ancient history

By plafondlamp
  • 3400 BCE

    (Ancient) History begins

    • Writing was invented at around this time, and history begins with the earliest signs of that.
    • The Mesopotamian script is known as the 'cuneiform' script, the hieroglyphic script of the Egyptians was developed around the same time.
  • 3000 BCE

    Bronze was discovered

    • The first metalworkers.
    • People figured out how to create bronze from copper and tin.
  • Period: 3000 BCE to 2000 BCE

    The Early Bronze Age

  • Period: 3000 BCE to 1050 BCE

    The Bronze Age

    • Copper and Tin = Bronze
    • Connectivity for trade
    • Improved tools and weapons
    • Egypt, Meso, ANatolia, Aegean
  • Period: 3000 BCE to 2600 BCE

    Early Dynastic period (Egypt)

    • Unification Upper and Lower Egypt
    • Lord of the Double Land
    • Dynasty 1, 2
  • Period: 3000 BCE to 2001 BCE

    The Third Millenium

    • the rise of Mesopotamia
    • brought to rise by the Sumerians and the Akkadians - Liedje erover
    • Sumerians did many great inventions
  • Period: 2600 BCE to 2150 BCE

    Old kingdom of Egypt

    • Dynasty 3,4,5,6
    • Construction of piramids
    • Unification, centralisation, forced labour
    • Climate crisis (famine, Nile flooded less)
    • Pharaoh lost control over governors
  • 2300 BCE

    The Rise of Akkad

    • Akkadian empire
    • Founded by king Sargon
    • Cuneiform script and Old Akkadian language
    • borrowed a lot from Sumerians
    • Existed already in the beginning of 3rd millenium
    • Built a large and powerful empire ('King of the Four Quarters of the World')
    • Unable to defend themselves against tribes from the east = downfall
  • Period: 2150 BCE to 2000 BCE

    First Intermediate Period (Egypt)

    • Crisis (famine)
    • Dynasty 7,8
  • 2100 BCE

    Sumerian Renaissance (Ur)

    • Collapse of Akkadian empire = Revival of several Sumerian cities
    • Third dynasty of Ur
    • Ur was also overthrown by invaders
    • Destroyed by the Elamites (Iran) but weakened by the Amorites
    • crisis in both Egypt and Mesopotamia was by the same climatic phenomenon, allegedly
  • 2000 BCE

    Climate change?

    • Extended drought
  • 2000 BCE

    Unity in Egypt by Thebes

  • Period: 2000 BCE to 1600 BCE

    The Middle Bronze Age

  • Period: 2000 BCE to 1800 BCE

    Middle Kingdom of Egypt

    • New capital is Thebes
    • Dynasty 11,12 (very powerful kings)
    • Extended realm to Third Cataract
    • Fayyûm Oasiscentre of government)
    • Classical period for literature and arts
  • Period: 2000 BCE to 1760 BCE

    Old-Assyrian Empire

    • Benefits from trade
    • Kingship
    • Samshi Addad
  • Period: 2000 BCE to 1001 BCE

    The Second Millennium

    • Birth of two nations in Mesopotamia
    • Assyria and Babylonia
  • Period: 1900 BCE to 1550 BCE

    Minoan Crete

    • Knossos
    • Lineair A in temples
    • Palace very important for storage, religion, administration
    • Prominent role of women
  • 1800 BCE

    Power of the Egyptian kings in decline

    • Unity was lost
  • 1800 BCE

    Recession of the city of Assur

    • Kingdom of Shamsi-Adad 1 (2000-1760 BC)
    • Amorite background
    • Seized the throne
    • Ruled only over Assur himself, brothers did the rest
    • Still was considered an Assyrian king somehow
  • Period: 1800 BCE to 1550 BCE

    Second Intermediate Period

    • Egypt ruled by Foreigners (Hyskos)
    • Settled in the Nile Delta and gained control
    • Dynasty 15,16,17
  • Period: 1800 BCE to 1600 BCE

    Old-Babylonian Empire

    • Hammurabi code of law
  • 1700 BCE

    Hammurabi Code of Law

  • 1600 BCE

    War Chariots

    • Soldiers on wheels (with horse too)
  • 1600 BCE

    Kassites took control over Babylon

    • Kassites adjusted to their culture
  • Period: 1600 BCE to 1200 BCE

    The Late Bronze Age

  • Period: 1600 BCE to 1200 BCE

    Concert of Powers

    • Egypt, Meso, Hittite, Mitanni, Assyria, Babylonia
  • Period: 1550 BCE to 1100 BCE

