Asian Timeline

Asian

Asian History Timeline

Dates are B.C.E. unless noted * mya=million years ago c.5000-3000 Yangshao culture in China c.5000 Mangoes cultivated in SE Asia c.3750 First evidence of cotton weaving. Mohenjo-Daro, India. c.3500-2500 Longshan culture in China c.3400 First evidence of wheel-made pottery. Sumeria. c.3200-1600 Indus Valley civilization c.3200-2340 Cities in Mesopotamia c.3200 Wheeled transport develops in Mesopotamia. c.3200 Lunar calendar in Mesopotamia c.3200 Cuneiform in Sumeria. c.3000-2000 Anthropomorphic religion in Mesopotamia 3000 Silk manufacturing. China. c.2500-1500 Indus Civilization in India 2334-c.2200 Akkadian Empire c. 2200-1750 Hsia (Xia) Dynasty in China c.2000-1800 Mathematical advances in Old Babylonia c.2000-1600 Old Babylonian Empire c.2000 Horse introduced to W. Asia c.2000 "Personal" religion develops in Mesopotamia c.1900 Epic of Gilgamesh in Mesopotamia. c.1790 Code of Hammurabi c.1750-1100 Shang Dynasty in China c.1700-1500 Evidence of ideographic script in China c.1600-1200 Hittite Empire in Asia Minor (Anatolia) c.1600 Invention of alphabet (consonants only). Syria c.1550 Kassites overthrow Babylonians c.1523-1027 Shang dynasty and invention of writing c.1500-500 Arrival of the Aryans and development of Vedic society (India) c.1400 Development of alphabet by Phoenicians c.1250 Moses unites Hebrews in worship of Yahweh c.1200s Moses leads Hebrews from Egypt to Palestine c.1200-1025 Hebrew occupation of Canaan c.1250 Trojan War c.1200-800 Vedas in India c.1100-250 Zhou (Chou) Dynasty in China c.1027-771 Western Zhou (Chou) Dynasty in China c.1025-933 Unified Hebrew monarchy, Saul, David, and Solomon c.1000 Rise of caste system in India 933-722 Kingdom of Israel 933-586 Kingdom of Judah c.800-600 Upanishads in India 771-c.250 Eastern Zhou (Chou) c.750-612 Height of Assyrian Empire c.750-550 Hebrew prophetic revolution c.750-400 Astronomical observation and record-keeping by New Babylonians c.625 Zoroaster formulates religion in Persia 612-539 New Babylonian Empire c.600 Deuteronomic code 586 Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem c.563-483 Life of Gautama, the Buddha c.551-479 Confucius c.550 Laozi c.540-468 Life of Mahavira, founder of Jainism in India c.563-483 Life of Gautama, the Buddha c.540-468 Life of Mahavira, founder of Jainism in India 539 Conquest of Babylon by Persians 525 Cambyses, the Persian ruler, conquers Egypt c.513 Persian conquest of northwestern India and Indus Valley c.500 Crop cultivation in rows in China c.500 Iron plow in China c.500 Royal Road of Persians 490-479 Greco-Persian War c.450 Hebrew Song of Songs c.400 Book of Job c.400 Coinage in China c.400 Trace harness in China c.400 Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu) c.400-200 Mahabharata and Ramayana reach final form in India c.400 B.C.E.-70C.E. Hebrew prophetic revolution c.373-288 Mencius 334-323 Conquests of Alexander the Great 323 Death of Alexander, division of his empire c.322-183 Maurya dynasty in India c.300 Wrought iron in China c.300 Emergence of Mithraism 300-237 Xunzi (Hsün-tzu) c.273-232 Reign of Emporer Ashoka in India c.261 Ashoka conquers Kalinga, leading to spread of Buddhism in India c.250-208 Han Fei-tzu and Li Ssu--development of Legalism in China 221-206 Unification of China under Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty 221-206 Destruction of Confucian literature under Legalist regime 221-206 Standardization of weights and measures, coinage, writing system under Legalist regime 206B.C.E.-220C.E. Han Dynasty in China c.200 Use of the seed drill in China c.183-145 Greek Invasion of India c.179-104 Dong Zhongsho (Tung Chung-shu) c.141-87 Emporer Han Wudi (Wu Ti) in China c.140 First Chinese ambassadors to India c. 145-86 Sima Qian (Ssu-ma Ch'ien) 111 Chinese expansion to S. China Sea and Vietnam c. 100 Beginning of Japanese state c. 100 Invention of the Rudder in China

