					539 BC
530 BC			Greek mathematician Pythagoras			530 BC
522 BC	Darius I rises to power in Persia; Expands Persian Empire to its maximum extent					522 BC
520 BC			Canal completed between the Nile River and Red Sea			520 BC
517 BC				Hsiao Yen (Wu Ti) backs Buddhist missionary efforts in central China		517 BC
515 BC				c. 515; Birth of Parmenides, who becomes founder of metaphysics		515 BC
509 BC		Rome becomes a republic				509 BC
508 BC		Cleisthenes' democratic reforms in Athens				508 BC
500 BC				(1) c. 500; Polynesian culture develops in Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga (2) Earliest versions of Sun Tzu's The Art of War (3) Heraclitus becomes one of the earliest dialectical philosophers	c. 500 Honeybee domesticated (Europe)	500 BC
499 BC	Ionian Revolt marks beginning of Persian-Greek Wars					499 BC
498 BC				Pindar begins composing his Odes		498 BC
495 BC				c. 495-483; Confucius teaches throughout China		495 BC
490 BC	Athenians defeat Persians at Battle of Marathon					490 BC
480 BC	(1) Spartan army under King Leonidas defeated by Persians at Battle of Thermopylae (2) Greek fleet defeats Persian fleet at Battle of Salamis	c. 480-221; Warring States Period in China; Seven regional warlords fight for dominance in China				480 BC
479 BC	Battles of Plataea and Mycale mark the end of Spartan leadership of the Greek coalition against Persia					479 BC
478 BC	Athens founds Delian League to lead the Greek war against Persia					478 BC
472 BC				Aeschylus's tragedy Persae performed		472 BC
466 BC	Delian League decisively defeats Persian fleet at Battle of Eurymedon River					466 BC
461 BC		Golden Age of Athens begins; Pericles funds massive public works in city				461 BC
458 BC		Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus becomes dictator of Rome then retires; One of the founding myths of Roman Virtue				458 BC
457 BC	First Peloponnesian War; Sparta dominant in Peloponnesian Peninsula					457 BC
455 BC				Anaxagoras teaches atomistic theory of the natural world		455 BC
450 BC					Reindeer domesticated (Central Asia)	450 BC
441 BC				First stage success of Euripides in Athens		441 BC
440 BC				Sophocles' tragedy Antigone		440 BC
438 BC				Phidias completes Parthenon		438 BC
431 BC	Second Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta begins			Euripides' Medea		431 BC
430 BC				(1) Death of Empedocles, who developed Four Elements theory of the natural world (2) c. 430; Herodotus writes his History	Hippocrates teaches in Athens	430 BC
429 BC				c. 429, Sophocles' Oedipus Rex		429 BC
428 BC				Euripides' Hippolytus; portrays struggle between sexual desire and asceticism		428 BC
426 BC				Euripides' Andromache		426 BC
423 BC				Aristophanes' comedy The Clouds		423 BC
421 BC				Aristophanes' comedy The Peace		421 BC
420 BC				c. 420-413; Sophocles' Electra		420 BC
415 BC	Athens sends large expeditionary force to Sicily; Athenians are decisively defeated			Euripides' The Trojan Women		415 BC
411 BC	Outnumbered Athenian fleet defeats Spartans at Battle of Cynossema			Aristophanes' anti-war satire Lysistrata		411 BC
405 BC	With Persian aid, Spartan fleet decisively defeats Athenians at the battle of Aegospotami					405 BC
404 BC	Athens surrenders, marking end of Peloponnesian War	Sparta establishes government of the "Thirty Tyrants" and suspends democracy in Athens				404 BC
403 BC		Thrasybulus overthrows "Thirty Tyrants" and reestablishes democracy in Athens				403 BC
401 BC	Battle of Cunaxa; Xenophon and 10,000 Greek mercenaries retreat through Persian Empire			(1) Posthumous production of Sophocles' Oedipus at Colonus (2) Death of Thucydides, who leaves behind The History of the Peloponnesian War		401 BC
399 BC				Trial and death of Socrates		399 BC
385 BC				Plato establishes his Academy		385 BC