    New Kingdom of Egypt

    • Thebe unity
    • 18e dynasty: Hatsepsut, Thutmosis III
    • Conquest of Nubia
    • 19e Dynasty: Ramses II
    • Akhenaten: poly naar mono
  • 1450 BCE

    Mycenae invades Crete

    • Crete
    • Mycenae was mainland greece
    • Lineair A in temples in crete
    • After invasion - Lineair B
  • 1350 BCE

    Rise of Assur

    • Profited from the weakness of their neighbouring country Mitanni
  • 1200 BCE

    Invasions by the Sea Peoples (Egypt)

  • 1200 BCE

    Bronze Age Collapse

  • Period: 1100 BCE to 750 BCE

    Third Intermediate Period

  • Period: 1000 BCE to 750 BCE

    Early Iron Age/The Dark Age

    • Iron instead of Bronze
    • Bevolkingsafname, sociale regressie, isolatie
    • Invasions by sea people (downfall mycenae/hittite)
  • 900 BCE

    Neo-Assyrian empire

    • Militarism, reliable on expansion
    • Conquer an area, deport ppl to the military
    • Adopted Babylonian culture
  • Period: 753 BCE to 509 BCE

    The Origins of Rome: the Regal Period

    • Rome was established on the seven hills
  • Period: 750 BCE to 500 BCE

    Archaic period

  • Period: 750 BCE to 332 BCE

    Late period of Egypt

    • Egypt ruled by foreign powers
  • 730 BCE

    Nubian rule over Egypt

  • 729 BCE

    Conquest of Babylon

    • Babylonian culture adopted in Assyria
  • 700 BCE

    Athens strong population growth

    • No colonisation
  • 671 BCE

    Conquest of Egypt, Assyrian rule over Egypt

  • Period: 626 BCE to 539 BCE

    Neo-Babylonian empire

    • Chaldean
    • Nabopolassar restores independence from Assyria
    • Nebuchkadnezzar II built the empire
    • Tower of Babylon
    • Conquest by the Persians
  • Period: 561 BCE to 510 BCE

    Tyranny in Athens

    • Reduces the (informal) power of aristocrats
    • Confiscation of land, redistribution ?
    • Banishes some aristocrats
    • Foundatiion panathenaic festival
    • Builds temples (zeus)
    • Promotes farmers and helps them better cultivate crops
  • 550 BCE

    Persian empire of Achaemenid

  • Period: 534 BCE to 509 BCE

    Tarquin the Proud (Rome)

    • Kings tried to break the power of the patres/clans and acted more like tyrants
    • Bypassed the senate: did not ask advice or consent
    • Centralized administration, creation of new offices
    • Clientage: cultivated supporters outside the traditional aristocracy
    • Via marriage strong connections with nobles of other Latin and Etruscan cities
    • Ruled by fear and seduction, not consent
  • 510 BCE

    Tyranny in Athens abolished with help of Sparta

    • Kleisthenes' reforms
  • 509 BCE

    Aristocracy strikes back: End of Monarchy (Rome)

    • Rome transformed from a monarchy to aristocracy
    • Powers of the king devided
    • Rex Sacrorum Pontifex Maximus
      • religious ceremonial roles
    • Consults/Preators
      • Military and political power
      • Elected anually
  • 499 BCE

    Ionian revolt

    • Ionian opstand against Persia ask help from fellow greeks
    • Athens sends fleet to Ionian
  • 494 BCE

    Secessio Plebis (Rome)

    Majority of unhappy roman people (Phlebs) decided that they did not want to participate in the system.
    - Move away from Rome instead of attack the patricians
    - New city on a new hill top of the Aventine
    - Form their own political system and assembly
    - All the plebeians voted
    Anyone who harmed a tribune became sacer (could be killed by anyone without penalty)
  • 490 BCE

    Battle of Marathon (mesopotamia)

    • Huge Persian force (estimates 20.000 - 100.000) Against 9.000 Athenians (and 1.000) plataeans)
    • Persian retreat, Athenians established as major power
    • 42.195 KM - marathon
  • 490 BCE

