9997 B.C. Aborigines in Australia paint on stone portrayal of organized warfare
 9996-5000 BC Cave paintings in Spain show bows in use
 7000 B.C. Fired-clay pottery
 6000 B.C. Simple bows common in northern Europe
 5000 B.C. Crop irrigation in Egypt
 4500 B.C. Badarian culture in Egypt with pottery, ivory spoons, and imported items such as malachite (green stone used for jewelry)
 4000 B.C. Domestic cattle
 4000 B.C. Wheels in Mesopotamia
 4000 B.C. Stone tools still used in Egypt and Mesopotamia
 4000 B.C. Egypt organized into nomos (provinces) ruled by nomarchs (chiefs)
 3600 B.C. Stone and wooden wheels widespread
 3800 B.C. Copper artifacts in Iran
 3500 B.C. Bread in Egypt
 3500 B.C. Egyptians have mirrors of metal
 3500-3100 B.C. Naqada culture in Egypt, which became Egyptian state
 3200 B.C. Hieroglyphic writing in Egypt
 3100 B.C. Upper and Lower Egypt united under Menes, first Pharaoh, starts Early Dynastic Period
 3100 B.C. Writing, record keeping, and formal administrative organization evident in Egypt
 3000 B.C. Bronze (mix of tin and copper) tools common in Middle East
 3000 B.C. Chariots in Mesopotamia
 3000 B.C. Ox teams pulling plows in Egypt
 3000 B.C. Cuneiform writing in Sumer
 3000 B.C. Sumerians use fillings in bad teeth
 3000 B.C. Sumerians divide day into 24 hours
 3000 B.C. Sumerians divide hour into 60 minutes
 3000 B.C. Sumerians divide minute into 60 seconds
 3000 B.C. Sumerians divide circle into 360 degrees (a very divisive people, these Sumerians)
 3000 B.C. Pharaoh Atothis writes first book on human body (actually, ABOUT it, not ON it)
 3000 B.C. Minoans flourish on Crete
 3000 B.C. Troy inhabited
 3000 B.C. Lyre in Sumeria
 3000 B.C. Athens site inhabited
 2773 B.C. Egyptians use calendar with 365 days
 2700 B.C. Chinese make silk
 2700 B.C. "Old Copper" culture, near Lake Superior, uses copper for tools and ornaments
 2700 B.C. Urak of Mesopotamia is first undisputed example of fortified city
 2700 B.C. Sumer has fully articulated military, including standing army organized along modern lines
 2700 B.C. Formal record keeping and administration used throughout Mesopotamia
 2700 B.C. First "recorded" war, between Sumer (Iraq area) and Elam (Iran area), fought in Basra area
 2686-2160 B.C. Period of Old Kingdom in Egypt, military staff developed
 2630 B.C. Egypt's first pyramid, at Saqqara, by Pharaoh Djoser
 2600 B.C. Advanced soldering skills in Mesopotamia
 2600 B.C. Paved highway in Egypt
 2600 B.C. Tablets of Shruppak (Sumer) tell of city-states equipping 600-700 soldier armies full time, first evidence of standing professional armies
 2550 B.C. Khufu's Great Pyramid at Giza, 481 feet high
 2525 B.C. First detailed account of a war, between Lagash and Umma (both Sumerian city-states), recorded in pictures on stele erected by victorious Eannatum of Lagash (victors write history)
 2525 B.C. Stele of Vultures (by Eannatum) shows war with phalanxes 6 deep by 8 wide; armor; helmets; spears; socket axes; sickle swords; and chariots pulled by onagers (wild asses)
 2500 B.C. Fortified cities are the norm in Mesopotamia
 2500 B.C. Copper helmets with leather liners common in Sumerian army, lessening impact of mace as a weapon
 2500 B.C. Battering ram developed to counter fortifications, since armies on the move needed supplies hidden in the cities
 2500 B.C. Mesopotamians develop weights and measures system
 2500 B.C. Great Pyramid at Giza
 2500 B.C. Egyptians performing surgery, and some patients live
 2400 B.C. Papyrus in Egypt
 2300 B.C. Sargon's army of 5,300 is big for the time
 2300 B.C. Sargon the Great, of Akkad, launches conquest of all of Mesopotamia, first great military dictator
 2296 B.C. Chinese record sighting of comet
 2250 B.C. First evidence of composite bow, during reign of Naram Sin, grandson of Sargon the Great -- able to penetrate leather armor, double range of simple bows
 2200 B.C. Duck decoys in use in Nevada
 2200 B.C. Fortress of Buhen, in Sudan, had walls, firing bastions, moat, and complex gates
 2200 B.C. Egypt fortifies southern area to protect against Nubian attack
 2200 B.C. Queen Semiramis of Babylon builds first tunnel under a river
 2040-1786 B.C. Middle Kingdom period in Egypt, improvements in command structure of military and government
