Canonical: https://mdawson.ai/work/civilization-study/timeline/ Civilization [Overview](https://mdawson.ai/work/civilization-study/overview/)[Civilizations](https://mdawson.ai/work/civilization-study/civilizations/)[Frameworks](https://mdawson.ai/work/civilization-study/frameworks/)[Timeline](https://mdawson.ai/work/civilization-study/timeline/)Browse[Method & sources](https://mdawson.ai/work/civilization-study/sources/) [Work](https://mdawson.ai/work/) / [Civilization](https://mdawson.ai/work/civilization-study/overview/) / Timeline Timeline # Five thousand years, *one long view* Each bar is a state or empire, from formation to dissolution, grouped by civilization. Dots on the bottom lane are turning points. Every bar opens its entry. Dates are approximate. This is a reading of selected civilizations, not a complete world history. ## Turning points - 3100 BCENile Valley Unification transformation - c. 3000–1800 BCECaral-Supe urban complexes transformation - 2600 BCEIndus Urbanism Begins transformation - 1600 BCEShang Dynasty transformation - 1200 BCEBronze Age Collapse transformation - 1046 BCEZhou Dynasty transformation - 550 BCEAchaemenid Empire Founded transformation - 26 or 27 September 480 BCEBattle of Salamis naval-battle - 431 BCE-404 BCEPeloponnesian War interstate-war - January-July 332 BCESiege of Tyre siege - 331 BCEBattle of Gaugamela conquest - 330 BCEAlexander's Conquests Begin conquest - 264 BCE-241 BCEFirst Punic War interstate-war - 262–260 BCEBattle of Changping battle - 230 BCE-221 BCEQin's Wars of Unification war-series - 221 BCEQin Unification of China transformation - 218 BCE-201 BCESecond Punic War interstate-war - 2 August 216 BCEBattle of Cannae battle - 146 BCERoman Conquest of Carthage conquest - 134/133 BCEHan-Xiongnu Wars war-series - 10 January 49 BCE-17 March 45 BCECaesar's Civil War civil-war - 9 August 48 BCEBattle of Pharsalus battle - 27 BCERoman Empire Established transformation - 220 CEFall of Han Dynasty transformation - 250 CECrisis of the Third Century transformation - 320 CEGupta Empire transformation - 476 CEFall of Western Roman Empire transformation - c. 520–525 CEAksumite intervention in Himyar conquest - 618 CETang Dynasty transformation - 622 CEIslamic Hijra transformation - 633 CE-651 CEMuslim conquest - 634 CE-638 CEMuslim conquest - 15-20 August 636Battle of the Yarmuk battle - 750 CEAbbasid Revolution transformation - May-September 751 CEBattle of Talas battle - 16 December 755-17 February 763An Lushan Rebellion rebellion - October 763 CE (about 15 days)Tibetan Occupation of Chang'an conquest - c. 792–794 CESamye Debate transformation - 800 CECharlemagne Crowned Holy Roman Emperor transformation - c. 800–950 CEClassic Maya collapse transformation - 821–822 CESino-Tibetan Treaty diplomatic - 960 CESong Dynasty transformation - 1095 CE-1291 CE (conventional)Crusades war-series - 3-4 July 1187Battle of Hattin battle - 1206 CEMongol Empire Founded transformation - c. 1235 CEBattle of Kirina transformation - c.1235 CE (traditional date)Battle of Kirina battle - January-February 1258 (13 days of siege)Siege of Baghdad siege - 3 September 1260Battle of Ain Jalut battle - 1324 CEMansa Musa's pilgrimage trade - 1347 CEBlack Death environmental - 1368 CEMing Dynasty transformation - 1453 CEFall of Constantinople conquest - 1492 CEColumbus Reaches Americas discovery - 1521 CESpanish Conquest of Tenochtitlan conquest - 1521 CEFall of Tenochtitlan conquest - 21 April 1526First Battle of Panipat battle - 1529 CE-April 1532Inca Civil War civil-war - c. 1529–1532 CEInca civil war conflict - 16 November 1532Battle of Cajamarca battle - 1532 CECapture at Cajamarca conquest - 1532 CE-1572 CESpanish Conquest of the Inca Empire conquest - 1543 CECopernicus Publishes "On the Revolutions" discovery - 7 October 1571Battle of Lepanto naval-battle - 13 March 1591Battle of Tondibi battle - 1591 CEBattle of Tondibi conquest - 23 May 1618-24 October 1648Thirty Years' War interstate-war - 1642 CEFounding of the Ganden Phodrang government transformation - Siege 14 July-11 September 1683; battle 12 September 1683Siege and Battle of Vienna siege - 1687 CENewton Publishes "Principia" discovery - 1760 CEIndustrial Revolution Begins discovery - 1776 CEUnited States Independence transformation - 1789 CEFrench Revolution transformation - 1803 CE-1815 CENapoleonic Wars war-series - 21 October 1805Battle of Trafalgar naval-battle - c.1815-c.1840 (conventional, contested)Mfecane / Difaqane war-series - 4 September 1839-29 August 1842First Opium War interstate-war - December 1850-August 1864Taiping Rebellion civil-war - 1868 