    First Persian War (Darius)

    • Darius sends fleet to punish Athens
  • 480 BCE

    Persian return

    • Sacked the city of Athens
    • Destroyed temples of acropolis
    • Athenian naval victory in battle of salamis
  • 479 BCE

    Greeks victorious in hoplite battle

    • Against Persians
  • 479 BCE

    Peloponnesian League

    • Sparta and its allies in Peloponnese
  • Period: 477 BCE to 404 BCE

    Delian League/Athenian Empire

    • Athens and other Greek city states
    • Treasure in Athens
    • Becomes Athenian Empire
  • 451 BCE

    XII TABLES (Rome)

    • Ended the patricians' legal monopoly
  • 431 BCE

    Conflict Athens and Sparta

  • 431 BCE

    Archidamian war

    • Plague hits Athens
  • Period: 431 BCE to 404 BCE

    Peloponnesian War

    • **Sparta* and independent states vs Athens and independent states
  • 421 BCE

    Peace of Nikias

  • 415 BCE

    Sicilian Expedition

    • Heavy loss for Athens
  • 413 BCE

    Decelean War

    • Persian support for Sparta
    • Sparta builds a fleet
  • 404 BCE

    Athens surrendered

    • End of Athenian empire
  • 404 BCE

    Coalition wars

    • Athens vs Sparta vs Thebes
  • 367 BCE

    Licinian/sextine laws (Rome)

    • Ended the patrician monopoly of the chief magistrates
    • Limited their control of public land
  • 359 BCE

    Philip II & the rise of Macedon

    • Builds strong army
  • 338 BCE

    Conquest of rebellious Latins and North Campania (Rome)

    • Enfranchisement with/without voting rights
  • 338 BCE

    Battle of Chaeronea (Macedonian)

    • Macedonia now had a powerful position in Greece
    • Strengthened by alliances with the Corinthian league
  • 337 BCE

    League of Corinth was formed

    • Philip II
    • 'United Greek states' with exception of Sparta
    • No conflicts between members
    • Contribution military effort against Persia
    • Council of delegates
    • Oath of allegiance
    • Acknowledge Philip as leader
  • 336 BCE

    Alexander (the Great) consolidates power

  • 336 BCE

    Philip II was murdered (Macedonian)

  • Period: 336 BCE to 322 BCE

    Conquests of Alexander (the Great)

  • 333 BCE

    Granicus (W. Asia Minor) (Macedonian)

  • Period: 333 BCE to 327 BCE

    Campaigns in NE (Macedonian)

  • 332 BCE

    Conquest of Egypt (Macedonian)

    • Persian satrap surrendered without battle
    • Alex came across an oracle and was greeted as a pharaoh
    • Son of Zeus Ammon (Ammon is what the Greek named Zeus)
    • Ruler cult (reign was divine)
    • Foundation of Alexandria (Egypt's future capital)
  • 332 BCE

    Battle of Issos (Macedonian)

  • 331 BCE

    Battle of Gaugemela (Macedonian)

    • Alex defeated the Persian land forces (1 oct)
    • Alex had himself crowned 'king of Asia'
    • Went to Babylon, Susa and Persepolis with no resistance
    • Ordered Persepolis to be burned down (revenge for Athens in 480)
    • Alex founded many many cities
    • Soldiers had enough and refused to march any further
  • 331 BCE

    Founding of Alexandria

    • Residence of the Ptolemies
      • Centre of culture and science: library/mouseion
      • Largest city of Mediterranean (250.000-500.000 inhabitants)
      • Major part of trade
      • Mixed population of Greeks, Jews(1/3rd), Egyptians
    • NB more than 50 cities were called Alexandria
  • Period: 327 BCE to 322 BCE

    Punjab and Indus (Macedonian)

  • 323 BCE

    The death of Alexander the great in Babylon

    • Alex yielded to his men and returned to Babylon
    • Died after a brief illness
  • 321 BCE

    Wars of the Successors (macedonia)

    • Seleucis: Asia
    • Lysimachos: Thrace
    • Antipater: Macedonia
    • Antigonus: Asia Minor
    • Ptolemy: Egypt
  • 317 BCE

    Philip the 3rd died (Alexanders half-brother) (Macedonian)

