1.
2nd millennium BC
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The 2nd millennium BC spans the years 2000 through 1000 BC. It marks the transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age and its first half is dominated by the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and Babylonia. Indo-Iranian migration onto the Iranian plateau and onto the Indian subcontinent propagates the use of the chariot, chariot warfare and population movements lead to violent changes at the center of the millennium, a new order emerges with Greek dominance of the Aegean and the rise of the Hittite Empire. The end of the sees the transition to the Iron Age. World population begins to rise steadily, reaching some 50 million towards 1000 BC, the Pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and their contemporary Kings of Babylon, of Amorite origin, brought good governance without much tyranny, and favoured elegant art and architecture. Farther east, the Indus Valley civilization was in a period of decline, possibly as a result of intense, Egypt and Babylonias military tactics were still based on foot soldiers transporting their equipment on donkeys. Combined with an economy and difficulty in maintaining order, this was a fragile situation that crumbled under the pressure of external forces they could not oppose. About a century before the middle of the millennium, bands of Indo-European invaders came from the Central Asian plains and swept through Western Asia and they were riding fast two-wheeled chariots powered by horses, a system of weaponry developed earlier in the context of plains warfare. This tool of war was unknown among the classical civilizations, Egypt and Babylonias foot soldiers were unable to defend against the invaders, in 1630 BC, the Hyksos swept into the Nile Delta, and in 1595 BC, the Hittites swept into Mesopotamia. The peoples in place were quick to adapt to the new tactics, among the great states of the time, only Babylon refrained from taking part in battles, mainly due to its new position as the worlds religious and intellectual capital. Also contributing to the changes were the Sea Peoples, ship-faring raiders of the Mediterranean, the civilizations, kingdoms and dynasties in this section are organized according to the United Nations geoscheme The events in this section are organized according to the United Nations geoscheme. It is difficult to pinpoint the year or even the correct century for many events of the 2nd Millennium BC. c.1700 BC–1300 BC—Palace complex in Knossos. C.1600 BC–1360 BC Egyptian domination over Canaan and Syria, in the history of the Egyptian language, the early 2nd millennium saw a transition from Old Egyptian to Middle Egyptian. As the most used form of the Ancient Egyptian language. The earliest attested Indo-European language, the Hittite language, first appears in cuneiform in the 16th century BC, Hittite is the best known and the most studied language of the extinct Anatolian branch of Indo-European languages. The first Northwest Semitic language, Ugaritic, is attested in the 14th century BC, the first fully phonemic script Proto-Canaanite developed from Egyptian hieroglyphs, becoming the Phoenician alphabet by 1200 BC. Mycenaean Greek, the most ancient attested form of the Greek language, was used on the Greek mainland, Crete, the people in this section are organized according to the United Nations geoscheme The Canadian–American speculative fiction author S. M. Stirling has written a set in Bronze Age era, circa the 1250s BC
2.
19th century BC
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The 19th century BC was the century which lasted from 1900 BC to 1801 BC. 1900 BC, Transition from Early Helladic III to Middle Helladic culture in Greece, C.1900 BC, Minoan Old Palace period starts in Crete. C.1900 BC, Fall of last Sumerian dynasty, C.1900 BC, Late Harappan Phase of the Indus Valley Civilization begins c.1900 BC, The Mokaya along the Pacific coast of present-day Chiapas, Mexico were preparing cacao beverages. C.1900 BC, Port of Lothal is abandoned, C.1897 BC, Senwosret II started to rule. He built Kahun near his tomb complex at el-Lahun. C.1895 BC–1878 BC, Pectoral of Senwosret II, from the tomb of princess Sithathoryunet at el-Lahun was made and it is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. C.1880 BC, Pharaoh Senwosret II starts to rule, C.1878 BC, Senwosret III started to rule. 1876 BC, Israelites enter Egypt after two years of famine, C.1874 BC, Pharaoh Senwosret II dies. C.1874 BC, Pharaoh Senwosret III starts to rule, C.1860 BC, Senusret III inspects the Nubian frontier, he leads four punitive campaigns against the Nubians. C.1855 BC, Pharaoh Senwosret III dies, C.1839 BC, Senwosret III died. 1836 BC-1818 BC, Head of Senusret III is made and it is now kept at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri. 1807 BC–1797 BC—Amenemhat III of Egypt 1806 BC-1802 BC—Sobekneferu of Egypt
3.