371 BC	Thebes defeats Sparta at Battle of Leuctra; Spartan helots freed					371 BC
367 BC				Aristotle begins study at Plato's Academy		367 BC
359 BC		Philip II becomes king in Macedon				359 BC
350 BC					c. 350; Earliest Mayan city-states	350 BC
343 BC	Rome subdues Campania in First Samnite War					343 BC
340 BC	Athens forms Hellenic League to resist Philip II of Macedon					340 BC
338 BC	Philip II of Macedon defeats Greek army at Battle of Chaeronea; End of independent Greek city-states					338 BC
336 BC	Philip II of Macedon assassinated; Alexander rises to power in Macedon					336 BC
335 BC	Alexander destroys the rebellious city of Thebes and enslaves its population			Aristotle opens the Lyceum		335 BC
334 BC	Alexander the Great Invades Asia Minor and defeats Persians at Granicus River					334 BC
332 BC	Alexander conquers Palestine and Egypt	Alexander the Great founds Alexandria in Egypt				332 BC
331 BC	Alexander defeats Persians at Gaugamela; Effectively destroys Persian army					331 BC
330 BC	(1) Alexander the Great enters Babylon; Conquers Persian Empire (2) Darius III assassinated by Persian satrap Bessus					330 BC
329 BC	Alexander the Great reaches India					329 BC
326 BC	Macedonian army defeats King Porus at the battle of The Hydaspes River; Alexander the Great's army mutinies and refuses to march farther into India					326 BC
325 BC					First historical reference to sugar cane by Nearchus	325 BC
324 BC				Menander introduces 'New Comedy' to Greece		324 BC
323 BC	(1) Alexander's general Ptolemy establishes control of Egypt (2) Alexander the Great dies; Wars of the Diadochoi (Successors) begin					323 BC
322 BC		Chandragupta Maurya establishes the Mauryan Empire in northern India				322 BC
312 BC	Seleucus establishes Seleucid Empire in Mesopotamia		Appius Claudius Caecus begins construction of the Appian Way in Rome			312 BC
301 BC	Antigonus dies at battle of Ipsus; Dissolution of Alexander's empire is confirmed			Zeno introduces Stoic philosophy in Athens		301 BC
300 BC			(1) c. 300; Coal technology in Greece (2) Euclid's Elements	c. 300 BCE; Epicurus founds school of philosophy in Athens	c. 300; Rise of horse-nomadism among Turko-Mongol tribes of Central Asia	300 BC
290 BC	Rome completes conquest of Samnites; Effectively controls Italy			Approximate date for the construction of the Library of Alexandria		290 BC
289 BC				Chinese ruler/philosopher Mencius dies; Responsible for refining Confucianism		289 BC
283 BC				Pharos lighthouse in Alexandria		283 BC
281 BC				Completion of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World		281 BC
272 BC	Rome conquers Tarentum and unifies Italian Peninsula					272 BC
270 BC			c. 270; Aristarchos of Samos proposes heliocentric universe			270 BC
264 BC	First Punic War begins between Rome and Carthage					264 BC
260 BC				(1) c. 260; Mauryan king Ashoka converts to Buddhism (2) c. 260; First gladiatorial games in Rome		260 BC
256 BC		End of Eastern Zhou Dynasty in China				256 BC
241 BC	First Punic War ends after Carthaginian defeat at the battle of the Aegates Islands; Rome conquers Sicily and makes it the first Roman province					241 BC
238 BC		Arsaces establishes independent kingdom of Parthia				238 BC
221 BC		China united by the first emperor Shih Huang-ti; Beginning of Qin Dynasty and Imperial China		Chinese Emperor Shih Huang-ti outlaws and persecutes Confucianism		221 BC
219 BC	Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage begins					219 BC
217 BC	Roman army ambushed and destroyed at Battle of Lake Trasimene					217 BC
216 BC	Hannibal's Carthaginian army destroys 16 Roman legions at Battle of Cannae					216 BC
212 BC			Archimedes dies during siege of Syracuse; Regarded as one of the greatest ancient scientists			212 BC
210 BC		Chinese Emperor Shih Huang-ti dies; Buried in massive mausoleum with the Terracotta Army				210 BC