    • Philip Arrhidaeus
    • Was the sole king
    • Alexander's son became king when he died
  • 310 BCE

    Alexander's son died (Macedonian)

    • Was murdered
    • Alex's family's kingship came to an end
    • The struggle continued
    • The kingdom was divided: wars of the diadochoi (successors)
    • Ptolemaic kingdom (Egypt, Ptolemy I), Seleucid kingdom (Asia, Seleucid I), Antigonid kingdom (Macedonia, Antigonus)
    • No reign in Asia Minor
  • 301 BCE

    Battle of the Ipsos

    • Death of Antifonus
    • Cassander in Macedonia
    • Demetrius in Athens
    • Lysimachos: Thrace Asia Minor
    • Seleucus: Meso Syria
    • Ptolemy: Egypt Levant
  • 289 BCE

    Silver tetradcachm of Demetrius Poliorcetes (Macedonian)

    • Monarchic self-representation
    • Coinage and propaganda
    • Importance of dynasty
  • 287 BCE

    Lex Hortensia (Rome)

    • Granted full legal force to the resolutions of the Phlebian Assembly
    • Equal authority to laws passed by other assemblies
  • 281 BCE

    Battle of Kouroupedion

    • End of Wars of Successors
    • Antigonids: Macedonia, Central Greece
    • Seleucids: Asia Minor, Syria, Meso
    • Ptolemies: Egypt, Levant
    • Attalids: Pergamon
  • 277 BCE

    Forming of a stable dynasty in Macedonia

    - Antigonus established it
  • 275 BCE

    Pyrrhus of Epirus defeated (Rome)

    • Annexation of Southern Italy
  • 270 BCE

    Founding of Pergamon (Macedonian)

    • By Philetearus as Attalid residence
    • Centre of culture (library)
    • Famous for temple of Asklepios
    • Great Altar (now in Berlin)
    • Royal capital
  • Period: 265 BCE to 133 BCE

    The Middle Republic (Rome)

  • 264 BCE

    Final defeat of Etruscans (Rome)

    • Central-Southern Italy under Roman control
  • Period: 264 BCE to 241 BCE

    The First Punic war (Rome)

  • 260 BCE

    Roman builds its first real fleet

  • 241 BCE

    Decisive victory of the Roman fleet (Sicily a Roman province)

    • Carthage accepts unfavourable peace treaty
    • Payment of tribute and loss of Sicily
    • Sicily becomes roman province
  • 238 BCE

    Sardinia and Corsica Roman provinces

  • 222 BCE

    Defeat of Sparta by Macedonians

    • Macedonian king Antigonus III defeated Cleomenes at Sellasia
    • Near Sparta
    • Ended its aspirations
  • Period: 218 BCE to 201 BCE

    The Second Punic war (Rome)

    • New provinces in Spain
    • Hispania nogiets
  • 216 BCE

    Battle of Cannae (Rome)

  • Period: 215 BCE to 205 BCE

    Wars between Rome and Antigonids

  • 201 BCE

    Battle of Zama (Rome)

  • 200 BCE

    Advance of Rome

  • Period: 200 BCE to 197 BCE

    The Second Macedonian war

  • Period: 200 BCE to 31 BCE

    The coming of Rome

  • Period: 200 BCE to 197 BCE

    Wars between Rome and Antigonids

    • Romans curtailed the Greek and Macedonian power
  • 193 BCE

    Greek cities were 'Free and Autonomous'

    • The Romans declared the greek cities 'free and autonomous'
  • 192 BCE

    Roman War against Seleucid

  • Period: 171 BCE to 169 BCE

    The Third Macedonian war

    • End of the Antigonid Kingdom
  • 169 BCE

    Seleucid kingdom conquers Egypt (Macedonian)

    • Antiochus IV conquered Egypt
    • Surrendered it a year later to the Romans
    • Feared a confrontation
  • 164 BCE

    Antiochus IV died

    • Of the Seleucid kingdom
    • Conquered egypt in 169
    - Seleucid kingdom rapidly weakened after his death
  • 161 BCE

    Defeat of the last Antigonid king (Macedonian)

    • Divided Macedonia into four republics
  • 148 BCE

    Macedonia a Roman province

    • The Romans reduced Macedonia to a Roman province
    • Subjection of Greece
  • Period: 148 BCE to 146 BCE