END B.C.E. BEGIN C.E. 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E. Han Dynasty in China c.0-100 Shaka and Kushan invasions in northern India c.25-300 Kushan rule in northwestern India c.78 Kushan emporer Kanishka promotes Buddhism in India 220-589 Buddhism reaches China 221-280 Three Kingdoms Era c.200 Porcelain in China c.200-300 Creation of the Yamato state in Japan c.300-800 Classical age of Hindu culture in India c.300-500 Barbarian invasions of China 320-467 Gupta dynasty in India c.380-450 Kalidasa, India's greatest poet c.405 Adoption of Chinese writing in Japan 500 Manufacture of glass and magnetic compass in China c.550-1250 Great stone temple architecture in India c.552 Spread of Buddhism in Japan c.570-632 Muhammad 589-618 Sui dynasty in China c.600-1000 Sanskrit drama in India 604 Shotoku's Seventeen Article Constitution in Japan c.606-648 King Harsha in India 610 Muhammad preaches reform, monotheism in Arabia 618-907 Tang Dynasty in China 622 Muhammad's Hijrah 632 Muhammad dies 632-661 Caliphate emerges as an institution 636-651 Muslims conquer Syria, Persia and Egypt 645 Taika Reform Edict 651 Publication of the Qu'ran, sacred book of Islam c.656 Split in Islam between Shiites and Sunnites 661-750 The Umayyads dynasty (Islamic kingdom) 661 Umayyads move Muslim capital from Medina to Damascus c.700-1300 Height of Islamic commerce and industry 710 Nara establised as Japan's first capitol (and first city) 750-1258 The Abbasid dynasty (Islamic dynasty) 751 Battle at Talas River ends Islamic penetration of Central Asia 762 Abbasids move Muslim capital from Damascus to Baghdad 794-1185 Heian era and literary flowering in Japan c.900 Woodblock printing of books in China, Japan, and Korea 907-960 The Era of the Five Dynasties in China--warfare 945 Buyids occupy Baghdad c.950 Death of Al-Farabi 960-1279 Song dynasty in China 1000-1500 Muslim invasions of India 1000-1200 Development of neo-Confucianism 1037 Death of Avicenna 1021-1086 Wang An-shih, political reformer and author in China 1055 Baghdad falls to the Seljuk Turks 1095-1099 First Crusade c.1120 Rubaiyat of Umar Khayyam 1141-1279 Height of landscape painting in China c.1150 Explosive powder used in weapons in China c.1162-1227 Genghis Khan 1185-1333 Kamakura Shogunate and Japanese feudalism 1187 Crusaders lose Jerusalem to Saladin 1192 Establishment of Shogunate in Japan 1192 Destruction of Buddhism in India c.1200 Zen Buddhism in Japan c.1200 Innoculation for smallpox in China 1206-1526 Turkish Sultanate at Delhi c.1235 Development of Chinese drama c.1250 Poetry of Sadi 1258 Mongols destroy Baghdad and kill the last Abbasid Caliph 1274 Mongols unsuccessful attempt to invade Japan 1279-1368 Mongol (Yüan) dynasty in China 1281 Mongols unsuccessful attempt to invade Japan 1290-1320 Sultanate of Delhi 1291 Fall of last Christian outposts in the Holy Land 1300-1500 Rise of the daimyo in Japan c.1300 Marco Polo travels in China 1368-1644 Ming dynasty in China c.1370 Persian poetry of Hafiz 1398 Sack of Delhi by Timur the Lame (Tamerlane) c.1500 Founding of Sikh religious sect 1549-1551 Introduction of Christianity to Japan 1582-1610 Matteo Ricci in China c.1591 Decline of Songhay afer defeat by Moroccans 1453 Heavy artillery (cannons) helps Turks capture Constantinople and end Hundred Years War