Chronology of
World History

Copyright © 2007-2009 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: kpolsson@islandnet.com
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URL: http://worldtimeline.info/

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This document is an attempt to bring various published sources together to present a timeline about World History. This is a VERY rough timeline of the events of world history. The main source is a "today in history" that I have had since the 1980s, with updates through the 1990s. Some topics are covered in too much detail, many others not enough. I am currently doing some proper research and adding detail.

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2009 October 28.


About 3000 BCE

  • Egyptian pyramid of Cheops at Gizeh near Cairo includes a tablet recording mythical explanation of extra five days added to Egyptian calendar of 360 days. Thoth, god of night, gambled with the moon, winning five new days to add to the calendar, outside the jurisdiction of Ra, the god of creation. [80.30]

About 2300 BCE

  • Emperor Yao of China invents an elaborate game with hundreds of pieces, in which spectators bet on the outcome played by two opponents. [80.31]

June 16, 1686 BCE

  • Hammurabi the Great dies in Babylon. [1]

About 1500 BCE

  • In India, betting herds of cattle on chariot racing and dice games are the chief amusements of the people. [80.33]

May 15, 1479 BCE

  • Pharaoh Thutmose III defeats the King of Kadesh at the Battle of Megiddo. [118.9]

July 19, 1321 BCE

  • Origin of Era of Menophres. [1]

June 11, 1184 BCE

  • Greeks finally capture Troy. [1]

June 4, 780 BCE

  • First total solar eclipse reliably recorded by Chinese. [1]

June 15, 763 BCE

  • Assyrians record total solar eclipse event on clay tablet. [1]

April 21, 753 BCE

  • Traditional date of the foundation of Rome. [1] [129] [342.10]

February 26, 747 BCE

  • Origin of Era of Nabonassar. [1]

March 19, 721 BCE

  • First recorded lunar eclipse, seen in Babylon. [1]

April 22, 687 BCE

  • Chinese record a meteor shower in Lyra. [1]

February 11, 660 BCE

  • Traditional founding of Japan by Emperor Jimmu Tenno. [1]

April 6, 648 BCE

  • Earliest total solar eclipse; chronicled by Greeks. [1]

May 28, 585 BCE

  • Thales Miletus predicts solar eclipse; Persian-Lydian battle ends. [1]

September 28, 551 BCE

  • Birth of Confucius (as celebrated in Republic of China (Taiwan)). [1] [5]

October 29, 539 BCE

  • Babylon falls to Cyrus the Great of Persia. [1]

September 2, 490 BCE

  • Phidippides runs first marathon, seeking aid from Sparta versus Persia. [1]

September 12, 490 BCE

  • Athenians defeat second Persian invasion of Greece at Marathon. [1]

September 23, 484 BCE

  • Birth of Euripides, Greek playwright (Trojan Women). [1]

August 9, 480 BCE

  • Persia defeats Spartan king Leonidas at Thermopylae. [1]

July 13, 432 BCE

  • Origin of Metonic Cycle. [1]

May 21, 427 BCE

  • Birth of Plato (Aristocles), Athens(?). [1]

February 15, 399 BCE

  • The philosopher Socrates is sentenced to death. [1] [5]

July 18, 390 BCE

  • Battle of Allia - Gauls inflict heavy casualties on Romans. [1]

July 20, 356 BCE

  • Birth of Alexander III the Great, to Philip II and Olympus; king of Macedonia, emperor. [5] [192.73] (September 20 [1])

May 334 BCE

  • First major victory of Alexander, over the Persians. [192.74]

332 BCE

  • Alexander the Great breaches the walls of Tyre, destroys much of the city, kills 8000 people, and sells 30,000 into slavery. [343.10]

October 1, 331 BCE

  • Alexander the Great of Macedon defeats Persian army at Gaugamela. [1]

November 12, 324 BCE

  • Origin of Era of Alexander. [1]

June 13, 323 BCE

  • Alexander the Great dies of fever after a feast in Babylon, age 32. [1] [5] (June 10 [192.71])

October 2, 322 BCE

  • Aristotle dies of indigestion. [1] (March 7 [5])

September 1, 312 BCE

  • Origin of Greek Era - Start of Indiction of Constantinople. [1]

April 3, 309 BCE

  • Origin of Seleucid Era. [1]

April 3, 245 BCE

  • Origin of Era of Arsaces. [1]

