History

Egypt

Predynastic Period    c. 6000–3150    Formation of agricultural communities; development of hieroglyphs; unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.

Early Dynastic Period    c. 3150–2686    First Pharaohs (Narmer/Menes); establishment of centralized rule; founding of Memphis.

Old Kingdom    c. 2686–2181    “Age of the Pyramids”; construction of Giza pyramids; strong centralized government.

First Intermediate Period    c. 2181–2055    Political fragmentation; famine and social unrest.

Middle Kingdom    c. 2055–1650    Reunification under Mentuhotep II; stability, art, and literature flourish.

Second Intermediate Period    c. 1650–1550    Hyksos rule in northern Egypt; technological exchange (horse, chariot).

New Kingdom    c. 1550–1070    Egypt’s empire at its peak; famous rulers (Hatshepsut, Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, Ramses II).

Third Intermediate Period    c. 1070–664    Decline of central authority; division between north and south; foreign influence.

Late Period    c. 664–332    Revival under 26th Dynasty; eventual Persian conquest.

Greece

Minoan & Mycenaean    3000–1100 BCE    Early civilizations, trade, myths

Dark Age    1100–800 BCE    Decline, oral traditions

Archaic    800–500 BCE    Rise of city-states, colonization

Classical    500–323 BCE    Democracy, philosophy, art, wars

Athenian Empire: ~478–404 BCE

Macedonian (Alexander’s) Empire: 336–323 BCE

Hellenistic    323–30 BCE    Greek culture spreads globally

Byzantine (Eastern Empire)    330–1453 CE    Greek-Christian continuation

Roman / Latin

Roman Kingdom    753–509 BCE    Monarchy, early expansion

Roman Republic    509–27 BCE    Senate, consuls, civil wars

Roman Empire (Unified)    27 BCE–395 CE    Peak under Augustus, Pax Romana

Western Empire    395–476 CE    Decline and fall