 2000 B.C. Celts begin spreading
 2000 B.C. First zoo has opening day, in China
 1900 B.C. Assyrians united in Mesopotamia
 1900 B.C. Hittites begin smelting iron (technology transfer often guarded as it spread)
 1800 B.C. Bronze metalworking spreads through Europe (note how long after Middle East -- see 3000 B.C.)
 1800 B.C. Babylonians have multiplication tables
 1792 B.C. Hammurabi rules Babylon
 1720 B.C. Hyksos invade Egypt, with mobility-based army, chariots, composite bows (outranged Egyptians by 200 yds), penetrating ax (vs Egyptian simple ax), swords, body armor, helmets, and quivers for rapid bowfire
 1720 B.C. Hyksos establish capital at Avaris
 1700 B.C. Knossos on Crete destroyed by fire
 1674 B.C. Hyksos capture Memphis
 1674 B.C. Half of Egypt ruled by foreign Hyksos kings, other half by Thebes
 1600 B.C. Greek hoplites popularize armor
 1600 B.C. Mycenae (Greece) flourishes
 1600 B.C. Water clock in Egypt
 1570 B.C. New Kingdom Pharaohs begin expansion
 1570-1546 B.C. Ahmose I of Thebes captures Avaris and drives out Hyksos invaders
 1567 B.C. Hyksos expelled from Egypt
 1546-1526 B.C. Amenhotep I begins Egyptian drive into Asia
 1525-1512 B.C. Thutmose I pacifies Nubia
 1512-1504 B.C. Thutmose II pushes Egypt to the edge of Syria
 1504-1450 B.C. Thutmose III, greatest warrior pharaoh (won 17 of 17 campaigns), established peak Egyptian power, adopted best of Hyksos weapons and mobility, and added archers on chariots, reserve forces, communication improvements (such as semaphore) and intelligence gathering
 1500 B.C. Glassmaking perfected in Middle East, including bottles in Egypt
 1500 B.C. Sundials in Egypt
 1500 B.C. Phoenicians found city of Tangier in North Africa
 1500 B.C. Pyramids are out, cutting tombs into rock is in
 1450 B.C. Mycenae dominates Aegean
 1450 B.C. Minoans overrun by mainland Greeks
 1450 B.C. Egypt reaches greatest extent, through the efforts of Thutmose III
 1380 B.C. Nefertiti is queen-consort to Akhenaten in Egypt
 1361 B.C. Tutankhamen king of Egypt at age 9
 1320 B.C. Mycenae reaches its peak
 1300 B.C. Hittites first employ iron for weapons
 1300 B.C. Egyptian army has special field intelligence and commander's conferences for staff planning on the battlefield
 1290-1224 B.C. Ramses II, master builder pharaoh, known to Greeks as Ozymandias, has total army of 100,000
 1288 B.C. Battle of Kadesh, Ramses II and an army of 20,000 ambushed by 16,000 Hittites, including 2,500 chariots. Ramses escapes from trap and counterattacks as Hittites are looting the field. Subsequent stalemate begins 17 fruitless war years.