CEMeiji Restoration transformation - 1871 CEGerman Unification transformation - 11 January-4 July 1879Anglo-Zulu War interstate-war - 22 January 1879Battle of Isandlwana battle - 1 March 1896Battle of Adwa battle - 1912 CERepublic of China transformation - 1914-1918 CEWorld War I transformation - 1917 CERussian Revolution transformation - 1922 CESoviet Union Formation transformation - 1939-1945 CEWorld War II transformation - 1945-1991 CECold War transformation - 1945 CENuclear Weapons transformation - 1947 CEIndian Independence transformation - 1949 CEPeople's Republic of China Formation transformation - 1991 CESoviet Union Dissolution transformation ### Chronicle art ![](https://mdawson.ai/art/civilization/eras-medieval.webp) Era plates are AI-made illustrations. ## Conflicts on the timeline Chronological list of the war records, from earliest to latest. Each links to its conflict record, or to its card on the polity page when the record page is not in the build yet. Draft estimates. 1. 26 or 27 September 480 BCE Battle of Salamis (480 BCE) naval battle · Persian / Iranian / Greco-Roman Primary text read 2. 431 BCE-404 BCE Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) interstate war · Greco-Roman Primary text read 3. Maimacterion (Nov-Dec), archonship of Nicostratus = 333 BCE Battle of Issus (333 BCE) battle · Greco-Roman / Persian / Iranian Primary text read 4. January-July 332 BCE Siege of Tyre (332 BCE) siege · Greco-Roman / Persian / Iranian Primary text read 5. 264 BCE-241 BCE First Punic War (264-241 BCE) interstate war · Greco-Roman Primary text read 6. 262-260 BCE Battle of Changping (262-260 BCE) battle · Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 7. 230 BCE-221 BCE Qin's Wars of Unification (230-221 BCE) war series · Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 8. 218 BCE-201 BCE Second Punic War (218-201 BCE) interstate war · Greco-Roman Formal source 9. 2 August 216 BCE Battle of Cannae (216 BCE) battle · Greco-Roman Primary text read 10. 134/133 BCE Han-Xiongnu Wars (134/133 BCE) war series · Sinitic / East Asian / Steppe / Central Eurasian Primary text read 11. 83 BCE-82 BCE Sulla's Civil War (83-82 BCE) civil war · Greco-Roman Primary text read 12. 10 January 49 BCE-17 March 45 BCE Caesar's Civil War (49-45 BCE) civil war · Greco-Roman Primary text read 13. 9 August 48 BCE Battle of Pharsalus (48 BCE) battle · Greco-Roman Primary text read 14. 3 and 23 October 42 BCE Battle of Philippi (42 BCE) battle · Greco-Roman Primary text read 15. 2 September 31 BCE Battle of Actium (31 BCE) naval battle · Greco-Roman Primary text read 16. 537 CE-838 CE (per Wikipedia infobox, Long-Count based) Tikal-Calakmul Wars (c.537-838 CE) war series · Mesoamerican Stub only 17. 633 CE-651 CE Muslim (Rashidun) Conquest of Persia (633-651 CE) conquest · Islamic / Persian / Iranian Primary text read 18. 634 CE-638 CE Muslim (Rashidun) Conquest of Syria/Levant (634-638 CE) conquest · Islamic / Greco-Roman Primary text read 19. 15-20 August 636 Battle of the Yarmuk (636 CE) battle · Islamic / Greco-Roman Primary text read 20. May-September 751 CE Battle of Talas (751 CE) battle · Sinitic / East Asian / Islamic Primary text read 21. 16 December 755-17 February 763 An Lushan Rebellion (755-763 CE) rebellion · Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 22. October 763 CE (about 15 days) Tibetan Occupation of Chang'an (763 CE) conquest · Tibetan / Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 23. 1025 CE-1026 CE Chola Invasion of Srivijaya (1025-1026 CE) naval expedition · Indus / South Asian / Southeast Asian maritime Primary text read 24. 1095 CE-1291 CE (conventional; convention cited to Tyerman 2006, book-level) Crusades (1095-1291 CE, conventional span) war series · Greco-Roman / Islamic Primary text read 25. 3-4 July 1187 Battle of Hattin (1187 CE) battle · Islamic Primary text read 26. 1211 CE-1234 CE Mongol Conquest of the Jin Dynasty (1211-1234 CE) conquest · Steppe / Central Eurasian / Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 27. c.1235 CE (traditional date) Battle of Kirina (c.1235 CE) battle · West African / Sahelian Stub only 28. 11 February 1235-19 March 1279 Mongol Conquest of the Song Dynasty (1235-1279 CE) conquest · Steppe / Central Eurasian / Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 29. 1258, 1283-1285, 1287-1288 Mongol Invasions of Vietnam (1258-1288 CE) war series · Sinitic / East Asian / Southeast Asian maritime Primary text read 30. January-February 1258 (13 days of siege) Siege of Baghdad (1258 CE) siege · Steppe / Central Eurasian / Islamic Stub only 31. 