March 10, 241 BCE

  • Battle of Aegusa: Roman fleet sinks 50 Carthagean ships. [1]

June 19, 240 BCE

  • Eratosthenes estimates circumference of Earth. [1]

March 30, 239 BCE

  • First recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. [1]

June 5, 221 BCE

  • Chu Yuan, China's poet, drowns. [1]

November 24, 166 BCE

  • Origin of Era of Maccabees. [1]

October 19, 125 BCE

  • Origin of Era of Tyre. [1]

October 1, 110 BCE

  • Origin of Sidonian Era. [1]

January 3, 106 BCE

  • Birth of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Rome, statesman/author (Academica). [1]

September 28, 106 BCE

  • Birth of Pompey (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus), Rome, warrior. [1]

July 12, 100 BCE

  • Birth of Julius Caesar, Roman Emperor. [1] [325.10]

October 15, 70 BCE

  • Birth of Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro), Mantua Italy (Aeneid), poet. [1]

December 8, 65 BCE

  • Birth of Horace, Rome, lyric poet/satirist (Satire, Odes). [1]

September 23, 63 BCE

  • Birth of Octavian (Augustus Caesar), first Roman emperor (27 BC-14 AD). [1]

February 22, 57 BCE

  • Origin of Vikrama Samvat Era (India). [1]

August 26, 55 BCE

  • Roman forces under Julius Cæsar invade Britain. [1]

June 9, 53 BCE

  • Parthians defeat Romans at Battle of Carrhae, killing general Marcus Licinius Crassus. [118.9]

January 10, 49 BCE

  • Julius Cesar crosses the Rubicon, invades Italy. [1]

January 1, 45 BCE

  • Origin of Julian Era; Julian calendar begins. [1]

February 5, 45 BCE

  • Cato, Roman patriot and philosopher, commits suicide. [1]

March 15, 44 BCE

  • Gaius Julius Caesar is assassinated by Roman Senate in the Portico of the Theater of Pompey. [1] [325.10]

December 7, 43 BCE

  • Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman writer, gets his head and right hand chopped off by Mark Antony's soldiers. [1] [5]

November 16, 42 BCE

  • Birth of Tiberius Cesar, second Roman emperor (14-37 AD). [1]

January 1, 38 BCE

  • Origin of Era of Spain (Cesars). [1]

December 7, 36 BCE

  • Earliest known Mayan inscription, Stela 2 at Chiapa de Corzo. [1]

August 30, 31 BCE

  • Origin of Era of Augustus. [1]

September 2, 31 BCE

  • Battle of Actium; Octavian defeats Antony, becomes Emperor Augustus. [1]

January 1, 30 BCE

  • Origin of Actian Era. [1]

August 12, 30 BCE

  • Cleopatra, seventh and most famous queen of Egypt, commits suicide. [1] [5]

August 27, 26 BCE

  • Origin of Egyptian Era. [1]

August 19, 14 BCE

  • Octavian [Augustus], Roman general, dies at age 48. [1]

May 22, 12 BCE

  • A daytime meteor shower, possibly Zeta Perseid observed in China. [1]

August 1, 10 BCE

  • Birth of Claudius, fourth Roman emperor (41-54 AD). [1]

November 27, 8 BCE

  • Horace, Latin poet and satirist, dies. [1]

December 25, 4 BCE

  • Birth of Jesus of Nazareth, religious leader/philosopher (estimated date). [1]

December 24, 3 BCE

  • Birth of Servius Sulpicius Galba, sixth Roman emperor (68-69). [1]

January 1, 1 BCE

  • Origin of Era of Pisa. [1]

March 1, 1 BCE

  • Start of revised Julian calendar in Rome. [1]

17

January 2
  • Publius Ovidius Naso Roman poet, dies. [1]

29

August 29
  • John the Baptist beheaded (Note: Actual date is questionable). [1]

30

April 7
  • Jesus Christ crucified by Roman troops in Jerusalem (scholars' estimate, according to astronomer Schaefer). [1]

33

April 3
  • Jesus Christ crucified (according to astronomer Humphreys and Waddington). [1]

34

April 23
  • Jesus Christ crucified (according to Isaac Newton). [1]