 1200 B.C. Hittites overrun by the Sea Peoples (mostly displaced from Aegean region by northern invaders, the Sea Peoples included Philis-tines and other groups who later settled in Palestine and surrounding area)
 1200 B.C. Iron smelting perfected (in only 700 years) and as Hittites are scattered, their ironsmiths spread the knowledge
 1200 B.C. Olmec civilization by Gulf of Mexico; includes written language, use of numbers, large temples, and intricate statues
 1194-1163 B.C. Ramses III, last of great New Kingdom rulers
 1190 B.C. Trojan War (between Troy and Mycenae)
 1100 B.C. Phoenicians found Cadiz, Iberian Peninsula
 1100 B.C. Mycenae falls to invaders
 1100-800 B.C. Age of Darkness in Aegean area, Dorian and Ionian invasions interrupt Mycenaean civilization
 1020 B.C. Israelite tribes united under Saul
 1000 B.C. Jerusalem becomes Israeli capital
 1000 B.C. Saul succeeded by David
 972 B.C. Solomon succeeds David
  900 B.C. Celts spread through Gaul
  900 B.C. First recorded mention of symbol for zero, in India
  883 B.C. Assyrian empire expands
  814 B.C. Phoenicians found Carthage
  800 B.C. Corinth founded
  776 B.C. First Olympic Games
  753 B.C. Romulus and Remus found Rome
  750 B.C. Homer writing
  750 B.C. Caste system firmly established in India
  750 B.C. Etruscans expand Italian colonies
  750 B.C. Greek colony of Cumae in Italy
  734 B.C. Corinth settles Corcyra (Corfu)
  732 B.C. Assyria takes Damascus
  729 B.C. Assyria takes Babylon
  722 B.C. Assyria takes Israel
  721 B.C. Sargon II forms last Assyrian dynasty (but he didn't know it at the time)
  715 B.C. Sparta beats Messenia (details at 11) in First Messenian War
  712-612 B.C. Assyrians dominate Fertile Crescent
  700 B.C. Assyrians: 150-200,000 in army, with combined arms field armies of 50,000 mixed infantry, chariots, and cavalry
  700 B.C. Biremes (two banks of oars) developed
  700 B.C. Coins used in Lydia (Turkey)
  700 B.C. Iron begins replacing copper in Europe
  700 B.C. Saddle developed by Scythians (but no stirrups, yet)
  691 B.C. Assyrian 34-mile aqueduct carries water to Nineveh
  689 B.C. Assyrians destroy Babylon after it revolts
  688 B.C. Boxing added to Olympics
  671 B.C. Assyrians capture part of Egypt
  663 B.C. Assyria peaks out
  660 B.C. Byzantium (Istanbul) established
  650 B.C. First reference of triremes (three rows of oars)
  640 B.C. Kingdom of Macedonia started
  625 B.C. King Cyaxares unites Median tribes
  624 B.C. Horse racing added to Olympics
  616 B.C. Etruscan king Tarquinius Priscus rules Rome
  612 B.C. Medes and Babylonians sack Nineveh, and Assyrian empire falls
  610-545 B.C. Greek scientist/philosopher Thales of Miletus teaches value of using reason and observation to understand the world
  609 B.C. Necho II is Pharaoh of Egypt, Necho canal links Nile with Red Sea
  605-562 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar II extends his empire and builds the Hanging Gardens
  600 B.C. Greek colony of Poseidonia (Paestum), Italy
  600 B.C. Greek colony of Massilia (Marseilles)
  600-509 B.C. Estruscan dominance of Rome
  600 B.C. Chinese practice cultivating crops in rows and hoeing intensively -- not practiced in Europe widely until 18th century
  594 B.C. The archon named Solon brings BIG social reform to Athens. Archons were among chief magistrates of Athens. Solon brought laws which ended enslavement for debt, intro- duced right of appeal, amended methods for contracts and taxation, and reduced powers of hereditary aristocracy over the poor -- setting stage for later class struggles. His name became term commonly used to describe any wise lawgiver.
  586 B.C. Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar II destroy Jerusalem, and take Jews into captivity
  585 B.C. Greek scientist/philosopher Thales of Miletus predicts solar eclipse
  563-483 B.C. Buddha
  561 B.C. Peisistratus is tyrant of Athens, meaning one who rules without legal warrant, but not necessarily good or evil ruler
  556-539 B.C. Nabonidus, King of Babylon, is first known archaeologist (he didn't have to dig far)
