Final review

Dates help organise ancient history into one system. In the Ancient East the Sumerians arose in Mesopotamia and the pharaohs’ state in Egypt; the Babylonian ruler Hammurabi reigned in 1792–1750 BCE. 776 BCE is the traditional start of the Olympic Games; 753 the traditional founding of Rome. In 539 BCE Cyrus II took Babylon, and in 530 he died in battle with the Massagetae (Tomyris); about 522 came Frada’s revolt. 509 BCE — the republic in Rome; 490 — Marathon, 480 — Thermopylae and Salamis, 479 — Plataea. 334–323 BCE — Alexander the Great’s campaigns and death; 329–328 — resistance led by Spitamenes. In the 2nd century BCE the Great Silk Road formed (Zhang Qian, about 138). In 140–130 BCE the Yuezhi conquered Greco-Bactria; in the 1st century CE the Kushan state arose. In Roman history: 264–146 — the Punic Wars (216 Cannae, 202 Zama, 146 Carthage); 73–71 — Spartacus; 49 — the Rubicon; 44 — Caesar’s death; 31 — Actium; 27 — Augustus; 98 — Trajan; 313 — Edict of Milan; 330 — Constantinople; 395 — the division; 410 — the sack of Rome; 476 — the end of the Western Empire. Placing dates on a timeline helps to remember them.