3 September 1260 Battle of Ain Jalut (1260 CE) battle · Islamic / Steppe / Central Eurasian Primary text read 32. 16 October 1268-14 March 1273 Siege of Xiangyang (1268-1273 CE) siege · Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 33. 19 March 1279 Battle of Yamen (1279 CE) naval battle · Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 34. 9 April 1288 Battle of Bach Dang (1288 CE) naval battle · Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 35. 22 January-early August 1293 Mongol (Yuan) Invasion of Java (1293 CE) naval expedition · Southeast Asian maritime / Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 36. c.1427 CE-1428 CE (conventional; not extracted from a source) Tepanec War and Formation of the Triple Alliance (c.1427-1428 CE, conventional) war · Mesoamerican Primary text read 37. 1454 CE-1519 CE (per Wikipedia infobox) Flower Wars (Xochiyaoyotl) (c.1454-1519 CE) war series · Mesoamerican Primary text read 38. 3 February 1509 Battle of Diu (1509 CE) naval battle · Western / Atlantic Primary text read 39. 15 August 1511 (21 Jumada I 917 AH) Capture of Malacca (1511 CE) siege · Western / Atlantic Primary text read 40. 23 August 1514 Battle of Chaldiran (1514 CE) battle · Islamic / Persian / Iranian Primary text read 41. February 1519-13 August 1521 Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire (1519-1521 CE) conquest · Mesoamerican / Western / Atlantic Primary text read 42. 7 July 1520 Battle of Otumba (1520 CE) battle · Mesoamerican / Western / Atlantic Primary text read 43. 30 June-1 July 1520 La Noche Triste (1520 CE) battle · Mesoamerican / Western / Atlantic Primary text read 44. 21 April 1526 First Battle of Panipat (1526 CE) battle · Indus / South Asian Primary text read 45. 1529 CE-April 1532 Inca Civil War (1529-1532 CE) civil war · Andean Primary text read 46. 16 November 1532 Battle of Cajamarca (1532 CE) battle · Andean / Western / Atlantic Primary text read 47. 1532 CE-1572 CE Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire (1532-1572 CE) conquest · Andean / Western / Atlantic Primary text read 48. 1532 CE-1555 CE Ottoman-Safavid War (1532-1555 CE) interstate war · Islamic / Persian / Iranian Stub only 49. 7 October 1571 Battle of Lepanto (1571 CE) naval battle · Islamic / Western / Atlantic Stub only 50. 13 March 1591 Battle of Tondibi (1591 CE) battle · West African / Sahelian Primary text read 51. 26 September 1603-20 November 1612 Ottoman-Safavid War (1603-1612 CE) interstate war · Islamic / Persian / Iranian Stub only 52. 23 May 1618-24 October 1648 Thirty Years' War (1618-1648 CE) interstate war · Western / Atlantic Primary text read 53. Siege 14 July-11 September 1683; battle 12 September 1683 Siege and Battle of Vienna (1683 CE) siege · Islamic / Western / Atlantic Primary text read 54. 1687 CE-1758 CE Dzungar-Qing Wars (1687-1758 CE) war series · Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 55. 1716–1717 Dzungar Conquest of Tibet (1716–1717) conquest · Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 56. 1720 CE Qing Expedition to Tibet (1720 CE) expedition · Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 57. 1803 CE-1815 CE Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 CE) war series · Western / Atlantic Formal source, metadata only 58. 21 October 1805 Battle of Trafalgar (1805 CE) naval battle · Western / Atlantic Primary text read 59. 4 September 1839-29 August 1842 First Opium War (1839-1842 CE) interstate war · Sinitic / East Asian / Western / Atlantic Primary text read 60. December 1850-August 1864 Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864 CE) civil war · Sinitic / East Asian Primary text read 61. 1 March 1896 Battle of Adwa (1896 CE) battle · Nile Valley Primary text read ## Conflicts with no civilization yet Out of scope as a civilization pending an editor's decision (Zulu / Mfecane group). They have no polity record, so they appear here only. 1. 22 January 1879 Battle of Isandlwana (1879 CE) battle · unassigned Primary text read Keep reading - [**Back to Work**All of the Ledger’s work: music, images, history and investing.](https://mdawson.ai/work/) - [**Civilization overview**Fifteen civilizations, the patterns between them and the timeline.](https://mdawson.ai/work/civilization-study/) - [**Writing**Essays across the Ledger, including these civilization essays.](https://mdawson.ai/writing/) Art: Patterns of Civilization chronicle art, made with AI: illustrations, not historical evidence. Entries are drafts preserved from civilization.study. [Method and sources](https://mdawson.ai/work/civilization-study/sources/).