206 BC	Roman army under Scipio Africanus defeats Carthaginians at battle of Ilipa; Rome conquers Hispania	Han Dynasty established in China				206 BC
202 BC	Roman army under Scipio Africanus defeats Hannibal at Zama; Second Punic War ends with Rome dominant in the Mediterranean					202 BC
200 BC					c. 200, Polynesians settle Tahiti	200 BC
190 BC	Rome defeats Seleucid king Antiochus III at battle of Magnesia; Rome secures control of Greece and gains territory in Asia Minor					190 BC
179 BC			Earliest dated stone arched bridge constructed over the Tiber River			179 BC
171 BC	Third Macedonian War between Rome and Macedon					171 BC
170 BC			Paved streets in Rome			170 BC
168 BC	Rome defeats Philip V of Macedon at battle of Pydna; Rome assures dominance in Greece					168 BC
167 BC	Mattahias the Hasmonian begins Maccabean Revolt against Seleucid rule in Judea					167 BC
150 BC				(1) c. 150; El Mirador (Guatemala) has become largest center of Mayan civilization (2) c. 150; Polybius publishes first part of The Histories		150 BC
149 BC	Third Punic War between Rome and Carthage begins; Roman army besieges Carthage					149 BC
146 BC	(1) Romans capture Carthage; Carthaginian territory incorporated into Roman province of Africa (2) Rome eliminates democracies in Greece					146 BC
144 BC	Mithridates I of Parthia conquers Babylonia, Media, and Persia					144 BC
142 BC		Simon Maccabeus creates Hasmonean Dynasty in Judea; Independent Jewish state until 63 BCE				142 BC
135 BC		c. 135-132; First Slave Revolt in Sicily				135 BC
133 BC		Tiberius Gracchus elected tribune in Rome and proposes land reform; Murdered by aristocratic opponents				133 BC
130 BC					Silk Road expands after Chinese emperor Wu Di sends emissaries into Central Asia	130 BC
123 BC		Gaius Gracchus proposes price controls in Rome, sparking aristocratic opposition				123 BC
121 BC		Gaius Gracchus killed during insurrection				121 BC
110 BC					Cultured oyster beds in Southern Italy	110 BC
107 BC		Gaius Marius abolishes land qualifications for military service in Rome				107 BC
105 BC	Proto-Germanic Cimbri and Teutones destroy a Roman army at battle of Arausio					105 BC
104 BC	Second Slave Revolt in Sicily					104 BC
102 BC	Roman army under Gaius Marius defeats Teutones at battle of Aquae Sextiae					102 BC
100 BC		Saturnus and Glauca propose price controls in Rome; Both are mudered with support of Gaius Marius				100 BC
91 BC		Social War begins in Italy; Roman allies rebel				91 BC
88 BC		(1) Social War ends; Italian allies gain Roman citizenship (2) Sulla marches on Rome; First Civil War in Rome				88 BC
86 BC		Gaius Marius dies suddenly, ending First Civil War in Rome				86 BC
75 BC			Greek physician Asclepiades makes distinction between chronic and acute disease; Develops theories of diet and exercise			75 BC
73 BC		Spartacus leads slave revolt against Rome				73 BC
71 BC		Slave Revolt under Spartacus defeated by Crassus and Pompey				71 BC
70 BC		Pompey and Crassus restore the powers of the Tribunate and resume grain distribution in Rome				70 BC
63 BC	Judea becomes client-kingdom of Rome					63 BC
60 BC		1st Triumvirate of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus				60 BC
58 BC	Julius Caesar invades Gaul; Gallic Wars begin					58 BC
53 BC	Parthians crush Roman army at battle of Carrhae; Crassus killed afterward	War of the First Triumvirate begins				53 BC
51 BC		Cleopatra assumes Egyptian throne		Cicero's De Republica		51 BC
49 BC		Caesar crosses Rubicon with his army				49 BC
48 BC	Caesar defeats Senetorial army under Crassus at Pharsalus					48 BC
47 BC		Pompey assassinated				47 BC
45 BC	Julius Caesar defeats conservative republican army at the Battle of Munda; Caesar returns to Rome to rule as dictator			Julius Caesar enforces the Julian Calendar developed by Sosigenes of Alexandria		45 BC
