CHRONOLOGY OF
MAJOR EVENTS
xiiiEgypt Near East and Mediterranean
3000 B.C.E.–2700 B.C.E.
Narmer captures Lower Egypt Sumerian cities flourish
’Aha (Menes) founds Memphis Troy founded
Irrigation projects employed Towns in Syria and Palestine
Writing and calendar in use Malta megaliths erected
Royal tombs at Abydos and Saqqara Minoans build on Crete
Egypt fully united Gilgamesh at Uruk
2600 B.C.E.–2100 B.C.E.
Step Pyramid at Saqqara Megaliths appear in Europe
Pyramids at Giza Royal graves used in Ur
Nubian lands dominated Minoans open trade routes
Copper mines used in Sinai Ziggurat built at Sumer
Heliopolis powerful Ré center
Pyramid Texts used
Expeditions sent to Punt
Pepi II reigns for almost a century
Coffin Texts adopted
2000 B.C.E.–1600 B.C.E.
Montuhotep II unifies Egypt Babylon a regional power
Deir el-Bahri becomes a shrine Greece occupied
Art and architecture revived Stonehenge erected
Tale of Sinuhe the Sailor introduced Sumer revitalized
Faiyum restored with hydraulics Hammurabi in Babylon
Forts in Nubia built to the third
cataract Persian empire begins
The Wall of the Prince guards Egypt’s
borders Knossus on Crete becomes a vast city
Hyksos begin incursions into Egypt
Karnak formed as a shrine
Avaris becomes Hyksos capital
1500 B.C.E.–1300 B.C.E.
Thebans oust Hyksos Hittites destroy Babylon
Tuthmosis I reaches Euphrates Minoan civilization collapses