    The Third Punic war (Rome)

  • 146 BCE

    Destruction of Corinth

    • Provincia Macedonia
  • Period: 146 BCE to 145 BCE

    The Achaean war (Macedonian)

    • Against Aegean League
    • Greek was annexed to the newly-created province of Macedonia
  • 145 BCE

    Carthage destroyed, Province of Africa established (Rome)

  • 141 BCE

    Seleucids got overthrown

    • Few smaller kingdoms were formed
    • Pergamum, Attalids
    • Bactria, Greek colonists
    • Parthia, Indo-Iranian invaders
    • Seized power from the Seleucids
  • 140 BCE

    Crop failure Rome

  • 133 BCE

    Rome Acquires Attalid Kingdom

    • Provincia Asia
  • 133 BCE

    Tiberius Gracchus murdered by senate (Rome)

  • Period: 133 BCE to 91 BCE

    Gracchan reforms

    • Tiberus and Gaius
    • Limit amount of public land an individual could have
    • Fixed low wheat
    • Proposes to grant the latins, roman citizenship
    • Set off a new division within the aristocracy ○ Optimates vs populares
    • More power for the people assemblies as aristocracy is divided
    • Tribunes emerged as a central magistracy in the roman political landscape
    • Violence becomes an acceptable thing to deal with political issues
  • 121 BCE

    Gaius Gracchus murdered (Rome)

  • 121 BCE

    Gaius Gracchus murdered by senate

  • 107 BCE

    Marius Army Reforms (Rome)

    • Army becomes an important political force (end result) ○ Lower classes stronger (armed) and gain political power (result of previous) ○ Strong loyalty to army and esp. succesfull generals (result of previous) § Open for lower classes § Professional gear and training (provided by the state) § Year round and long term (16-20) service (instead of seasonal) Better rewards (pay, booty (???) and land)
  • Period: 91 BCE to 88 BCE

    The social war (Rome)

    • Italian allies revolt against rome ○ Demand roman citizenship ○ Angry about gracchan land and division program
      • Create a new federal state called italia Corfinium new capital
    • Romans win the war
  • 90 BCE

    Lex Julia

    • Offered citizenship to all communities in Italy that were not in revolut
  • 88 BCE

    Lex Plautia Papira

    • Extended citizenship to those who gave up the fight by a certain date
    • Italy was now a unified state, governed locally by a self-governing iets
  • Period: 88 BCE to 82 BCE

    The first civil war

    • Marius VS Sulla
  • 86 BCE

    Athens as a timocratic oligarchy

    • The Romans established a timocratic oligarchy in Athens
  • 64 BCE

    Seleucid goes from Asia to Syria

    • The Romans took over
    • Reduced the Seleucid kingdom to the province of Syria
  • 61 BCE

    Phompey deposes last Seleucid king

    • Philip Philomoraius
  • 38 BCE

    IMPERATOR CAESAR DIVI FILIVS AVGVSTVS

  • 31 BCE

    August defeats people

    • Roman Mark Antony
    • Last Ptolemaic queen (Cleopatra VII)
    • Egypt is now part of the Roman Empire
  • 30 BCE

    Egypt lost its independence

    • Romans interfered increasingly in Egypt's affairs
    • Cleopatra VII committed suicide when Egypt was conquered by Octavian/Augustus
    • She was the last queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty
  • Period: 27 BCE to 68

    Julian-Claudian Dynasty

    • Agustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero
  • 14

    August dies

  • Period: 69 to 79

    Vespasian (Rome)

    • More moderate
    • Respected the senate
    • Avoided extreme autocracy
  • 79

    Flevian Dynasty (Rome)

  • Period: 79 to 81

    Titus (Rome)

    • Eroded republican norms
    • Power concetrating the emperor
  • Period: 81 to 96

    Domitian (Rome)

    • Openly autocratic
    • Strict control over the senate
    • Ending the pretense of the republican rule
    • Assassinated in a conspiracy
  • Period: 96 to 180

    Period of the adoptive emperors

    • Period of relative stability and effective governance
    • Respected the senate, maintain stability, governed effectively
  • 180