44 BC		Julius Caesar named dictator for life; Assassinated by Senatorial opponents				44 BC
43 BC		2nd Triumvirate of Octavian, Marcus Aemilius, and Mark Antony				43 BC
42 BC	Marcus Junius Brutus defeated at the Second Battle of Philippi; Commits suicide soon after			(1) Virgil begins his Eclogues (2) Second Triumvirate deifies Julius Caesar; Origin of Caesar worship		42 BC
37 BC		Herod the Great confirmed as King of Judaea				37 BC
35 BC				First volume of Horace's Satires		35 BC
32 BC		Mark Antony divorces Octavian's sister; Civil war resumes				32 BC
31 BC		Octavian defeats Mark Antony at Battle of Actium; War of Second Triumvirate ends				31 BC
30 BC		(1) Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide (2) Egypt becomes personal property of Octavian; Serves as financial power base for he and successive emperors	Sundial in China			30 BC
27 BC		Octavian gains title Caesar Augustus; Rules Rome informally as first emperor				27 BC
19 BC			Pont du Gard aqueduct completed in Nîmes, France	Virgil dies; Augustus immediately publishes the Aeneid		19 BC
18 BC				Ovid's Amores		18 BC
15 BC	Augustus expands Rome's frontier to the Danube River					15 BC
4				c. 4; Approximate date of the birth of Jesus		4
6 AD	Rome incorporates client-kingdom of Judea into new province of Iudaea					6 AD
7				Ovid's Metamorphoses		7
9	Germanic revolt against Rome under Arminius; Destroys Varus and three legions at battle of Teutoburg Forest					9
14		Roman Emperor Augustus dies; Tiberius succeeds				14
16	Romans defeat Arminius but German tribes remain independent					16
17				Livy, Roman historian, dies leaving behind his 142-volume history of Rome, Ab Urbe Condita		17
25		c. 25-220; Eastern Han dynasty established by Guang Wudi				25
27				c. 27; Jesus is baptized and begins ministry		27
30			Water-powered bellows and iron furnace in China	c. 30; Crucifixion and death of Jesus		30
37		Roman Emperor Tiberius dies; Caligula succeeds				37
41		Roman emperor Caligula murdered; Claudius succeeds				41
46				Paul of Tarsus begins missionary work in Asia Minor		46
49						49
50		c. 50; Londinium (London) founded				50
54		Roman Emperor Claudius poisoned; Nero succeeds				54
63				Seneca's work of stoic philosophy, Epistolae Morales		63
64				Fires destroy half of Rome; Nero blames Christians and begins persecutions		64
66	First Jewish Revolt against Roman rule in Judaea			Petronius' Satyricon		66
67				Official introduction of Buddhism into China		67
68		Roman emperor Nero commits suicide; End of Julio-Claudian Dynasty				68
69		Year of the Four Emperors in Rome; Vespasian founds Flavian Dynasty				69
70	Roman army under Titus captures Jerusalem and destroys Jewish Temple					70
73				Jewish Zealots commit mass suicide at Masada		73
76	Chinese army defeats Xiongnu nomads (Probably the early Huns)					76
79		Roman emperor Vespasian dies; Titus succeeds		Pliny the Elder killed in Pompeii during eruption of Vesuvius		79
80				Colosseum opens in Rome		80
81		Roman emperor Titus dies; Domitian succeeds				81
96		Roman emperor Domitian assassinated; Nerva succeeds				96
98		Roman emperor Nerva dies; Trajan succeeds				98
100					c. 100 Turkey domesticated (Mexico)	100
105			Zailun invents new paper production technique in China	Tacitus' Historiae		105
106		Dacia (Romania) becomes Roman province				106
113				Trajan's Column erected in newly rebuilt Roman Forum		113
114	Rome annexes Armenia					114
115	Emperor Trajan expands the Roman frontier to the Tigris River					115
117		Roman emperor Trajan dies; After series of revolts, Hadrian succeeds		Tacitus' Annales		117
120				c. 120; Plutarch's Parallel Lives		120
121				Seutonius' Lives of the Caesars		121
122	Hadrian's Wall built in Britain					122
125				Approximate date of completion of the Pantheon in Rome		125
