BOOK ONE
THE NEAR EAST

B.C.

EGYPT

18000:

Nile Paleolithic Culture

10000:

Nile Neolithic Culture

5000:

Nile Bronze Culture

4241:

Egyptian Calendar appears (?)

4000:

Badarian Culture

3500-2631:

A. THE OLD KINGDOM

3500-3100:

I-III Dynasties

3100-2965:

IV Dynasty: the Pyramids

3098-3075:

Khufu (“Cheops” of Herodotus)

3067-3011:

Khafre (“Chephren”)

3011-2988:

Menkaure (“Mycerinus”)

2965-2631:

V-VI Dynasties

2738-2644:

Pepi II (longest reign known)

2631-2212:

The Feudal Age

2375-1800:

B. THE MIDDLE KINGDOM

2212-2000:

XII Dynasty

2212-2192:

Amenemhet I

2192-2157:

Senusret (“Sesostris”) I

2099-2061:

Senusret III

2061-2013:

Amenemhet III

1800-1600:

The Hyksos Domination

1580-1100:

C. THE EMPIRE

1580-1322:

XVIII Dynasty

1545-1514:

Thutmose I

1514-1501:

Thutmose II

1501-1479:

Queen Hatshepsut

1479-1447:

Thutmose III

1412-1376:

Amenhotep III

1400-1360:

Age of the Tell-el-Amarna Correspondence; Revolt of Western Asia against Egypt

1380-1362:

Amenhotep IV (Ikhnaton)

1360-1350:

Tutenkhamon

1346-1210:

XIX Dynasty

1346-1322:

Harmhab

1321-1300:

Seti I

1300-1233:

Rameses II

1233-1223:

Merneptah

1214-1210:

Seti II

1205-1100:

XX Dynasty: the Ramessid Kings

1204-1172:

Rameses III

1100-947:

XXI Dynasty: the Libyan Kings

B.C.

WESTERN ASIA

40000:

Paleolithic Culture in Palestine

9000:

Bronze Culture in Turkestan

4500:

Civilization in Susa and Kish

3800:

Civilization in Crete

3638:

III Dynasty of Kish

3600:

Civilization in Sumeria

3200:

Dynasty of Akshak in Sumeria

3100:

Ur-nina, first (?) King of Lagash

3089:

IV Dynasty of Kish

2903:

King Urukagina reforms Lagash

2897:

Lugal-zaggisi conquers Lagash

2872-2817:

Sargon I unites Sumeria & Akkad

2795-2739:

Naram-sin, King of Sumeria & Akkad

2600:

Gudea King of Lagash

2474-2398:

Golden Age of Ur; 1st code of laws

2357:

Sack of Ur by the Elamites

2169-1926:

I Babylonian Dynasty

2123-2081:

Hammurabi King of Babylon

2117-2094:

Hammurabi conquers Sumeria & Elam

1926-1703:

II Babylonian Dynasty

1900:

Hittite Civilization appears

1800:

Civilization in Palestine

1746-1169:

Kassite Domination in Babylonia

1716:

Rise of Assyria under Shamshi-Adad II

1650-1220:

Jewish Bondage in Egypt (?)

1600-1360:

Egyptian Domination of Palestine & Syria

1550:

The Civilization of Mitanni

1461:

Burra-Buriash I King of Babylonia

1276:

Shalmaneser I unifies Assyria

1200:

Conquest of Canaan by the Jews

1115-1102:

Tiglath-Pileser I extends Assyria

1025-1010:

Saul King of the Jews

1010-974:

David King of the Jews

1000-600:

Golden Age of Phoenicia & Syria

974-937:

Solomon King of the Jews

937:

Schism of the Jews: Judah & Israel

884-859:

Ashurnasirpal II King of Assyria

B.C.

EGYPT

947-720:

XXII Dynasty: the Bubastite Kings

947-925:

Sheshonk I

925-889:

Osorkon I

880-850:

Osorkon II

850-825:

Sheshonk II

821-769:

Sheshonk III

763-725:

Sheshonk IV

850-745:

XXIII Dynasty: The Theban Kings

725-663:

XXIV Dynasty: The Memphite Kings

745-663:

XXV Dynasty: The Ethiopian Kings

689-663:

Taharka

685:

Commercial Revival of Egypt

674-650:

Assyrian Occupation of Egypt

663-525:

XXVI Dynasty: the Saïte Kings

663-609:

Psamtik (“Psammetichos”) I

663-525:

Saïte Revival of Egyptian Art

615:

Jews begin to colonize Egypt

609-593:

Niku (“Necho”) II

605:

Niku begins the Hellenization of Egypt

593-588:

Psamtik II

B.C.

WESTERN ASIA

859-824:

Shalmaneser III King of Assyria

811-808:

Sammuramat (“Semiramis”) in Assyria

785-700:

Golden Age of Armenia (“Urartu”)

745-727:

Tiglath-Pileser III

732-722:

Assyria takes Damascus & Samaria

722-705:

Sargon II King of Assyria

709:

Deioces King of the Medes

705-681:

Sennacherib King of Assyria

702:

The First Isaiah

689:

Sennacherib sacks Babylon

681-669:

Esarhaddon King of Assyria

669-626:

Ashurbanipal (“Sardanapalus”) King of Assyria

660-583:

Zarathustra (“Zoroaster”)?

652:

Gyges King of Lydia

640-584:

Cyaxares King of the Medes

639:

Fall of Susa; end of Elam

639:

Josiah King of the Jews

625:

Nabopolassar restores independence of Babylon

621:

Beginnings of the Pentateuch

612:

Fall of Nineveh; end of Assyria

610-561:

Alyattes King of Lydia

605-562:

Nebuchadrezzar II King of Babylonia

600:

Jeremiah at Jerusalem; coinage in Lydia

597-586:

Nebuchadrezzar takes Jerusalem

586-538:

Jewish Captivity in Babylon

B.C.

EGYPT

569-526:

Ahmose (“Amasis”) II

568-567:

Nebuchadrezzar II invades Egypt

560:

Growing Influence of Greece in Egypt

526-525:

Psamtik III

525:

Persian Conquest of Egypt

485:

Revolt of Egypt against Persia

484:

Reconquest of Egypt by Xerxes

482:

Egypt joins with Persia in war against Greece

455:

Failure of Athenian Expedition to Egypt

332:

Greek Conquest of Egypt; foundation of Alexandria

283-30:

The Ptolemaic Kings

30:

Egypt absorbed into the Roman Empire

B.C.

WESTERN ASIA

580:

Ezekiel in Babylon

570-546:

Croesus King of Lydia

555-529:

Cyrus I King of the Medes & the Persians

546:

Cyrus takes Sardis

540:

The Second Isaiah

539:

Cyrus takes Babylon & creates the Persian Empire

529-522:

Cambyses King of Persia

521-485:

Darius I King of Persia

520:

Building of 2nd Temple at Jerusalem

490:

Battle of Marathon

485-464:

Xerxes I King of Persia

480:

Battle of Salamis

464-423:

Artaxerxes I King of Persia

450:

The Book of Job (?)

444:

Ezra at Jerusalem

423-404:

Darius II King of Persia

404-359:

Artaxerxes II King of Persia

401:

Cyrus the Younger defeated at Cunaxa

350-338:

Ochus King of Persia

338-330:

Darius III King of Persia

334:

Battle of the Granicus; Alexander enters Jerusalem

333:

Battle of Issus

331:

Alexander takes Babylon

330:

Battle of Arbela; the Near East becomes part of Alexander’s Empire