    Roman Empire flourished

    • Roman empire flourished culturally and economically
    • Empire reached its greatest extent
    • Seemed unchallenged
    • Provinces become strongly romanised
  • Period: 180 to 192

    Commodus (Rome)

    • End of stable period
    • Autrocratic
    • Extravagant
    • Gladiator movie
    • Conflicted with senate
  • Period: 193 to 284

    Crisis of the third century

    • Dynasty faced challenges External
    • Pressure on the borders
    • Wars with Parthians
    • Rebellions in Brittan Egypt
    • Romans paid Germans to not invade
    Unsustainable military costs
    - Poorly defended
    - More defense than offense and lost so less money from wars
    - Frontier poorly defended Emperors tried to reduce gold and silver content of coins
    - Inflation
  • 224

    Sassanid empire founded

    • Ardashir I
    • Iranian regional lord
  • Period: 226 to 272

    Wars with the Sessanids

  • Period: 235 to 284

    Soldier Emperors

    • Rapid succession of emperors ( through coups instead of heriditary)
    • Military influence grew
    • Emperors depended on legions for succession
    • Constant frontier battles
    • Short reigns (2/3 years) cuz many were killed
    • Donatives: soldiers expected cash gifts when a new emperor was killed ○ So they killed emperors cuz that meant money
  • 244

    Romans defeated by Sassanids

    • Emperor gordan III
    • Emperor Philip the Arab accepts peace
  • Period: 248 to 253

    Wars with the Germans

  • 251

    Roman army defeated by the Germans

    • Emperor and son killed in battle
    • Roman forced to allow the Goths to return home with loot and prisoners
  • 260

    Roman army defeated and captured entirely by Persian forces

    • 1st time a Roman emperor was taken prisoner
  • Period: 260 to 274

    Gallic empire

    • Marcus cassianius latinius postumus
    • Roman commandar of batavian origin
    • Watned his own empire
    • Emperor of splinter state from (260-274)
    • Killed by his own troops
  • Period: 270 to 272

    Palmyrene empire

    • Queen Zenobia
    • Broke away from roman empire in 270CE
    • Independent empire
    • Reconquered by the romans in 272 CE
    • Zenobia was captured and brought to rome
  • 271

    Province of Garcia given up

    • Under emperor Aruelian
  • Period: 283 to 305

    Deoclatian reforms

    Diocletian
    - 284-305
    - Army reforms
    - Financial reform
    - Social reform
    - Bereaucratic reform
    - Administrative reform
    - New form of emperorship (dominate) (kinky)
    - Abdicates voluntarily in 305
  • 293

    Tetrarchy

    • 2 senior emperors and their juniors
    • Rome not centre of power (trier, milan, sirmium, nicomedia)
  • 300

    10% inhabitas of Roman empire were christian

    • Not yet unified organisation
    • Hierarchy (bishops, priests, deacons)
    • House churches
    • Prosecution
  • 305

    Abdication of Dioclation

    • Constantinus I west
    • Andere gast east
  • 306

    Constantine acclaimed emperor

  • 312

    Constanties vision

    • Christianity
  • 312

    Battle of Pons Milvius

    • Constantine defeats maximus
    • Becomes sole leader of the west
  • 313

    Edict of Milan

    • Stops persecutions
    • Returns property to the church
  • 324

    Constantine sole ruler of empire

    • Defeats co-emperor of the east
  • 325

    Council of Nicaea

    • Presided by constantine
    • Resolve a dispute
    • Christ was of one substance with the father
    • Establishes the christian dogma
    • Sponsored building of several important churches
    • New senate of Christian senators in Constantinople
  • 330

    Constantinople established as a new capital

  • 337

    Constantine dood

  • Period: 404 to 339

    Coalition wars (mesopotamia)

    • Athens and the second delian league
    • Sparta and the peloponnasian league
    • Thebes as a new power
    • Persians 'divide and conquer'
    • Rise of macedon: king philip 2, alexander (the great Conflict between states develop.
  • 410

    Alaric (visigoth) takes Rome

  • 455

    Sack of Rome by Vandals

    • German tribe
  • 476

    End of the Roman empire of the west

    • Odoacer depose last Emperor of Rome
    • Romulus Augustulus
    • End of the roman empire of the west
  • 480

    Second Persian War

    • Battle of Salamis, Plataeae
    • Defeat Persian Fleet at Mycale