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900 BCE
Rome
Rome began as a small village on the Tiber River near the Mediterranean Sea, this location gave Rome the benefit of trade along the western side of the italian penninsula -
800 BCE
Greeks and the Phoenician alphabet
During the 8th century BCE Greeks adapted the Phoenician alphabet for the use of their own language. This advancement helped to stimulate trade by aiding in the exchange of commercial information and enhancing cultural life -
700 BCE
Greek trade connections
By 700 BCE many Greek centers had trading connections around the Black Sea and in Egypt and southern Italy -
550 BCE
Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great emerges as a great conqueror and establishes a massive Persian Empire which ran across the northern Middle East and into northwestern India -
500 BCE
Later Vedic Period
During the Later Vedic period the uprising of Brahman dominance and kings and queens brought a significant change in social structure. Towns developed along rivers that were devoted to trading or specializing in the manufacturing of key products such as pottery, tools, and cotton textile. Farming replaced herding, irrigation networks and new agricultural tools increased productivity making it possible to support larger numbers of non farming specialist who specialized in cotton and more. -
Period: 334 BCE to 323 BCE
Alexander the Great
Alexander The Great expanded Macedonian by sending troops into Asia winning him control over the Persian side of the Mediterranean coast, He also defeated the main Persian army. He hoped to merge Greek and Persian ways of life. -
Period: 322 BCE to 298 BCE
Chandraupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya builds great empires and proclaims himself as emperor in the Indian Subcontinent. Founds Mauryan Dynasty. His son Bindusara later expands the Maurya Empire to the east along the Ganges plaims and also far to the south of the subcontinent. -
Period: 322 BCE to 185 BCE
Mauryn Rule and Trade
During this period a great expansion in trade took place between the main centers in Eurasia and Africa. -
Period: 300 BCE to 300 BCE
Patterns of Trade in Ancient Eurasia
"A permanent system of exchange developed that extended from Rome and the Mediterranean Sea to China and Japan. The trading networks included those whose ports were connected by ships and sea routes as well as those who participated in Overland exchanges along the chain of trading centers across Central Asia and regions of Africa. Chinese silks and porcelains were carried across the entire length to be sold in Rome. In the last centuries BCE much of the world participated in this trading system -
Period: 268 BCE to 232 BCE
Ashoka
Ashoka, Bindusara's son and Chandragupta's grandson completes the conquests of his successors, converts to Buddism and takes on a new role. He uses his money to build roads, hospitals, and rest houses and he stood up to ensure the end of the slaughtering of cows. Spreads a new religion throughout the empire. -
264 BCE
Rome and wars
During 264 B.C Rome begins the Punic Wars, develops a navy and generates new allies and colonies, -
221 BCE
Shi Huangdi
Shi Huangdi proclaims he is emperor of China and unifies China. His scribes developed a standard script,
His passion for building expanded the walls (Northern Wall), strengthened the division between the nomads of central and north Asia and the farmers to the south, improved communication and unified currency enabling chinas merchants to establish interregional markets and promoted interdependence between very different geographical areas of the Chinese empire -
206 BCE
Han Dynasty Rules in Xi'an
Xi'an was the starting point of a highly significant overland trading route that linked ancient China with Central Asia and other European countries. During this period significant growth of the population and civilization was seen due to the military expansion to the west and south. Oversea links were also established between Vietnam, the rest of southeast Asia and other rich trading towns of coastal India. -
205 BCE
Inventions during the Han Dynasty
inventions like the wheel barrow, shoulder collar, and advancements in iron making, they also invented the loom which set the tone for silk weaving during this period -
202 BCE
Han Dynasty
Liu Bang proclaims himself as the emporer of China and founds the Han Dynasty -
200 BCE
Plague in Rome
Although the city had become the largest in the world, by the second century plague and other challenges had begun to reduce the population -
185 BCE
Fall of the Mauryan Empire
With the fall of the Mauryan Empire, which had disappeared at this point, new warrior invaders came into the subcontinent, the religion Buddhism was weakened due to economic changes that affected social circumstances related to Buddhism. These changes along with the decline of the Rome-China trading axis helped to create a disadvantage in the position of mercantile groups, and also made large-scale traders more dependent on local kings and warrior households. -
146 BCE
The Third Punic War
In 146 BCE The Romans killed or enslaved all the inhabitants of Carthage in Italy leading to the attainment of the overseas empire that included much of Spain, and also Northern Africa -
Period: 101 BCE to 106 BCE
Trajan and foreign policy
During this time, the emperor Trajan adopted an aggressive foreign policy. This led to the expansion of the empire's boundaries. Fortifications were built in Northern England and along the Rhine and Danube rivers and the empire also stretched down into the Middle East creating new provinces. He declares war on Persian Empire and fails. -
117
The decline of Rome
After 117 C.E the Roman Empire could not longer expand, due to its lack of leadership, the Italian economy suffered by the 3rd century, slavery declined and the empire suffered from diseases believed to be from south Asia -
985
Ancient City of Ghana
During 985 C.E The king of Gao converted to Islam. The Ancient Kingdom of Ghana traded salt, cloth, and manufacture goods from North Africa and the Meditterranean for gold.