  551 B.C. Birth of Confucius, Chinese philosopher who taught you should treat others as you would be treated
  551-478 B.C. Confucius
  550 B.C. Lao-Tzu outlines philosophy of Taoism
  550 B.C. First Greek plays
  539 B.C. Cyrus the Great (Persian) conquers Babylon
  537 B.C. Persians free Jews from Babylonian rule
  530 B.C. Cyrus the Great killed in battle
  525 B.C. Persians under Cambyses II (son of Cyrus) whip Egypt
  512 B.C. Darius I (Persian) conquers Byzantium (doyou think he called himself "the first"?)
  510 B.C. Spartan king Cleomenes I overthrows Athenian tyrant Hippias
  509 B.C. Rome becomes republic after throwing out the last king
  507 B.C. Cleisthenes gives democracy to Athens
  500 B.C. First record of use of bow and arrow in North America, perhaps brought from Asia
  500 B.C. "The Art of War," by Sun Tzu, mentions powerful crossbows firing arrows
  500 B.C. Persian Empire near its peak
  499-448 B.C. Greek-Persian War
  494 B.C. Spartan king Cleomenes I defeats city of Argos
  493 B.C. Rome allied with Latin League, the group of cities in the Latium district around Rome
  490 B.C. Corinth foils plan of Spartan king Cleomenes I to reinstall Hippias as tyrant of Athens (apparently Cleomenes thought Hippias would be easier to handle than a democratic Athens)
  490 B.C. Greeks bust Persian chops at Marathon
  490 B.C. Battle of Marathon: 24,000 Persians vs 10,000 Greeks; 6,400 Persian dead, 192 Athenians dead
  490-486 B.C. Massive Persian preparations for going after Greece again
  486 B.C. Egypt revolts against Persia, delaying Darius' rematch with Greece
  485 B.C. Darius dies and Xerxes, his son, is king of Persia
  484 B.C. Persians put down Egyptian revolt
  480 B.C. Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus active
  480 B.C. Carthaginian sea captain, Hanno, explores coast of West Africa with his fleet
  480 B.C. Greek philosopher Pythagoras of Samos dies (but left us his theorem)
  480 B.C. Xerxes builds bridge across Hellespont, using 774 anchored boats
  480 B.C. Greeks get big navy win over Persians at Salamis, and Xerxes has a ringside seat
  480 B.C. Persians squeak by Thermopylae, beat Greeks, and loot and burn Athens (sounds like a soccer game, with fans)
  480 B.C. Xerxes goes back to Persia, leaving Mardonius to mop up the Greek war
  479-431 B.C. Golden Age of Athens
  479 B.C. Aristides and Pausanias lead Greeks over Persians at Plataea, destroying Mardonius and his army
  479 B.C. Greeks land in Asia Minor and defeat Persian force at Mycale (Greeks lead the series 4-1 )
  478 B.C. Delian League established to maintain Greek naval supremacy in Aegean, get Persians off Greek islands, and free Greek colonies in Asia Minor
  469-399 B.C. Socrates
  466 B.C. Greek Cimon defeats Persians at Eurymedon, final battle to free Greeks in Asia Minor
  465 B.C. Xerxes assassinated; son Artaxerxes I succeeds him
  460 B.C. Pericles influential in Athens
  460-359 B.C. Hippocrates
 460-445 B.C. FIRST PELOPONNESIAN WAR, between Athens and Corinth-Sparta
 450 B.C. Some of Delian League think Persian threat is gone; they try to quit; they sleep with the fishes when Athens says "NO"
  450 B.C. Delian League becomes essentially Athenian empire, provoking fear and opposition in Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, and other cities
  447 B.C. Parthenon construction started
  445 B.C. "Thirty-Year Peace," initiated by Pericles, ends First Peloponnesian War
  445 B.C. Rome removes ban on marriage between patricians and plebeians
  435 B.C. Naval war between Corinth and Corcyra (Corfu): Corinth allied with Sparta; Corcyra allied with Athens
  433 B.C. Athens intervenes in naval war between Corinth and Corcyra
  432-404 B.C. SECOND PELOPONNESIAN WAR
  432 B.C. Sparta declares war against Athens
  432 B.C. Parthenon finished
  431 B.C. Athens can put forth 13,000 hoplites; 16,000 older garrison soldiers; 1,200 mounted men; and 1,600 archers
  431-421 B.C. The Archidamian War, first phase of Second Peloponnesian War
  431-430 B.C. Sparta ravages Attica
  430 B.C. Herodotus writes History of Persian Wars (if you want to look good in history, you better write it)
  430 B.C. Pestilence hits Athens, behind her walls, and one fourth of population dies
  429 B.C. Pericles dies from the pestilence
  427 B.C. Revolts of Corcyra and Lesbos against Athens
 427 B.C. First Sicilian expedition by Athens
  427 B.C. Sparta and Thebes destroy Plataea, Athens' ally
  425 B.C. Athenians under Cleon and Demosthenes win at Pylos and Sphacteria, an island off southwestern Greek coast, and capture Spartan prisoners. Sparta sues for peace
  425 B.C. Oedipus Rex, play by Sophocles, performed (Greece enters its Freudian period)
  424 B.C. Boetians use flame thrower against wooden walls of Delium
  424-422 B.C. Spartan general Brasidas leads expedition into Thrace to strike at Athenian posses-sions in that region
  422 B.C. Spartan general Brasidas and Athenian general Cleon killed at Amphipolis
  421-413 B.C. Peace of Nicias and Sicilian Expedition, second phase of Second Peloponnesian War
  421 B.C. Athens can put forth 1,300 hoplites and 1,000 horsemen
  421 B.C. Peace of Nicias, between Spartan and Athenian sides, scheduled to last 50 years ... but sporadic fighting continues
  418 B.C. Sparta wins A BIG ONE at Battle of Mantinea
  418 B.C. Melian Dialogue, where Athens discusses the punishment island of Melos should get formisbehavin' -- the decision, kill all the men (WHAT KIND OF A DIALOGUE IS THAT?)
