Region
Middle East
Middle East, as today's map draws it. The atlas places 21,362 events here, from the earliest records to our own day: the most significant follow, era by era, with the civilizations at home here and their wonders, trade routes, faiths and great people.
- 21,362 events
- 18 civilizations
Civilizations through time
Our civilizations at home here; culture spheres outlinedEvents by era
The most significant of each era, with its centuries3500 – 1001 BCE168 events
- Trojan War1258 – 1180 BCE · Event1258 – 1180 BCE
- Bronze Age collapse1200 – 1150 BCE · Event1200 – 1150 BCE
- Battle of KadeshMay 1274 BCE · BattleMay 1274 BCE
- War in Gilboa1010 BCE · Battle1010 BCE
- Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty1259 BCE · Treaty1259 BCE
- Battle of Megiddo16 April 1457 BCE · Battle16 April 1457 BCE
35th century BCE34th century BCE33rd century BCE32nd century BCE31st century BCE30th century BCE29th century BCE28th century BCE27th century BCE26th century BCE25th century BCE24th century BCE23rd century BCE22nd century BCE21st century BCE20th century BCE19th century BCE18th century BCE17th century BCE16th century BCE15th century BCE14th century BCE13th century BCE12th century BCE11th century BCEMore on the atlas
1000 – 501 BCE195 events
- Fall of Babylon539 BCE · Battle539 BCE
- Library of Ashurbanipal7th century BCE · Event7th century BCE
- Siege of Jerusalem589 – 587 BCE · Siege589 – 587 BCE
- Battle of Carchemish605 BCE · Battle605 BCE
- Battle of Megiddo609 BCE · Battle609 BCE
- Siege of Jerusalem597 BCE · Siege597 BCE
10th century BCE9th century BCE8th century BCE7th century BCE6th century BCEMore on the atlas
500 – 1 BCE365 events
- Battle of Carrhae9 June 53 BCE · Battle9 June 53 BCE
- Battle of Gaugamela1 October 331 BCE · Battle1 October 331 BCE
- Roman–Persian Wars54 BCE – 628 CE · War54 BCE – 628 CE
- Battle of the GranicusMay 334 BCE · BattleMay 334 BCE
- Ionian Revolt499 – 493 BCE · War499 – 493 BCE
- Mithridatic Wars88 – 63 BCE · War88 – 63 BCE
5th century BCE4th century BCE3rd century BCE2nd century BCE1st century BCEMore on the atlas
1 – 500 CE440 events
- crucifixion of Jesus30 – 33 CE · Crime30 – 33 CE
- Resurrection of Jesus33 CE · Event33 CE
- First Jewish-Roman War66 – 74 CE · Rebellion66 – 74 CE
- Bar Kokhba revolt132 – 136 CE · Rebellion132 – 136 CE
- First Council of NicaeaMay 325 CE · PoliticalMay 325 CE
- Siege of JerusalemFebruary 70 CE · SiegeFebruary 70 CE
1st century CE2nd century CE3rd century CE4th century CE5th century CEMore on the atlas
501 – 1000 CE840 events
- Battle of Karbala10 October 680 CE · Battle10 October 680 CE
- Muslim conquests622 – 750 CE · Event622 – 750 CE
- Plague of Justinian541 – 750 CE · Epidemic541 – 750 CE
- Battle of Yarmouk15 August 636 CE · Battle15 August 636 CE
- Ridda Wars632 – 633 CE · War632 – 633 CE
- Arab–Byzantine wars629 – 1050s CE · War629 – 1050s CE
6th century CE7th century CE8th century CE9th century CE10th century CEMore on the atlas
1001 – 15001,597 events
- Crusades1095 – 1291 · War1095 – 1291
- Fall of Constantinople6 April 1453 · Siege6 April 1453
- First Crusade1096 – 1099 · War1096 – 1099
- Third Crusade1189 – 1192 · War1189 – 1192
- Battle of Hattin3 July 1187 · Battle3 July 1187
- Fifth Crusade1213 – 1221 · War1213 – 1221
11th century12th century13th century14th century15th centuryMore on the atlas
1501 – 18001,224 events
1801 – 19001,743 events
- Greek War of Independence1821 – 1829 · War1821 – 1829
- Treaty of San Stefano3 March 1878 · Treaty3 March 1878
- Treaty of Turkmenchay10 February 1828 · Treaty10 February 1828
- Russo-Persian War of 1826–281826 – 1828 · War1826 – 1828
- Hamidian massacres1894 – 1897 · Attack1894 – 1897
- Orient Express1883 – 2009 · Event1883 – 2009
1901 – 20008,536 events
Since 20016,254 events
- Gaza War2023 – 2020s · War2023 – 2020s