37

February 15
  • Birth of Claudius Drusus Germanicus Caesar Nero, emperor of Rome (54-68). [1]
March 16
  • Tiberius Claudius Nero, emperor of Rome (14-37), dies at age 77. [1]
December 15
  • Birth of Nero Claudius Augustus Germanicus, 5th emperor of Rome (54-68). [1]

39

November 3
  • Birth of Lucan Cordova Spain, Latin poet (Bellum Civile). [1]
December 30
  • Birth of Titus, 10th Roman emperor (79-81), conqueror of Jerusalem. [1]

40

June 13
  • Birth of Gnaeus Julius Agricola, Roman general; conquered Wales, North England. [1]

41

January 24
  • Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Caligula), Roman emperor (37-41), assassinated at age 28. [1]

53

September 15
  • Birth of Trajan, 13th Roman emperor (98-117), conqueror of Ctesiphon. [1]

54

October 13
  • Claudius, Roman Emperor, dies. [1]
  • Prince L Rwagasore of Burundi, murdered; Hero of the Nation Day. [1]

64

July 18
  • Great Fire of Rome begins. [1]

66

January 26
  • Fifth recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. [1]

68

June 9
  • Nero, Roman Emperor, commits suicide. [1]

69

January 1
  • Roman garrison of Mainz uprising. [1]

January 2
  • Roman Lower Rhine army proclaims its commander, Aulus Vitellius, emperor. [1] [354.11]
January 10
  • Roman emperor Galba adopts Marcus Piso Licinianus as Cæsar. [1]
January 15
  • Servius Sulpicius Galba, 6th emperor of Rome (68-69), killed by Praetorian guard in the Forum Rome, at age 70. Lucius Calpurnius Piso is also murdered at the Forum. [1] [354.11]
April 15
  • Battle at Bedriacum, North-Italy; Aulus Vitellius defeated. [1] [354.11]
April 17
  • Roman emperor Marcus Salvius Otto commits suicide. [354.11]
June 29
  • Saint Peter dies. [5]
July 1
  • Roman general Titus Flavius Vespasianus is proclaimed emperor. [354.11]
September 1
  • Traditional date of the destruction of Jerusalem. [1]
December 20
  • Aulus Vitellius Roman, commandant of Rhine and seventh emperor of Rome, murdered. [1]
  • General Vespasianus occupies Rome. [1]

70

May 31
  • Rome captures first wall of the city of Jerusalem. [1]

76

January 24
  • Birth of Publius A Hadrianus, 14th Roman Emperor (117-138). [1]
March 15
  • Birth of Hadrian, Roman Emperor (builder of Hadrian's Wall). [1]

78

March 3
  • Origin of Saka Era (India). [1]

79

June 24
  • Death of Roman emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus. [354.11]
August 24
  • Mount Vesuvius erupts, burying the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae in volcanic ash. [1] [5]
  • Pliny the Elder dies. [5]
November 1
  • Pompei buried by Mount Vesuvius. [1]

86

September 19
  • Birth of Antoninus Pius, 15th Roman emperor (138-161). [1]

89

January 1
  • Governor Lucius Antonius Saturninus of Germany becomes emperor of Rome. [1]

98

January 27
  • Marius Cocceius Nerva, Emperor of Rome (96-98), dies at about age 67. [1]

121

April 26
  • Birth of Antonius Marcus Aurelius [Marcus A Verus], Emperor of Rome (161-180). [1]

122

September 13
  • Building begins on Hadrian's Wall. [1]

126

August 1
  • Birth of Publius Helvius Pertinax, Roman emperor (193 AD). [1]

141

March 20
  • Sixth predicted perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. [1]

143

May 21
  • Earliest known date in America - pre Mayan king Harvest - Bergvorst installed. [1]

155

February 23
  • Polycarp, disciple of Apostle John, arrested and burned at stake. [1]

161

March 7
  • Antoninus Pius [Titus Aurelius], emperor of Rome (138-61), dies at age 74. [1]

180

March 17
  • Antonius Marcus Aurelius [Marcus Verus], Emperor of Rome, dies at age 58. [1]

185

December 7
  • Emperor Lo-Yang, China sees supernova (MSH15-52?). [1]

188

April 4
  • Birth of Caracalla [Marcus Aureiius Antoniius], Roman emperor (211-17). [1]

192

December 31
  • Lucius Aurelius Commodus, Emperor of Rome (180-192), murdered at age 31. [1]