  415 B.C. Athenians send an expedition to conquer Sicily (as foreboding music plays)
  415 B.C. Alcibiades defects to Sparta
  414-404 B.C. The Ionian War, the final phase of the Second Peloponnesian War
  414 B.C. Sparta joins Syracuse against Athens
  413 B.C. Sparta establishes fort at Decelea, defeats Athenian force in Great Harbor of Syracuse; captures and kills Nicias and Demosthenes
  412 B.C. Athenian counterattacks bring victories at Chinos and Miletus
  412-411 B.C. Some of Athenian allies revolt, Persians join Spartan side, Athens raises another fleet, AND GIVES ITS COMMAND TO ALCIBIADES, the same guy who earlier betrayed Athens to Sparta (these Athenians would be good to have on your parole board)
 411 B.C. Athenian naval victory over Spartan fleet at Hellespont
  411 B.C. End of Thucydides' History
  410 B.C. Alcibiades whoops a joint Spartan and Persian force, Sparta suggests peace, Athens refuses (greed is an ugly thing)
  409 B.C. Carthaginians attack and seize cities in Sicily (Athens could have used these guys)
  408 B.C. Persian king Darius II sends his younger son Cyrus to govern Asia Minor, and help Sparta against Athens
  408-407 B.C. Sparta allied with Persia
  406 B.C. Carthaginians continue conquest of Sicily
  405 B.C. Athenian fleet almost totally destroyed by Spartan admiral Lysander, when he catches it on the beach at Aegospotami (triremes normally came to shore at night, but you don't want to sleep later than opponent)
  405 B.C. Athens besieged
  405 B.C. Dionysius (not a Carthaginian) becomes ruler in Syracuse
  404 B.C. Athens surrenders
  404 B.C. SECOND PELOPONNESIAN WAR ENDS -- Sparta the winner
  404 B.C. Egypt gains independence from Persia
  401-400 B.C. Cyrus the Younger leads expedition against his older brother Artaxerxes (now ruler of Persia)
  400 B.C. Cyrus the Younger dies in battle, and his 10,000 Greek mercenaries fight long route back to Black Sea, through Persian army and a bunch of other folks ("Retreat of the Ten Thousand" written of by Xenophon)
  400 B.C. Greek physician Hippocrates active
  400 B.C. Greek philosopher Democritus suggests world is made up of tiny particles called atoms
  400 B.C. Greek gastraphetes ("belly shooter"), early large crossbow, used as heavy artillery
  400 B.C. Trace harness developed in China. The concept, of a yoke across the chest with traces connected, may have originated in use with humans used to pull boats on canals. The harness will arrive in Europe in 568 A.D.
  400 B.C. Cast iron in use in China. Would be in use in Scandinavia by late 8th century A.D. and throughout Europe by 1380 A.D.
