Ancient History (part 1 of 2): Before Christ(B.C.)or Before the Common Era(B.C.E.) 4.5 billion – 1B.C.World History Some Ancient Civilizations Ra, Egyptian Sun God (3000–2000B.C.) See also Egyptian Mythology The Great Pyramid at Giza (c. 2680B.C.) Kim Storm Stonehenge (c. 3000–1500B.C.) Peter F. Harrington Pythagoras (582?–507?B.C.) Buddha (563?–483?B.C.) Confucius(551–479B.C.) Parthenon(447–432B.C.) See also Greek and Roman Mythology Tina Diodati Plato (427?–348 or 347B.C.) Augustus Caesar (63B.C.–A.D.14) Mayan Hieroglyphics (c. 200B.C.) Pantheon in Rome(27B.C.; c.A.D.118–128) See also Greek and Roman Mythology Elaine Ouellette 4.5 billionB.C. Planet Earth formed. 3 billionB.C. First signs of primeval life (bacteria and blue-green algae) appear in oceans. 600 millionB.C. Earliest date to which fossils can be traced. 4.4 millionB.C. Earliest known hominid fossils (Ardipithecus ramidus) found in Aramis, Ethiopia, 1994. 4.2 millionB.C. Australopithecus anamensisfound in Lake Turkana, Kenya, 1995. 3.2 millionB.C. Australopithecus afarenis(nicknamed “Lucy”) found in Ethiopia, 1974. 2.5 millionB.C. Homo habilis(“Skillful Man”). First brain expansion; is believed to have used stone tools. 1.8 millionB.C. Homo erectus(“Upright Man”). Brain size twice that ofAustralopithecinespecies. 1.7 millionB.C. Homo erectusleaves Africa. 100,000B.C. First modernHomo sapiensin South Africa. 70,000B.C. Neanderthal man (use of fire and advanced tools). 35,000B.C. Neanderthal man replaced by later groups ofHomo sapiens(i.e., Cro-Magnon man, etc.). 18,000B.C. Cro-Magnons replaced by later cultures. 15,000B.C. Migrations across Bering Straits into the Americas. 10,000B.C. Semi-permanent agricultural settlements in Old World. 10,000–4,000B.C. Development of settlements into cities and development of skills such as the wheel, pottery, and improved methods of cultivation in Mesopotamia and elsewhere. 5500–3000B.C. Predynastic Egyptian cultures develop(5500–3100B.C.);begin using agriculture(c. 5000B.C.). Earliest known civilization arises in Sumer(4500–4000B.C.).Earliest recorded date in Egyptian calendar(4241B.C.).First year of Jewish calendar(3760B.C.).First phonetic writing appears(c. 3500B.C.).Sumerians develop a city-state civilization(c. 3000B.C.).Copper used by Egyptians and Sumerians. Western Europe is neolithic, without metals or written records. 3000–2000B.C. Pharaonic rule begins in Egypt. King Khufu (Cheops), 4th dynasty(2700–2675B.C.),completes construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza (c. 2680B.C.). The Great Sphinx of Giza (c. 2540B.C.) is built by King Khafre. Earliest Egyptian mummies. Papyrus. Phoenician settlements on coast of what is now Syria and Lebanon. Semitic tribes settle in Assyria. Sargon, first Akkadian king, builds Mesopotamian empire. The Gilgamesh epic(c. 3000B.C.).Systematic astronomy in Egypt, Babylon, India, China. 3000–1500B.C. The most ancient civilization on the Indian subcontinent, the sophisticated and extensive Indus Valley civilization, flourishes in what is today Pakistan. In Britain, Stonehenge erected according to some unknown astronomical rationale. Its three main phases of construction are thought to span c. 3000–1500B.C. 2000–1500B.C. Hyksos invaders drive Egyptians from Lower Egypt(17th centuryB.C.).Amosis I frees Egypt from Hyksos(c. 1600B.C.).Assyrians rise to power—cities of Ashur and Nineveh. Twenty-four-character alphabet in Egypt. Cuneiform inscriptions used by Hittites. Peak of Minoan culture on Isle of Crete—earliest form of written Greek. Hammurabi, king of Babylon, develops oldest existing code of laws(18th centuryB.C.). 1500–1000B.C. Ikhnaton develops monotheistic religion in Egypt(c. 1375B.C.).His successor, Tutankhamen, returns to earlier gods. Greeks destroy Troy(c. 1193B.C.).End of Greek civilization in Mycenae with invasion of Dorians. Chinese civilization develops under Shang Dynasty. Olmec civilization in Mexico—stone monuments; picture writing. 1000–900B.C. Solomon succeeds King David, builds Jerusalem temple. After Solomon's death, kingdom divided into Israel and Judah. Hebrew elders begin to write Old Testament books of Bible. Phoenicians colonize Spain with settlement at Cadiz. 900–800B.C. Phoenicians establish Carthage(c. 810B.C.).TheIliadand theOdyssey,perhaps composed by Greek poet Homer. 800–700B.C. Prophets Amos, Hosea, Isaiah. First recorded Olympic games(776B.C.).Legendary founding of Rome by Romulus(753B.C.).Assyrian king Sargon II conquers Hittites, Chaldeans, Samaria (end of Kingdom of Israel). Earliest written music. Chariots introduced into Italy by Etruscans.