Timeline of Middle Eastern history 1422050 215948277 2008-05-30T12:01:56Z Dbachmann 86857 /* 2nd millennium BC */ {{Cleanup|date=September 2007}} This timeline tries to compile dates of important historical events that happened in or that lead to the rise of the Middle East. The [[Middle East]] is the territory that comprises today's [[Egypt]], the [[Gulf States]], [[Iran]], [[Iraq]], [[Israel]], [[Jordan]], [[Lebanon]], [[Oman]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Syria]], [[Turkey]], the [[West Bank]], the [[Gaza Strip]], and [[Yemen]]. The Middle East with its particular characteristics was not to emerge until late [[2nd millennium|second millennium]] AD. To refer to a concept similar that of today's Middle East but earlier in time, the term [[Ancient Near East]] is used. This list is intended as a [[timeline]] of the [[history of the Middle East]]. For more detailed information, see [[#related articles|articles on the histories of individual countries]]. See [[Ancient Near East]] for ancient history of the Middle East. {{listdev}} ==Neolithic period== === 8th millennium B.C. === * Circa 8000 BC–Settlements at [[Nevali Cori]] in present-day [[Turkey]] are established. * Circa 7500 BC – [[Çatalhöyük]], a very large [[Neolithic]] and [[Chalcolithic]] settlement in southern [[Anatolia]], is founded. * Settlements at Sagalassos in present-day southwest Turkey are established. * Domestication of [[sheep]] in [[Southwest Asia]] * Circa 7000 BC – [[Jarmo]] === 7th millennium BC === * First [[pottery]] in [[Mesopotamia]] * Domestication of the [[cow]] in the Middle East === 6th millennium BC=== * [[September 1]], [[5509 BC]] &ndash; "day of creation of the world" (according to the [[Byzantine Empire]]) and beginning of their calendar <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Dating Creation|1]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> * Around 5400 BC &ndash; [[Irrigation]] in [[Mesopotamia]]. * circa 5600 BC &ndash; According to the [[Black Sea deluge theory]], the [[Black Sea]] floods with salt water. Some 3000 cubic miles (12,500 km³) of [[sea water|salt water]] is added, significantly expanding it and transforming it from a fresh-water landlocked lake into a salt water sea. * [[Agriculture]] appears in the valley of the [[Nile]] * [[Wheel]] and [[plough]] both invented in ancient Mesopotamia * Around 5100 BC &ndash; [[Temple#Religion|Temple]]s founded in South [[Mesopotamia]] === 5th millennium BC=== * c. 4500 BC &ndash; Civilization of [[Susa]] and [[Kish (Sumer)|Kish]] in [[Mesopotamia]] * c. 4570 BC&ndash;4250 BC &ndash; [[Merimde]] culture on the [[Nile]] * c. 4400 BC&ndash;4000 BC &ndash; [[Badari]] culture on the Nile * c. 4000 BC - first examples of [[Sumerian language|Sumerian]] [[writing]] in Mesopotamia ==Ancient Near East== {{main|Ancient Near East|Timeline of ancient Mesopotamia}} {{split|Timeline of the Ancient Near East}} === 4th millennium BC=== [[Image:Ancient Orient.png|thumb|320px|right|Overview map of the [[Ancient Near East]] ]] * City of [[Ur]] in [[Mesopotamia]] (40th century BC). * [[Naqada]] culture on the [[Nile]], 4000 BC&ndash;3000 BC. * [[epoch (reference date)|Epoch]] of the modern [[Hebrew Calendar]] occurred on [[7 October]] [[3761 BC]]. * Some interpretations of Jewish chronology date [[creation (theology)|creation]] to [[25 September]] or [[March 29]] [[3760 BC]]. * Civilization of [[Sumer]], city-states (36th century BC). * First to Fourth dynasty of Kish in [[Mesopotamia]]. * c. 3100 BC - King Narmer unifies the Upper and Lower Egyptian Kingdoms, and gives birth to the world's first [[nation]].The [[Narmer Palette]] is believed to be the historical record of this event: [[ancient Egypt|Egypt]]. * 35th century BC - beginning of desertification of [[Sahara]]. The shift by the Sahara Desert from a habitable region to a barren desert. * [[Ur-Nina]] first king of [[Lagash]] (ca. 34th century), the earliest historical person known by name. * Beginnings of [[urbanisation]] in [[Mesopotamia]] with the [[Sumerians]]. * First cities in [[Egypt]] (35th century BC). * First [[writing]]s in the cities of [[Uruk]] and [[Susa]] ([[cuneiform (script)|cuneiform]] writings). Hieroglyphs in [[Egypt]]. * [[Potter's wheel]] used in [[Middle East]]. * [[Sail]]s used in the [[Nile]]. * Archaic Period of [[Ancient Egypt]] ''(see also [[Sumer]]: [[Ur]], [[Uruk]], [[Kish (Sumer)|Kish]], [[Susa]])'' === 3rd millennium BC=== * First [[ziggurat]]s built in Sumer * [[Near