- Gaza genocide7 October 2023 · Attack7 October 2023
- Syrian Civil War2011 – 2024 · War2011 – 2024
- 2026 Iran War28 February 2026 · Crime28 February 2026
- 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes6 February 2023 · Natural disaster6 February 2023
- Russo-Georgian War7 August 2008 · War7 August 2008
Wonders
Standing here, or once- Built c. 2100 – 2050 BCEThe Ziggurat of UrNasiriyah, Iraq
- Built c. 600 BCEThe Hanging Gardens of BabylonBabylon, Iraq
- Built c. 575 – 569 BCEThe Ishtar GatePergamon Museum, Berlin, Germany
- Built c. 550 BCEThe Temple of Artemis at EphesusSelçuk, Turkey
- Built c. 353 – 351 BCEThe Mausoleum at HalicarnassusBodrum, Turkey
- Built c. 292 – 280 BCEThe Colossus of RhodesRhodes, Greece
- Built c. 1 CEAl-Khazneh, PetraPetra, Jordan
- Built 532 – 537 CEHagia SophiaIstanbul, Turkey
- Built 691 – 692 CEThe Dome of the RockJerusalem
Trade routes
With stops in the region- King's Highwayc. 1200 BCE – 636 CE · by land · Aila, Ma'an, Udhruh and 11 morec. 1200 BCE – 636 CE
- Incense Routec. 700 BCE – 200 CE · by land and sea · Sumhuram, Qana, Shabwa and 10 morec. 700 BCE – 200 CE
- Royal Roadc. 500 BCE – 330 BCE · by land · Sardis, Gordion, Ancyra and 7 morec. 500 BCE – 330 BCE
- Via Marisc. 3000 BCE – 1516 CE · by land · Raphia, Gaza, Ascalon and 6 morec. 3000 BCE – 1516 CE
- Silk Roadc. 130 BCE – 1453 CE · by land · Nishapur, Rayy, Hamadan and 6 morec. 130 BCE – 1453 CE
- Old Assyrian caravan tradec. 1950 BCE – 1720 BCE · by land · Assur, Shehna, Kanesh and 2 morec. 1950 BCE – 1720 BCE
- Radhanite route via Baghdadc. 762 CE – 950 CE · by land, sea and river · Antioch, Balis, Baghdad and 2 morec. 762 CE – 950 CE
- Meluhha sea tradec. 2600 BCE – 1900 BCE · by sea and river · Ras al-Jinz, Umm an-Nar, Dilmun and Urc. 2600 BCE – 1900 BCE
- Phoenician sea tradec. 1200 BCE – 332 BCE · by sea · Tyre, Sidon, Byblos and Kitionc. 1200 BCE – 332 BCE
- Maritime Silk Roadc. 200 BCE – 1500 CE · by sea and river · Aden, Hormuz, Siraf and Basrac. 200 BCE – 1500 CE
- Volga trade routec. 780 CE – 1050 · by land, sea and river · Abaskun, Rayy, Hamadan and Baghdadc. 780 CE – 1050
- Levant Company trade1581 – 1825 · by land and sea · Smyrna, Constantinople, Alexandretta and Aleppo1581 – 1825
- Via Egnatiac. 146 BCE – 1453 CE · by land · Kypsela, Perinthus and Byzantiumc. 146 BCE – 1453 CE
- Venetian galley convoysc. 1315 – 1533 · by sea · Famagusta, Beirut and Constantinoplec. 1315 – 1533
- Spice tradec. 1200 – 1500 · by land, sea and river · Aden and Jeddahc. 1200 – 1500
- Genoese Black Sea tradec. 1266 – 1475 · by sea · Chios and Perac. 1266 – 1475
- Roman grain supplyc. 123 BCE – 439 CE · by sea and river · Myrac. 123 BCE – 439 CE
- Radhanite route via the Red Seac. 700 CE – 950 CE · by land and sea · Jeddahc. 700 CE – 950 CE
- Route from the Varangians to the Greeksc. 800 CE – 1100 · by sea and river · Constantinoplec. 800 CE – 1100
- Swahili coast tradec. 900 CE – 1500 · by land and sea · Adenc. 900 CE – 1500
- Suez Canal Route1869 – today · by sea and river · Aden1869 – today
Faiths that came here
Each from its first arrival- JudaismBegan at Jerusalem (c. 1000 BCE). Reached Babylonia (Babylon) (597 BCE), Antioch (c. 300 BCE), Tiberias (c. 20 CE) and 6 more
- ZoroastrianismReached Media (Ecbatana) (c. 650 BCE), Persis (Pasargadae) (c. 550 BCE), Armenia (Armavir) (c. 500 BCE) and 4 more
- ChristianityBegan at Jerusalem (c. 30 CE). Reached Antioch (c. 37 CE), Ephesus (c. 52 CE), Caesarea Mazaca (c. 100 CE) and 6 more
- ManichaeismBegan at Babylonia (Ctesiphon) (c. 240 CE). Reached Osroene (Edessa) (c. 250 CE)
- IslamBegan at Mecca (c. 610 CE). Reached Medina (622 CE), Yemen (Sanaa) (c. 628 CE), Oman (Sohar) (c. 630 CE) and 11 more
- Bahá'í FaithBegan at Baghdad (1863). Reached Adrianople (1863), Iran (Tehran) (c. 1866) and Acre (1868)
