Roman Empire timeline (217-337 A.D.)

217-284: Crisis of the Third Century

260: Valerian murdered by Persians

268-9: Goths defeated

284: Diocletian restores order

284-305: Diocletian's reign (Tetrarchy)

301: Edict of Maximum Prices

303-11: The Great Persecution

305-337: Reign of Constantine

312: Battle of Mivian Bridge

313: Edict of Toleration

325: Council of Nicea

324-330: Constantinople founded

337: Constantine dies

Ancient Egypt timeline

3500 B.C.: First settlers in the Nile Valley

3500-3100 BC: Pre-Dynastic Egypt

3100-2700 B.C.: Early Dynastic Period

2700-2200 B.C.: Old Kingdom

2600s B.C.: First Pyramid

2500s B.C.: Pyramids at Giza built

2050-1650 B.C.: Middle Kingdon

-Temple of Karnak built

-Nubia conquered

1650: B.C.: Hykos Invasion

1650-1550 B.C.: Hykos rule

1550-1050 B.C.: New Kingdom

-Ramses II and Kadesh

-Exodus?

-Akhenaten

-Hatshepsut

- King Tut

1050-728 B.C.: Egypt split

728 B.C.: Piy conquers Egypt

525 B.C.: Persian conquers Egypt

332 B.C.: Alexander conquers Egypt

305 B.C.: Ptolemy becomes Pharoah

31 B.C.: Battle of Actium

30 B.C.: Cleopatra commits suicide

4th century A.D.: Last hieroglyphs written

400-642: Byzantine rule

642: Muslims conquer Egypt

Western Civilization timeline (1,000,000 B.C.-the present)

1,000,000-35,000 BC: Ancient Hominids evolve into modern man

35,000-10,000 BC: Paleolitic Age

10,000-6,500 BC: Neolitic Age

6,500-3,500 BC: Rise of Agriculture

3,500 BC: Civilizations appear in Mesopotamia and Egypt

559-323 BC: Persian Empire

499-449 BC: Persian Wars

499-336 BC: Rise of Greek Power

336-323 BC: Alexander the Great conquers the known world

323-146 BC: Hellenistic Greece

146 BC- 476 AD: Age of Rome

476-1000: The Dark Ages

1000-1300: High Middle Ages

1300-1500: Late Middle Ages

1500-1800: Renaissance, Reformation, and Empire

1689-1815: Age of Enlightenment

1815-1945: European Empires rule the world

1945-present: The American Age

Persian Empire timeline

3000 B.C.: Elamite Kingdom emerges
550 B.C.: Cyrus the Great founds Persian Empire
539 B.C.: Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon and releases the Jews from captivity
525 B.C.: Persia conquers Egypt
522 B.C.: Darius becomes king
490-449 B.C.: Persian Wars with Greece
334 B.C.: Alexander the Great conquers Persian Empire
323 B.C. Alexander dies in Babylon; his empire split and the Seleucid Empire forms
247 B.C.: The Parthians overthrow the Seleucids
224 A.D.: Sassanid Dynasty overthrows the Parthians
260: Shapur I captures Roman Emperor Valerian
642: Muslims conquer Persia

Timeline Ancient Mesopotamia

5400 B.C.: City of Eridu founded

4300-3100 B.C.: Uruk Period

2334-2279 B.C.: Sargon the Great creates the world’s first empire

2100 B.C.: First known legal code

2000 B.C.: The Epic of Gilgamesh is written

1760 B.C.: The Code of Hammurabi

1595 B.C.: Babylon sacked

1350-1250 B.C.: The Hittite Empire peaks

750-700 B.C.: Assyrian Empire peaks

612 B.C.: Assyrian Empire collapses

605-562 B.C.: Nebuchadnezzar II reigns in Babylon

597-538 B.C.: The Babylonian Exile

539 B.C. Persia conquers Babylon

History Shorts: Alexander the Great and the Battle of Gaugamela

Alexander the Great and the Greeks wanted to eliminate the Persian threat. So, Alexander led an invasion of the Persian Empire defeating every opponent along the way. At Gaugamela, Alexander defeated Darius and the Persian army in a rout. Alexander’s victory spelled the end of the empire Cyrus the Great founded. It also eliminated the Persian threat. Darius was murdered by his own people in the hopes of placating the Macedonian general. Then, Alexander incorporated the Persians into his Macedonian Empire. Afterward, he decided to continue eastward into India. Eventually, his men had enough and forced Alexander to turn around.

Here is Alexander in pop culture: The first clip is from Oliver Stones' Alexander. It is the stereotypical general pep talk to the troops before battle. The second is a documentary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buXBDQvZjFk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcGp9uTsK4Y

History Shorts: The Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.)

Athens angered many of their neighbors. Following the Persian War, the Greeks formed a defensive alliance in the event of a Persian return. Athens came to dominate this Delian League and grew into a superpower that bullied its neighbors. Eventually, Sparta and Athens came to blows launching a conflict which lasted nearly 30 years.

