Dates are all BCE and are approximate.
Individuals are in italics; dates given for kings are regnal years.
|
Uruk period |
4000–2900 |
|
First city in Uruk |
3500 |
|
Uruk colonies begin |
3500 |
|
Stone Cone Temple constructed |
3500 |
|
Beginning of proto-cuneiform |
3300 |
|
Early Dynastic period |
2900–2300 |
|
Cuneiform develops from proto-cuneiform |
2900 |
|
Beginning of kingship |
2900 |
|
Ur-Nanshe, king of Lagash |
mid-3rd millennium |
|
Royal tombs of Ur |
mid-3rd millennium |
|
Earliest kings of Ebla |
2525 |
|
Lagash-Umma border conflict |
2500–2350 |
|
Eannatum, king of Lagash |
25th century |
|
Enmetena, king of Lagash |
2450 |
|
First evidence of diplomacy in Sumer |
2450 |
|
Baranamtara, queen of Lagash |
2400 |
|
Urukagina, king of Lagash |
2350 |
|
Ebla archives |
2350–2300 |
|
Tabur-damu and Ishar-damu of Ebla |
2300 |
|
Akkadian period |
2300–2200 |
|
Sargon, king of Akkad |
2316–2277 |
|
Enhuduana, en-priestess in Ur, daughter of Sargon |
2300–2250 |
|
Naram-Sin, king of Akkad |
2253–2218 |
|
Naram-Sin deified after putting down rebellions |
2230 |
|
End of Akkadian Empire |
2150 |
|
Gudea, king of Lagash |
2144–2124 |
|
Ur III period |
2112–2000 |
|
Ur-Namma, king of Ur |
2112–2095 |
|
Construction of ziggurats |
early 21st century |
|
Shulgi, king of Ur |
2094–2046 |
|
Creation of bala system by Shulgi |
2070 |
|
Ibbi-Sin, king of Ur |
2028–2004 |
|
End of Ur III period |
2004 |
|
Isin-Larsa period/Old Assyrian period |
2017–1792 |
|
Ishbi-Erra king of Isin |
2017–1985 |
|
Assyrian merchants trading in Anatolia |
2000–1775 |
|
Erishum, king of Ashur |
1974–1935 |
|
Gungunum, king of Larsa |
1932–1906 |
|
Sumu-El, king of Larsa |
1894–1866 |
|
Sumu-la-El, king of Babylon |
1880–1845 |
|
Erra-imitti, king of Isin |
1868–1861 |
|
Sumu-El fights Erra-imitti |
1860s |
|
Enlil-bani, gardener and king of Isin |
1860–1837 |
|
Sin-magir king of Isin |
1827–1817 |
|
Rim-Sin, king of Larsa |
1822–1763 |
|
Old Babylonian period |
1800–1595 |
|
Shamshi-Adad, king of Upper Mesopotamia |
1807–1776 |
|
Shamshi-Adad unites Upper Mesopotamia |
1792 |
|
Siruk-tuh, king of Elam |
early 18th century |
|
Hammurabi, king of Babylon |
1792–1750 |
|
Zimri-Lim, king of Mari |
1774–1762 |
|
Hammurabi unites Mesopotamia |
1766–1761 |
|
Hammurabi promulgates laws |
1755 |
|
Naditums at Sippar |
mid-18th century |
|
School at House F in Nippur |
mid-18th century |
|
Samsu-iluna, king of Babylon |
1749–1712 |
|
Rebellions against Babylon in southern Mesopotamia |
late 18th century |
|
First Dynasty of the Sealand begins |
late 18th century |
|
Abi-eshuh, king of Babylon |
1711–1684 |
|
Ili-ma-ilu, king of the Sealand |
early 17th century |
|
Ammi-ditana, king of Babylon |
1683–1647 |
|
Expansion of the Hittite Empire |
mid-17th century |
|
Hattusili I, king of Hatti |
1650–1620 |
|
Ammi-saduqa, king of Babylon |
1646–1626 |
|
Samsu-ditana, king of Babylon |
1625–1595 |
|
Mursili I, king of Hatti |
1620–1590 |
|
End of the First Dynasty of Babylon |
1595 |
|
Dark Age |
1595–1500 |
|
Late Bronze Age |
1550–1000 |
|
Agum, king of Babylon |
mid-16th century |
|
Mittani founded in Syria |
1500 |
|
Battles for northwest Syria between Egypt, Hatti, and Mittani |
1500–1418 |
|
Idrimi, king of Alalakh |
early 15th century |
|
Babylonian conquest of the Sealand |
1475 |
|
Kingdom of Hana begins in Syria |
late 15th century |
|
Saushtatar, king of Mittani |
late 15th century |
|
Diplomatic relations start between great powers |
1418 |
|
Amenhotep III, king of Egypt |
1386–1349 |
|
Kurigalzu I, king of Babylon |
early 14th century |
|
Amarna letters |
mid-14th century |
|
Tushratta, king of Mittani |
mid-14th century |
|
Ashur-uballit I, king of Assyria |
1363–1328 |
|
Burna-Buriash II, king of Babylon |
1359–1333 |
|
Akhenaten, king of Egypt |
1353–1336 |
|
Suppilulima I, king of Hatti |
1344–1322 |
|
Untash-Napirisha, king of Elam |