132				c. 132-135; Jewish Rebellion in Jerusalem		132
135				Hadrian orders destruction of Jerusalem and enforces a diaspora of the Jews		135
138		Roman emperor Hadrian dies; Antoninus Pius succeeds				138
155				Martyrdom of Polycarp, an early Christian bishop in Smyrna; His Letter to the Philippians among earliest Christian writings to survive		155
161		Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius dies; Marcus Aurelius succeeds				161
164					c. 164-180; Plague (probably smallpox) hits Rome	164
167	Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius leads series of successful campaigns against Germanic tribes					167
180		Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius dies; Commodus succeeds	Galen's Methodus Medendo; Becomes ultimate medical authority for centuries	Marcus Aurelius' Meditations; Stoic philosophy		180
184		(1) Diocletian becomes Roman emperor; Begins administrative division of Eastern and Western Roman Empire (2) Revolt of the Yellow Turbans in China				184
192		Roman Emperor Commodus murdered				192
193		After series of murders, Septimus Severus uses army to become Roman emperor				193
197				Approximate date of Tertullian's conversion to Christianity; Introduced the term Trinity into Christian theology		197
200				Judah haNasi compiles Mishnah, the foundation of Talmudic Law		200
211		Roman emperor Septimus Severus dies; Caracalla succeeds				211
212		Caracalla extends Roman citizenship to all free males in the Empire				212
217		Roman emperor Caracalla murdered by army officers; Macrinus succeeds				217
218		Roman emperor Macrinus killed in battle; Heliogabalus succeeds				218
220		c. 220-280; Han Dynasty falls in China; Replaced by Period of the Three Kingdoms				220
222		Roman emperor Heliogabulus murdered; Severus Alexander succeeds				222
224		Parthian Arsacid Dynasty overthrown; Beginning of Sassanian Dynasty in Persia				224
225			c. 225; Early form of gunpowder developed in China		c. 225; Tea drinking becomes common in China	225
235		Roman Emperor Severus Alexander buys peace from Alemanni in Gaul; Murdered by his troops; Maximinus succeeds				235
238		Roman emperor Maximinus murdered by Praetorian Guard; Gordianus III succeeds				238
241	Shapur I expands the Sassanid Empire at the expense of Roman territory					241
244		Roman emperor Gordianus III killed by Praetorian Guard; Philippus succeeds				244
247				Philippus holds games to celebrate millennial anniversary of the founding of Rome		247
249		Decius proclaimed Roman emperor by troops; Philippus assassinated				249
250				Roman emperor Decius begins systematic persecution of Christians to ensure dominance of paganism		250
251		Roman emperor Decius killed fighting Goths; Gallus succeeds				251
253		Roman emperor Gallus overthrown; After brief civil war Valerian succeeds				253
260	Persian King Shapur I defeats Roman army and seizes emperor Valerian	Gallienus becomes Roman emperor	Great Wall of China begun			260
268	Roman emperor Claudius II repels invasion of Goths; Gains title Gothicus	Roman emperor Gallienus murdered by troops; Claudius II succeeds				268
270		Roman emperor Claudius II dies of the plague; Aurelian succeeds				270
271			Magnetic Compass used in China			271
272						272
274	Aurelian defeats rebels at Châlons to restore Roman authority in Gaul					274
275		Roman emperor Aurelian murdered; Tacitus succeeds		c. 275; Anthony begins hermetic life of study; Beginning of Christian Monasticism		275
276		Roman emperor Tacitus murdered by troops; Period of civil war and instability in Rome		Mani executed; Teachings will become Manichaeism, which combines Christian salvation and Zoroastrian dualism		276
280		Western Jin emperor reunites China; Beginning of Jin Dynasty				280
291		Rebellion of the Eight Princes in China				291
