-
At about 3000 BCE, cuneiform was developed as a system of writing to keep a record of taxes. Later, cuneiform would gain syllabic properties and its use would be expanded to record trade, write historical records, and even write the Epic of Gilgamesh. -
The third dynasty of Egypt is established, led by King Djoser. The Old Kingdom would be run by a single, yet powerful, house that focused on creating an agricultural surplus, as well great feats of architecture. -
Abraham leads the Hebrews away from Mesopotamia; archeological evidence shows they may have come from Levant with ties to the Mesopotamians. Abraham would receive the Covenant from Yahweh, beginning the deep religious connection that the Hebrews would have. -
The Hittites first appear around 1700 BCE in modern-day Turkey. The Hittites coincided perfectly with the Bronze Age and were a possible reason that Greece adopted many Mesopotamian advancements. -
The Mycenaeans and Minoans shared much of their cultures already, but eventually, the Mycenaeans, who were much more warlike, would extinguish Minoan independence. What resulted was a thorough blend of the peoples that would eventually become Ancient Greece. -
As early as 1207 BCE, seafaring peoples began to invade, unsuccessfully, the empires around the Mediterranean and Middle East. Although these people were unable to decisively defeat any of the powerful kingdoms in the area, they played a major role in their eventual downfall. -
In just about a century, a combination of droughts, foreign invaders, and rebellions would topple each of the five great empires of the Bronze Age. The following centuries would become much more hostile and dynamic when compared to the generally peaceful Bronze Age. -
Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II set out to conquer Mesopotamia and Canaan, finally uniting the regions once more after the breakdown of political control following the Bronze Age. Eventually, the Assyrians would go on to conquer much more, including the remnants of Egypt's New Kingdom in 671 BCE. -
After conquering Mesopotamia, the Assyrians first moved on to Israel; the Hebrews attempted to fight against them, but were no match for the dominant Assyrian forces. After the destruction of Israel, Israelites either fled to Judah or were absorbed into Assyrian culture. -
Just over 50 years after conquering Egypt, the Assyrians fall after a massive rebellion and the sacking of their capital, Nineveh. The Neo-Babylonians would reestablish Mesopotamian sciences and remain a wealthy empire until they would eventually fall to the Persians a century later.