Evolution of Governments Across History

By lightningbea
  • 3000 BCE

    Mesopotamian City-States

    True "urban" city-states develop near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
  • 3000 BCE

    First "Kings" develop

    The strongest warriors gain as much political power as priests, and they become kings.
  • 2680 BCE

    Old Kingdom of Egypt is Established

    This is the first attempt of uniting Lower and Upper Egypt successfully.
  • 2340 BCE

    Unity of Mesopotamian Cities

    Sargon the Great conquers almost all of Mesopotamia, forming the first true empire.
  • 2112 BCE

    Ur III Dynasty

    Had one of the most complex bureaucracies yet, very efficient at controlling the land it had compared to others.
  • 1780 BCE

    Hammurabi's Code

    The most in depth and specific code of law from this time period that we have.
  • 753 BCE

    Founding of the City of Rome

    As Rome later becomes one of the strongest forces in human history, it would be a shame to not include its founding here.
  • 650 BCE

    Lydian's Creation of Common Currency

    The idea of creating chunks of gold and silver with a common weight formed the crude idea of coins. Common currency improved tax collection and made empires stronger.
  • Period: 650 BCE to 500 BCE

    "Age of Tyrants" in Greece

    Greek poleis put tyrants in charge to make sure no civil war occurs between social classes.
  • 546 BCE

    Cyrus the Great Begins His Conquests

    Cyrus starts to conquer Anatolia, but allows them to keep everything connected to them. This begins the concept of having states under you who worship you, but not particularly having them as your citizens.
  • 522 BCE

    Darius I Becomes King of Persia

    Darius I improves the structure of Persia, the largest empire in the entire world at this point in time. He makes the government and taxation system more uniform and easier to manage by creating satraps and large roads.
  • 509 BCE

    Romans Overthrow Etruscans as Leaders

    In the place of the Etruscan kings, the Romans instead set a republic with elected senators in charge. This is one of the first examples of a republic and the blueprint of most modern governments.
  • 500 BCE

    Greek Oligarchies Form Instead

    Anyone with money held office and poor people were allowed to vote yes or no on topics. This kept both classes happy and removed the need for tyrants.
  • 338 BCE

    Philip II Unites Greece

    This is the first time Greece has been united under one kingdom instead of several city states in its history.