301				Armenia becomes first state to officially adopt Christianity		301
303				Roman emperor Diocletian begins the Great Persecution of Christians and Manicheans in the empire		303
305		Diocletian and Maximian abdicate as co-emperors; Civil war erupts				305
306				Baths of Diocletian open in Rome, the most lavish public bath in Rome		306
311		Nomadic invasions divide China; Sixteen Kingdoms in North China and Jin Capital at Nanjing				311
312		Constantine defeats Maxentius at battle of Milvian Bridge; Becomes sole emperor in the Western Roman Empire				312
313				Constantine issues the Edict of Milan granting official toleration to Christianity in the Roman Empire		313
320		Chandragupta I founds Gupta Dynasty in India				320
321				Sunday becomes the Sabbath in Roman Empire		321
324		Constantine defeats Licinius to become sole emperor of Rome				324
325				Council of Nicaea; Arian Christianity condemned		325
330		Constantinople made capital of Roman Empire		Construction begins on St. Peter's Basilica in Rome		330
335				The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is consecrated in Jerusalem		335
337		Roman emperor Constantine dies; Three sons succeed				337
341				Coptic Christianity introduced to Ethiopia		341
350	Huns invade Persia					350
360	(1) Huns invade Europe (2) Picts invade Roman Britain					360
361		Julian becomes Roman emperor				361
362				Roman emperor Julian decrees religious toleration in the empire and attempts to reestablish paganism		362
363		Roman Empire redivided into Eastern and Western halves				363
372				Spread of Buddhism in China and Korea		372
376	Visigoths permitted to settle in Balkans by Rome					376
378	Visigoth cavalry destroys Roman army and kills emperor Valens at battle of Adrianople					378
379	Roman emperor Theodosius makes treaty with Visigoths as military allies of Rome					379
380				Theodosius I establishes Catholic Christianity as the official state religion of the Roman Empire		380
390				Bishop Ambrose of Milan forces emperor Theodosius to do public penance for a massacre of 7,000 in Thessalonica		390
391				Roman emperor Theodosius orders all non-Christian books burned		391
393				Olympic games forbidden by Emperor Theodosius		393
395		(1) Emperor Theodosius dies (2) Roman Empire permanently divided				395
396	Visigoths under Alaric invade Greece					396
397				Augustine's Confessions		397
401	Visigoths under Alaric invade Italy					401
403		Western Roman capital moved to Ravenna				403
406	Vandals invade Gaul, sacking numerous Roman cities					406
409	(1) Vandals invade Iberian Peninsula (2) Revolt in Britain marks the end of Roman rule					409
410	Visigoths under King Alaric sack Rome					410
411				Augustine's The City of God		411
420		Nanking capital of China				420
427		Korean capital established at Pyongyang				427
431				Council of Ephesus exiles Nestorius; Emergence of cult of the Virgin Mary		431
433		Attila becomes leader of the Huns				433
438				Roman law since 312 published in Codex Theodosianus		438
439		Vandals establish capital at Carthage				439
449	Saxons and Angles invade Britain					449
451	Attila and Huns defeated in Gaul at battle of Chalons; Last great military campaign by Western Roman Empire		c. 451; Spread of stirrups and metal horseshoes throughout Europe by the Huns			451
452		Venice founded				452
453	Attila dies; Huns expelled from Italy					453
455		c. 455; Mayan city of Cichen Itza founded in Yucatan Peninsula				455
473	King Euric of the Visigoths declares Gaul independent of Roman rule					473
476		(1) Odoacer deposes emperor Romulus Augustus and becomes King of Italy; Formal end of the Western Roman Empire (2) Traditional date for the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe				476
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