193

March 28
  • Publius Helvius Pertinax, Roman Emperor (192-93), assassinated. [1]
April 14
  • Lucius Septimus Severus crowned emperor of Rome. [1]

197

February 19
  • D Clodius Septimus Albinus, Roman bequest in England, dies in battle. [1]
  • Lucius Septimius Severus' army beats Clodius Albinus at Lyon. [1]

211

February 4
  • Lucius Septimus Severus, emperor of Rome (193-211), dies at age 64. [1]

217

April 8
  • Caracalla [Marcus Aurelius Antoniius], Roman emperor (198-217), murdered at age 29. [1]

218

May 17
  • Seventh recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. [1]

222

March 11
  • Varius A Bassianus, Syrian emperor of Rome (218-222), murdered at age 18?. [1]

230

July 21
  • Saint Pontianus begins his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

235

March 18
  • Marcus Aurelius Alexander, Syrian emperor of Rome (222-235), murdered. [1]
September 29
  • Saint Pontianus ends his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]
November 21
  • Saint Anterus begins his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

236

January 3
  • Saint Anterus ends his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

January 10
  • Saint Fabian begins his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

238

May 10
  • Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus the Thracian, Roman Emperor, murdered. [1]

250

January 20
  • Saint Fabian dies, ending his reign as Catholic Pope (236-50). [1]

253

June 25
  • Saint Lucius I begins his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

254

March 5
  • Saint Lucius I dies, ending his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]
May 12
  • Saint Stephan I replaces Lucius I as Catholic Pope. [1]

257

August 2
  • Saint Stephen I ends his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]
August 30
  • Saint Sixtus II begins his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

258

August 6
  • Saint Sixtus II ends his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

260

July 22
  • Saint Dionysius begins his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

268

December 26
  • Saint Dionysius dies, ending his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

269

January 3
  • Saint Felix I begins his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

274

December 30
  • Saint Felix I dies, ending his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

275

January 4
  • Saint Eutychian begins his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

280

February 27
  • Birth of Constantine the Great, Roman emperor (306-37), adopted Christianity. [1]

283

December 7
  • Saint Eutychian ends his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]
December 17
  • Saint Gaius begins his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

284

August 29
  • Origin of Era of Diocletian (Martyrs). [1]

293

March 1
  • Roman emperor Maximianus introduces tetrarchy. [1]

295

April 20
  • Eighth recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. [1]
November 12
  • Origin of Era of Ascension. [1]

296

April 22
  • Saint Gaius ends his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]
June 30
  • Saint Marcellinus begins his reign as Catholic Pope. [1]

End of Start to 302. Next: 303.
The complete timeline can be purchased in a PDF file for US$10 from the author.

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start-302 303-599 600-799 800-999 1000-1099 1100-1199 1200-1299 1300-1401 1402-1449 1450-1474
1475-1499 1500-1524 1525-1539 1540-1559 1560-1574 1575-1599 1600-1619 1620-1629 1630-1639 1640-1649
1650-1659 1660-1669 1670-1679 1680-1699 1700-1719 1720-1739 1740-1749 1750-1759 1760-1769 1770-1774
1775-1779 1780-1784 1785-1789 1790-1794 1795-1799 1800-1804 1805-1809 1810-1814 1815-1819 1820-1824
1825-1829 1830-1834 1835-1839 1840-1844 1845-1847 1848-1849 1850-1854 1855-1859 1860-1861 1862-1864
1865-1867 1868-1869 1870-1871 1872-1874 1875-1877 1878-1879 1880-1882 1883-1884 1885-1887 1888-1889
1890-1892 1893-1894 1895-1897 1898-1899 1900-1901 1902 1903-1904 1905 1906-1907 1908-1909
1910-1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920-1921
1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931
1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941
1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951
1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961
1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971
1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009


A list of references to all source material is available.

Other web pages of interest:

  • This Day in History
  • Chronology of Sports
  • Chronology of Gambling
  • Chronology of Extreme Weather
  • Chronology of World War II
  • Chronology of Space Exploration
  • Chronology of Sweden
  • Chronology of Personal Computers
  • Chronology of Notable Births
  • Chronology of Notable Deaths
  • Last updated: 2009 October 28.
    Copyright © 2007-2009 Ken Polsson (email: kpolsson@islandnet.com).
    URL: http://worldtimeline.info/
    Link to Ken P's home page.

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