  399 B.C. Socrates executed for being impious and contributing to the delinquency of minors (ah, back when crime didn't pay)
  399-394 B.C. Spartans war against Persians in Asia Minor (how quickly those allies are forgotten)
  397 B.C. Dionysius successfully defends Syracuse against Carthaginians
  397 B.C. Dionysius uses siege towers and catapults against Motya
  396 B.C. Rome's first biggie -- destroying Etruscan city of Veii
  394-393 B.C. Athenian admiral Conon, aided by a Persian fleet, defeats Spartans and restores fortifications of Athens
  390 B.C. Gallic king Brennus sacks Rome and burns it, and also smashes many of Rome's northern allies (payback to come later)
  390 B.C. First known kite, in China
  387 B.C. Plato founds Academy
  387-386 B.C. Persian king helps Greeks negotiate peace
  386 B.C. Thebans and Athenians renew war with Sparta
  371 B.C. Theban king Epaminondas defeats Spartans at Leuctra; Thebes dominates Greece.
  370 B.C. Plato writes The Republic
  362 B.C. Athens and Sparta form alliance against Thebes
  362 B.C. Theban king Epaminondas wins big victory at Mantinea, but is killed, and Theban power quickly peters out
  359-336 B.C. Philip II is king of Macedonia, having earlier been a hostage and student of Epaminondas, at Thebes, where Philip took lots of notes
  359 B.C. Philip II begins thorough training program for Macedonian army
  350 B.C. Philip II of Macedon organizes special military engineer group
  343 B.C. Rome begins Samnite wars, which last 50 years but secure central Italy
  342-270 B.C. Epicurus and followers, Epicureans, advocating less dependence on material things
  341 B.C. Persians reconquer Egypt
  339 B.C. Philip II of Macedonia defeats Athens and Thebes at Chaeronea, establishing Macedonian dominion over Greece
  338 B.C. Rome defeats Latin League (old ally of Rome, there's a lesson here) in Latin Wars
  338-146 B.C. Hellenistic Age
  336 B.C. Philip II assassinated; Alexander succeeds him
  336-323 B.C. Alexander rules
  336 B.C. Rumors of Alexander's death (while he is fighting northern barbarians) cause several Greek cities to revolt
  336 B.C. Alexander comes home, quickly destroys Thebes, and convinces the other cities that rumors of his death are greatly exaggerated
  334 B.C. Alexander crosses Hellespont and wins the Battle of Granicus, opening Asia to him
  333 B.C. Alexander defeats Persian king Darius III at Battle of Issus
  333 B.C. Alexander lays siege to Tyre in Phoenicia
  332 B.C. Alexander captures Tyre, Gaza, and Egypt
  332 B.C. Alexander founds Alexandria in Egypt (one of over 20 towns by that name which he founded -- not very original, is he?)
  331 B.C. Alexander defeats Darius III at Gaugamela or Battle of Arbela: Darius III has army of 300,000 infantry; 40,000 cavalry; 250 chariots; and 50 elephants -- beaten by Alex and 60,000
  327 B.C. Alexander invades India
  323 B.C. Alexander dies at Babylon; the Diadochi ("successors" in Greek) seek to control the empire
  323 B.C. Alexander's general Ptolemy I gets Egypt and Palestine
  312 B.C. Romans begin building the Via Appia (Appian Way)
  305 B.C. Seleucus I Nicatur (the Conqueror) is king of Macedonia
  300 B.C. Greek mathematician Euclid active
  300 B.C. Bantu people spread over eastern and southern Africa
  287-211 B.C. Archimedes
  279 B.C. Greeks block Gauls at Thermopylae
  270 B.C. Greek astronomer, Aristarchus, states the Earth revolves around the sun
  270-230 B.C. Alexandrian mathematician, Ctesibius, invents the organ, the water pump, the spring, and the valve
  264-241 B.C. First Punic War
  264 B.C. Carthage occupies Sicily, starting First Punic War with Rome
  264 B.C. Adulis in Ethiopia is large trade center for trade between Africa and Arabia, with goods from Europe and India as well
  264-100 B.C. Frequent bouts of pirates in greater Mediterranean Sea
  256 B.C. Romans besiege Carthage, but are beaten
  255 B.C. Roman fleet of 248 ships sunk in storm off Cape Pachymus, losing 100,000+ men, fifteen percent of military age men in Italy
  250 B.C. Greek mathematician, Archimedes, states laws of specific gravity
  241 B.C. Romans defeat Carthaginians, ending the First Punic War
  240 B.C. Eratosthenes of Cyrene calculates Earth's circumference at about 24,000 miles (in their units of course, he didn't use miles)
  240 B.C. First Latin literature, in Rome
  239 B.C. Halley's comet first recorded (but under an assumed name)
  238 B.C. Romans seize Sardinia and Corsica from Carthage
  237 B.C. Carthaginian generals Hasdrubal and Hannibal conquer lots of Iberian Peninsula
  227 B.C. Spartan king Cleomenes III defeats Achaean League
  222 B.C. Macedonian king Antigonus III helps Achaean League to defeat Sparta (don't these end- less things make you think of that phrase "what goes around comes around"?)