The Peloponnesian War can be split into three phases. During the first phase (431-421 B.C.), Sparta assaulted Athenian interests in Attica. In 421 B.C., the two sides signed the Peace of Nicias ending hostilities. The second phase (415-413 B.C.) began when Alcibiades convinced Athenians to relaunch the war with an invasion of Syracuse. The invasion proved disastrous for Athens. Alcibiades ended up switching sides ushering in the third phase (413-404 B.C.) The final phase of the war witnessed an unlikely alliance between Persia and Sparta. The destruction of the Athenian fleet essentially ended the conflict.

The war devastated Athens. It never again threatened its neighbors. Athens' days as a superpower had ended. The victorious Spartans were mortally wounded in the conflict. The Macedonians eventually conquered all of Greece ushering in the age of Alexander.

Here is a clever video on the Peloponnesian War:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZzyuw_lBTM

History Shorts: Plataea and the end of the Persian War (479 B.C.)

The final major battle of the Persian War was fought at Plataea. An alliance of Greek city states, including Athens and Sparta, defeated Xerxes and the Persians. The year before, Xerxes defeated the Spartan defenders at Thermopylae, conquered Attica, and torched Athens. However, his naval defeat at Salamis left the conquest incomplete. In 479 B.C., the Persians looked to finish off the Greeks. After an eleven day stalemate, the Persians believed the Greeks were retreating. In reality, the Greeks were reorganizing due to a disrupted supply line. The Persians attacked and were routed. On the same day, the Persian navy was also routed in battle. Afterward, the Greeks spent 30 years clearing the Persians out of their territory. The victory led to the rise of modern western civilization with modern philosophy and democracy. It also created a Persian boogeyman for Alexander the Great to exploit and later destroy.


Here is how Hollywood and Frank Miller depicted the engagement: It includes the typical inspirational speech which predicts the rise of Western Civilization. The Greeks did not dress like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFOl-QXpLc4

History Shorts: The Battle of Salamis (480 B.C.)

Following the Battle of Thermopylae, a Greek fleet under Athenian command engaged the Persian invasion fleet. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Greeks achieved a dramatic victory sinking or capturing 300 enemy vessels. Persian King Xerxes retreated back to Asia. The Persians and Greeks fought a final, decisive battle the following year at Plataea.

Here is a compilation someone threw together to portray the battle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGWO7qog-_0

History Shorts: 300 Spartans at Thermopylae (480 B.C.)

After the failure of the initial invasion, the Persians returned to conquer and punish the Greeks. The Athenians defeated Persia at Marathon in 490 B.C. In 480 B.C., they returned with a vengeance. 7,000 Greeks marched to meet the Persians at Thermopylae. They hoped to block or delay the Persian advance by positioning themselves at the pass. They held a massive Persian army at bay for a week. During the battle, a force of 300 Spartans led by King Leonidas fought the Persians to a standstill. However, a Greek traitor named Ephialtes led the Persians around the Spartans leading to their annihilation. Afterward, an enraged Xerxes beheaded and crucified Leonidas' body. Although defeated, the Spartans provided valuable time for the Greek forces to prepare for the culminating battles of the Persian War. Additionally, it allowed the citizens of Athens to escape before the Persians took the city. Those that remained were killed and the city burned.


Thermopylae lives on in pop culture through Frank Miller's Graphic Novel, 300 which was later turned into a film. There was also a 1962 film, 300 Spartans which recounts the battle.

Spartans vs. The Immortals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou-y56B1bxQ

The Spartans last stand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kuna7sC5ek&feature=related

History Shorts: The Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.)

Around 500 B.C., Ionia revolted against Persian rule. Greece helped the rebels which angered the highly aggressive Persians. The Persian King Darius reestablished control over the rebellious city states and then launched a punitive expedition against Greece. In 490 B.C., Athens defeated the Persians at Marathon. Darius retreated back to Asia with his tail between his legs ending the first Persian invasion. Following the failure, Darius faced an Egyptian revolt which prevented a second invasion during his lifetime. The Battle of Marathon proved the Greeks could not only stand up to the powerful Persian Empire, but defeat it. Had the Greeks failed, western history would have been dramatically different. Classical Greece would never have developed to inspire and shape European history. Following the victory, a messenger raced from Marathon to Athens to deliver word of the victory. The run inspired the modern marathon.



The Battle of Marathon (from Battles B.C.):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa8RM2pQjeY

The 1979 Boston Marathon (The modern marathon was inspired by the battle):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yTVylg2xCM

History Shorts: Cyrus the Great forms Persian Empire (559 B.C.)

Cyrus the Great formed the Persian Empire which encompassed Southwest Asia, Central Asia, and parts of Europe. His empire stretched from the Mediterranean to the Indus. As one of the history's greatest empires, the Persians dominated the region until conquered by Alexander. Cyrus the Great was well known for his decision making skills and respect for other cultures.



On Cyrus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TD76nIqfsE

Unfortunately, this is how western culture views the Persians:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrRJ_ZaSm0Q