East]] civilizations enter [[Bronze Age]] around 3000 BC * Completion of the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]] === 2nd millennium BC=== {{main|Short chronology timeline}} * [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt]] * [[New Kingdom of Egypt]] * [[Babylonia]], second dynasty of [[Babylon]] * [[Assyria]] * [[Aleppo]] * [[Hittites]] * [[Mitanni]] * [[Hurrian]]s * [[Luwian]]s * [[Canaan]]: [[Ugarit]], [[Kadesh]], [[Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC)|Megiddo]], [[Kingdom of Israel]] * [[Arzawa]], [[Troy]] VI-VII * The [[Cushites]] drive the original inhabitants from [[Ethiopia]], and establish trade relations with [[Egypt]]. * Conquest of [[Canaan]] by the [[Israelites]] * [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Middle Kingdom]] in Egypt (2052&ndash;1570 BC) * [[Hittites]] Old Kingdom in [[Anatolia]] (1900 BC) * [[Civilization]] in Canaan (1800 BC) * Egyptian domination over Canaan and [[Syria]] (1600&ndash;1360 BC) *[[Bronze Age collapse]] (1200-1050 BC) ** Fall of [[Troy]] (traditional date 1184 BC, see [[Troy VII]]) **[[Sea peoples]] * late 2nd millennium BC - begin of the [[Iron Age]] discovery of iron smelting and smithing techniques in [[Anatolia]] or the [[Caucasus]]. === Early Iron Age=== [[Image:Median Empire.jpg||thumb|320px|right|The Oriental Empires about 600 BC]] * [[Third Intermediate Period of Egypt]] * 993 BCE: King [[David]] captures [[Jerusalem]] and designates it the capital of the united [[Kingdom of Israel]]. * c. 960 BCE: King [[Solomon]] builds the [[First Temple]]. * 922 BCE: Jerusalem becomes the capital of the (southern) [[Kingdom of Judah]] after the split of the [[United Monarchy]]. * [[Neo-Hittite kingdoms]] (10th-7th centuries BC) * [[Neo-Assyrian Empire]] (10th-7th centuries BC) * [[Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt]] (672-525 BC) ====Inventions, Discoveries, Introductions==== * [[Iron]] use becomes widespread * The [[Phoenicians]] propagate the [[Phoenician alphabet]] in the [[Mediterranean]] * Many major religious and philosophical viewpoints are created, further explored or codified ''(see also: [[Roman Republic]], [[David]],[[Cyrus the Great]], [[Darius the Great]],[[Parthian Empire]], [[Homer]], [[Alexander the Great]], [[Julius Caesar]], [[Lydia]], [[Medes|Median Empire]], [[Chaldea|Chaldean Empire]])'' ===See also=== *[[List of Pharaohs]] *[[Chronology of the Ancient Near East]] {{Ancient Near East}} ==Classical Antiquity== {{main|Classical Antiquity}} * 606 BCE-586 BCE: The [[Babylonians]] destroy Jerusalem. King [[Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon|Nebuchadnezzar]] burns the Solomon's Temple. * [[Cyrus the Great]] conquered [[Babylon]] and created the [[Persian Empire]] (6th century BC) * 537 BCE: Cyrus allows the [[Israelites]] to return from the [[Babylonian captivity]] and rebuild the Temple. * 515 BCE: The [[Second Temple]] is built. * [[Sparta]] and [[Athens]] fought the [[Peloponnesian War]] * [[Alexander the Great]] conquered [[Iran|Persia]] (330s BC) * [[Hellenic Greece|Hellenic Greek]] culture spread through the [[Mediterranean]] * The [[Roman Republic]] rose and fell * Beginning of [[Christianity]] (1st Century AD) and [[Islam]] (7th Century AD) * [[Jewish-Roman Wars]] and [[Jewish diaspora]]. In 135, Roman Emperor [[Hadrian]] renamed [[Iudaea Province]] into [[Syria Palaestina]]. * The [[Olympic Games]] observed until 393 * The [[Library of Alexandria]], largest library in the world, burned * Rise and fall of the [[Roman Empire]] ===Middle Ages=== =====Rise of Islam===== {{main|Islamic Golden Age|Islamic science|Islamic inventions}} [[Image:Arabic ascendency 1884.jpg|thumb|320px|right|"The Eighth Progressive Map - Arabic Acendency; showing (a,)The [[Caliph|Arabic Empire]] in its greatest extent. (b,) The world at the beginning of the eighth century ([[Christianity]] on the point of being crushed by the [[Muslim|Moslem]]s.). (c,)The four Christian empires ([[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]], [[Lombards|Longobardian]], [[Merovingian]], and [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]].)