  222 B.C. Alexandria is center of science and learning, with 400,000 scrolls in library, and a 200 foot lighthouse to guide folks to the library
  219 B.C. Hannibal attacks Romans at Saguntum (Sagunto)
  218 B.C. Hannibal crosses Alps into Italy
  218-201 B.C. Second Punic War
  218 B.C. Rome declares war on Spain, starting Second Punic War
  218 B.C. Ticinus River Battle of Trebia River
  218 B.C. Battle of Trebia, Hannibal destroys Roman army of 40,000
  217 B.C. Battle of Lake Trasimene, Hannibal destroys Roman army of 40,000 (75% killed or captured)
  216 B.C. Hannibal is BIG (we're talking REALLY BIG) winner over Romans at Battle of Cannae, destroying Roman army of 80,000
  215-205 B.C. Macedonian-Rome Wars
  215 B.C. Great Wall of China begun (but not by Han-nibal, he had his hands full)
 212 B.C. Mathematician Archimedes killed during Roman siege of Syracuse
  206 B.C. Roman general Scipio Africanus Major beats Carthaginians in Spain
  206 B.C. Seleucid king Antiochus III takes Armenia, Parthia, and Bactria
  206 BC-220 AD Crossbows common in China during Han dynasty
  204 B.C. Roman general Scipio Africanus Major invades Africa (that's how he got his name)
  202 B.C. Battle of Zama, Second Punic War
  202 B.C. Seleucid king Antiochus III begins conquest of Syria and Palestine
  200-0 B.C. Han dynasty in China develops paper, gun- powder,and moveable type
  201 B.C. Rome, Pergamum, and Rhodes unite against Philip V of Macedonia
  200 B.C. Parisii tribe (Gauls) settle on site of Paris
  200 B.C. Iron horseshoes arrive (allowing increased speed of cavalry and greater mobility over rough ground)
  200 B.C. Parchment in wide use
  200 B.C. Stirrups in use (... IN CHINA ! ... not in the West for a long time)
  200 B.C. Gimbals in use in China -- not the department store, but the basis of gyroscopes
  200 B.C. Very expensive mail armor (from Latin macula, net)
  197 B.C. Romans defeat Macedonians at Cynoscephalae 196 B.C. Seleucid king Antiochus III invades Thrace (this is one busy guy)
  191 B.C. Antiochus III defeated by Romans at Thermopylae (no wonder ... he was wore out)
  184 B.C. Cato becomes censor of Rome (what were they writing on those parchments?) -- a censor being one of two chief magistrates who controlled registration of citizens and property, and who were entrusted with supervision of manners and morals
  183 B.C. Hannibal commits suicide to avoid surrendering to Rome (ooo, way to hurt 'em, Hannibal ... take that)
  179 B.C. Perseus is king of Macedonia, succeeding his father Philip V
  168 B.C. Jews, under Maccabees, revolt against Seleucids
  168 B.C. Romans defeat Perseus of Macedonia and abolish Macedonian monarchy (Macedonian tabloids were furious)
  157 B.C. Chinese arsenals contain 200,000+ crossbows, of such complicated high-tolerance that captured ones couldn't be duplicated by enemies, and the arrows were too short for enemy bows
  150 B.C. Hipparchus of Rhodes compiles first star catalog (and Tom Cruise wasn't in it)
  149-146 B.C. Third Punic War
  149 B.C. Third Punic War starts when Carthage attacks Roman ally Numidia
  146 B.C. Roman general Scipio Africanus Major destroys Carthage, after 3-year siege, thus ending Third (and final) Punic War
  146 B.C. Rome destroys Achaean League in Greece (good year for Rome, bad for the rest)
 139 B.C. Rome defeats Celts in Iberian Peninsula and establishes Lusitania
  130 B.C. List of Seven Wonders of the World, by poet Antipater of Sidon, comes out to rave reviews and goes to the top of the charts
  121 B.C. Rome gains control of Gallic settlement of Nimes (from which we got "de Nimes" or "denims," which is French for "the pants you wear to look cool")
  119 B.C. Han dynasty in China nationalizes natural gas, cast iron, and salt industries. The natural gas was gotten by deep drilling and used primarily to heat and speed evaporation of the brine in the salt works.