17th century BC
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C.1700 BC, Minoan Old Palace period ends and Minoan Second Palace period starts in Ancient Greece. C.1700 BC, beginning of the Late Minoan period on Crete, C.1700 BC, Aegean metalworkers are producing decorative objects rivaling those of Ancient Near East jewelers, whose techniques they seem to borrow. C.1700 BC, Lila-Ir-Tash started to rule the Elamite Empire, C.1700 BC,1450 BC, Young girl gathering saffron crocus flowers, detail of wall painting, Room 3 of House Xeste 3, Akrotiri, Thera, is made. It is now kept in Thera Foundation, Petros M. Nomikos, C.1700 BC, Bronze Age starts in China. C.1698 BC, Lila-Ir-Tash the ruler of the Elamite Empire died, Temti-Agun I started to rule the Elamite Empire. 1691 BC, Belu-bani, the King of Assyria died, C.1690 BC, Temti-Agun I, the ruler of the Elamite Empire, died. Tan-Uli started to rule the Elamite Empire,1690 BC, Libaia became the King of Assyria. C.1680 BC, Egypt, Development of leavened bread,1675 BC, Tang of Shang, first ruler of the Shang Dynasty becomes ruler in China. C.1673 BC, Sharma-Adad I became the King of Assyria, C.1661 BC, Iptar-Sin became the King of Assyria. C.1655 BC, Tan-Uli, the ruler of the Elamite Empire,1633 BC—May 2—Lunar Saros 34 begins. 1627 BC, Beginning of a cooling of world climate lasting several years recorded in all over the world. It might have been caused by the Minoan eruption of Thera or the Avellino eruption of Mount Vesuvius,1625 BC, Samsu-Ditana becomes King of Babylon. 1621 BC, Lullaia becomes the King of Assyria,1620 BC, Mursili I becomes King of the Hittite Empire. 1615 BC, Shu-Ninua became the King of Assyria, jie, The last ruler of Xia Dynasty, ruled China for 52 years until 1600 BC according to the Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project. 1686 BC—Hammurabi 1684 BC—Heremon, Irish legend The last known population of mammoth, preserved on Wrangel Island. See, List of sovereign states in the 17th century BC
4.
18th century BC
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The 18th century BC was the century which lasted from 1800 BC to 1701 BC.1800 BC, Iron age in India 1800 BC, Beginning of the Nordic Bronze Age in the period system devised by Oscar Montelius. 1800 BC –1300 BC, Troy VI flourishes, C.1800 BC, Sedentary Mayan communities in Mesoamerica c.1800 BC, Hyksos start to settle in the Nile Delta. They had the capital at Avaris in northeastern Nile Delta,1800 BC Adichanallur urn-burial site in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu. In 2004, a number of dating from around 3,800 years ago. 1800 BC Indo-Aryan migration c.1792 BC –1750 BC, – Hammurabi rules Babylonia and has to deal with Mari, C.1792 BC –1750 BC, – Stela of Hammurabi, from Susa is made. It is now in Musée du Louvre, Paris,1787 BC –1784 BC, Amorite conquests of Uruk and Isin. 1786 BC, Egypt, Queen Sobekneferu dies, end of Twelfth Dynasty, start of Thirteenth Dynasty, start of Fourteenth Dynasty. 1779 BC, Zimrilim, the King of Mari, starts to rule,1770 BC, Babylon, capital of Babylonia becomes the largest city of the world, taking the lead from Thebes, capital of Egypt. 1766 BC, Shang conquest of Xia Dynasty,1764 BC –1750 BC, Wars of Hammurabi. 1757 BC, Mari sacked by Hammurabi,1757 BC, Zimrilim, the King of Mari, dies. 1750 BC, Hyksos occupation of Northern Egypt,1750 BC, A colossal volcanic eruption at Mount Veniaminof, Alaska. C.1750 BC, Vedic period starts in India, C.1750 BC, Investiture of Zimrilim, facsimile of a wall painting on mud plaster from the Zimrilim palace at Mari, Court 106, is made. It is now in Musée du Louvre, Paris, 1740–1720 BC, reigns of pharaoh Neferhotep I and his brother Sobekhotep IV, marking the apex of the Egyptian 13th Dynasty. 1749 BC –1712 BC, Mesopotamian Rebellions, early Unetice culture, beginning of the Bronze Age in Central Europe. Minoan civilization, phase II of the Middle period, C.1700 BC, The last species of mammoth became extinct on Wrangel Island. C.1700 BC, Indus Valley Civilization comes to an end but is continued by the Cemetery H culture c.1700 BC, Minoan Old Palace period ends and Minoan Second Palace period starts in Crete. C.1700 BC, Aegean metalworkers are producing decorative objects rivaling those of Ancient Near East jewelers, C.1700 BC, Lila-Ir-Tash started to rule the Elamite Empire. C.1700 BC, Bronze Age starts in China, C.1700 BC, Shang Dynasty starts in China