." <br> The map shows the extension of the Caliphate under [[Al-Walid I]], who reigned from 705 - 715]] * [[Arab Empire]] founded during the [[Muslim conquests]] of the [[Islamic conquest of Persia|Persian Empire]], [[Muslim conquest of Syria|Roman Syria]], [[Muslim conquest of Egypt|Roman Egypt]], [[Umayyad conquest of North Africa|Roman North Africa]], [[Umayyad conquest of Hispania|Visigothic Hispania]], [[History of Islam in southern Italy|southern Italy]], [[Khazar-Arab Wars|Khazar Khaganate]], [[Islamic conquest of Afghanistan|Afghanistan]], and parts of the [[Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent|northwestern Indian subcontinent]] and [[Battle of Talas|northwestern China]] * c. 970 - [[Al-Azhar University]], the oldest [[Islamic]] institution for higher studies, with its corresponding [[mosque of Al-Azhar]] are founded. =====Turks, Crusaders and Mongols===== (The dominance of the Arabs came to a sudden end in the mid 11th century with the arrival of the [[Seljuk Turks]]) * c. 1347, a fleet of Genoese trading ships fleeing Caffa ([[Theodosia]]) reached the port of [[Messina]] and spreads the [[Black Death]] ''(see also: [[Seljuk Turks]], [[Crusades]], [[Mongols]])'' =====The Ottoman era ===== {{main|Timeline of the Ottoman Empire}} [[Image:Ottoman empire 1481-1683.jpg|thum|320px|right|[[Ottoman Empire]], 1481-1683]] ''(main article: [[Ottoman Empire#History|History of the Ottoman Empire]])'' * 1869 - Construction of the [[Suez Canal]] is completed. ==Modern period== =====European domination of the Arabic and Turkish regions (especially since World War I)===== * 1882 - September 13 - British troops occupy Cairo - Egypt becomes British protectorate * 1922 - February 28 - Egypt is granted independence from British occupation. =====Contemporary Middle East===== (circa since WWII) * 1947 - UN General Assembly [[1947 UN Partition Plan|proposes]] to divide Palestine into an Arab and Jewish state. * 1948 - [[History of Israel|Israel]] declares independence * 1948 - The first [[1948 Arab-Israeli War|Arab-Israeli war]] * [[Israeli]] and [[Palestinian]] [[nationalism]] * [[petroleum]] becomes important political factor * 1952 - After a revolution in [[Egypt]] the monarchy is overthrown * 1954 - [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] becomes president of Egypt * 1954 - [[Central Treaty Organization]] * 1956 - [[Suez Crisis]] * 1963 - [[Ba'th Party]] comes to power in [[Syria]] and stages military coup in [[Iraq]] under the leadership of General [[Ahmad Hasan al-Bakr]] and Colonel [[`Abd as-Salām `Arif]] * 1964 - [[Abdul Rahman Arif]] stages military coup in Iraq against the Ba'th Party and brings his brother, [[Abdul Salam Arif]], to power * 1967 - [[Six-Day War]], Israel occupies large Arab territorries * 1968 - Ba'athists stage second military coup under General [[Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr]], [[Saddam Hussein]] is made vice president of Iraq * 1970 - Gamal Abdel Nasser dies, [[Anwar Sadat]] becomes president of Egypt * 1971 - The [[Aswan High Dam]] is completed with [[Soviet]] help in finance and construction; independence of [[Kuwait]], [[Qatar]], [[Bahrain]] and the [[UAE]] * 1973 - [[Yom Kippur War]] * 1974 - The [[PLO]] is allowed to represent the people of [[Palestine]] in the [[UN]] * 1975-1990 - [[Lebanese Civil War]] * 1978 - [[Camp David Accords]] * 1979 - Saddam Hussein becomes president of Iraq; [[Iranian Revolution]]; [[Israel-Egypt peace treaty]] * 1980-1989 - [[Iran-Iraq War]] * 1981 - Murder of Anwar Sadat * 1987-1990 - [[First Intifada]] * 1991 - The [[Gulf War]] * 1993 - [[Oslo Accords]] * 2003 - The [[2003 Invasion of Iraq|2003 Iraq War]] * 2006 - The [[2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict]]; Saddam Hussein executed for "crimes against humanity" == See also == *[[History of the Middle East]] *[[History of pottery in the Southern Levant]] *Empires **[[Ancient Egypt]] **[[Sumer]] **[[Babylonia]] **[[Assyria]] **[[Hittite Empire]] **[[Persian Empire]] **[[Hellenistic Greece]] **[[Roman Empire]] **[[Ottoman Empire]] *[[Mesopotamia]] **[[history of Iraq]] **[[history of Syria]] *Anatolia **[[history of Anatolia]] **[[history of Turkey]] *Canaan **[[history of Palestine]] **[[history of Israel]] **[[history of Jordan]] **[[history of Lebanon]] *[[history of Egypt|Egypt]] **[[Ancient Egypt]]: 3000 BC to 332 BC **[[Ptolemaic Egypt]]: 332 BC to 30 BC **[[Aegyptus (Roman province)|Roman Egypt]]: 30 BC to 639 AD **[[History of Arab Egypt]]: 639 to 1517 **[[History of Ottoman Egypt]]: 1517 to 1805 **[[Egypt under Mehemet Ali and his successors]]: 1805 to 1882 **[[History of Modern Egypt]]: since 1882 *Iran **[[history of Iran]] *Arabia **[[history of Saudi Arabia]] **[[history of Yemen]] **[[history of Oman]] *[[Timeline of Islamic history]] *[[Timeline of Jewish history]] [[Category:Timelines]]