  111 B.C. China's Han dynasty annexes Annam (northern Vietnam)
  106 B.C. Rome takes Gallic city of Tolosa (Toulouse)
  105 B.C. Roman army adopts training methods used in gladiator schools
  105 B.C. Rome conquers Numidia (hey, weren't they an ally just a few lines ago?)
  100 B.C. Greek grammarian Dionysius Thrax publishes Art of Grammar
  95 B.C. Armenia, under Tigranes I, begins to expand
  91 B.C. Rome and allies begin Social War (isn't that an oxymoron?) -- allies revolted against Rome, and Rome declared that those who submitted to Rome would have Roman citizenship
  89 B.C. Roman citizenship rights granted throughout Italy
  87 B.C. Rome captured by rebels in civil war
  82 B.C. Roman general Sulla, using his privatearmy, recaptures Rome and becomes dictator in an attempt to restore the oligarchy -- a dictator was usually a chief magistrate with supreme authority, usually appointed by Senate, usually in times of emergency, and usually for a term of six months
  80 B.C. Sulla smashes Etruscans; then they become Roman citizens
  77 B.C. First "encyclopedia"...Pliny the Elder's Historia Naturalis
  73 B.C. Gladiator Spartacus leads uprising of around 40,000+ fugitive Roman slaves
  71 B.C. Spartacus killed at Lucania by Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus
  63 B.C. Roman general Pompey conquers Palestine
  60 B.C. Pompey, Crassus, and Julius Caesar form First Roman Triumvirate
  59 B.C. Acta diurna, a news gazette, published in Rome
  58 B.C. Julius Caesar invades Gaul, starting Gallic Wars
 58-52 B.C. Gallic Wars
  57 B.C. Julius Caesar defeats the Belgae, in present day Belgium
  55 B.C. Julius Caesar invades Britain
  52 B.C. Vercingetorix unifies Gallic tribes against Rome
  51 B.C. Julius Caesar conquers Gaul, ending the Gallic War (on a galling note for Gauls)
  50 B.C. Glassblowing in Phoenicia
  49 B.C. Julius Caesar crosses Rubicon into Italy, starting a civil war
  48 B.C. Julius Caesar beats Pompey at Pharsalus (Pompey flees to Egypt, where he is assassinated)
  48 B.C. Egyptian civil war between Ptolemy III and his sister Cleopatra
  47 B.C. New Year starts on January 1st for first time, with new Roman calendar
  47 B.C. Caesar arrives in Egypt, with army, ... and likes Cleopatra ... a LOT
  47 B.C. Ptolemy killed
  46 B.C. Caesar appointed dictator of Rome
  44 B.C. Caesar assassinated
  43 B.C. Mark Anthony, Octavian (Augustus), and Lepidus are Second Roman Triumvirate
 43-41 B.C. War of the Second Triumvirate (Rome)
  42 B.C. Octavian and Mark Anthony defeat Brutus and Cassius at Philippi (these two were among the alleged killers of Caesar)
  42 B.C. Mark Anthony finds he also likes Queen Cleopatra ... a LOT
  37 B.C. Herod the Great rules Judea
  31 B.C. Octavian defeats Mark Anthony at Actium
  31 BC-450 AD Roman Empire
  30 B.C. Mark Anthony and Cleopatra commit suicide, separately
  27 B.C. Octavian is first Roman emperor, and the Senate names him Augustus (our Senate could never get away with renaming presidents, and CALLing them names just isn't the same)
  27 B.C. Octavian establishes Praetorian guard (see, he did notice what happened to Julius)
  23 B.C. Roman poet Horace writes his odes
  20 B.C. Marcus Verrius Flaccus compiles first general dictionary
  12 B.C. Rome begins attempt to grab Germany
  180-378 AD Rome Decline

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