1340–1300 |
|
Shattiwaza, king of Mittani |
late 14th century |
|
Dissolution of Mittani and independence of Assyria |
1335 |
|
Plague in Hatti |
late 14th century |
|
Kara-hardash, king of Babylon |
1333 |
|
Mursili II, king of Hatti |
1321–1295 |
|
Ulu Burun shipwreck |
1300 |
|
Sin-leqi-unnini composes the Gilgamesh Epic |
13th century? |
|
Kidin-Hutran II, king of Elam |
early 13th century |
|
Ramses II, king of Egypt |
1279–1213 |
|
Battle of Kadesh between Egypt and Hatti |
1274 |
|
Hattusili III, king of Hatti |
1267–1237 |
|
Puduhepa, queen of Hatti |
mid-13th century |
|
Egypt-Hatti peace treaty |
1259 |
|
Final end of Mittani |
1250 |
|
Growth of Middle Assyrian Empire |
mid-13th century |
|
Tukulti-Ninurta I, king of Assyria |
1243–1207 |
|
Niqmaddu III, king of Ugarit |
1225–1215 |
|
Widespread drought and famine |
late 13th/early 12th century |
|
Ramses III, king of Egypt |
1186–1155 |
|
Destruction of Ugarit |
1185 |
|
Destruction of Emar |
1180 |
|
Attacks on Egypt by Sea Peoples |
early 12th century |
|
Aramean kingdoms founded in Syria |
12th century |
|
Shutruk-Nahhunte, king of Elam |
1160 |
|
Elamite attack on Babylon, capture of Babylonian objects |
1158 |
|
End of Kassite dynasty in Babylon |
1155 |
|
Kutir-Nahhunte, king of Elam |
mid-12th century |
|
Nebuchadnezzar I, king of Babylon |
1126–1105 |
|
Nebuchadnezzar I raids Susa |
1110 |
|
Israelite kingdom founded |
11th century |
|
Phoenician alphabet invented |
11th century |
|
Iron technology spreads |
11th century |
|
First millennium |
1000–323 |
|
Expansion of Neo-Assyrian Empire begins |
911 |
|
Ashurnasirpal II, king of Assyria |
883–859 |
|
Unification of Urartu |
mid-9th century |
|
Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria |
744–727 |
|
Shalmaneser V, king of Assyria |
727–722 |
|
Assyrian defeat of Israel |
722–720 |
|
Sargon II, king of Assyria |
722–705 |
|
Sennacherib, king of Assyria |
705–681 |
|
Taharqa, Nubian king of Egypt |
690–664 |
|
Sennacherib sacks Babylon |
689 |
|
Hezekiah, king of Judah |
early 7th century |
|
Esarhaddon, king of Assyria |
681–669 |
|
Rusa II, king of Urartu |
673 |
|
Esarhaddon’s attack on Egypt |
671 |
|
Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria |
668–630 or 627 |
|
Adad-guppi, priestess of Sin in Harran |
649–547 |
|
Shamash-shumu-ukin, Assyrian king of Babylon |
668–648 |
|
Civil war between Ashurbanipal and Shamash-shumu-ukin |
652–648 |
|
Ashurbanipal sacks Susa |
647 |
|
Ashur-etel-ilani, king of Assyria |
630/627–625 |
|
Nabopolassar, king of Babylon |
626–605 |
|
Neo-Babylonian period begins |
626 |
|
Sin-shar-ishkun, king of Assyria |
624–612 |
|
Civil war between Assyria and Babylonia |
624–609 |
|
Conquest of Nineveh |
612 |
|
Conquest of Harran, end of the Neo-Assyrian Empire |
609 |
|
Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon |
604–562 |
|
Nebuchadnezzar II conquers Judah |
587 |
|
Jehoiakin, king of Judah, and Judean exiles living in Babylon |
early to mid-6th century |
|
Amel-Marduk, king of Babylon |
561–560 |
|
Neriglissar, king of Babylon |
559–556 |
|
Cyrus II, king of Persia |
559–530 |
|
Achaemenid Persian Empire begins |
559 |
|
Labashi-Marduk, king of Babylon |
556 |
|
Nabu-na’id/Nabonidus, king of Babylon |
556–539 |
|
Cyrus’s conquest of Babylonia |
539 |
|
Cambyses II, king of Persia |
530–522 |
|
Nebuchadnezzar III, rebel king of Babylon |
late 6th century |
|
Nebuchadnezzar IV, rebel king of Babylon |
late 6th century |
|
Darius I, king of Persia |
522–486 |
|
Greeks defeat Persians at Battle of Marathon |
490 |
|
Xerxes, king of Persia |
485–465 |
|
Xerxes puts down Babylonian rebellion |
484 |
|
Herodotus, Greek historian |
484–425 |
|
Greeks defeat Persian forces of Darius I |
480–479 |
|
Philip II, king of Macedon |
359–336 |
|
Alexander, king of Macedon |
336–323 |
|
Alexander conquers Persian Empire |
331 |