Expansion and Contraction of Mesopotamian Civilizations

7000 to 500 BC

Beginning ca. 1400: The Large Empires of the Ancient Near East are weakened.

1400: Minoan culture is destroyed. Mycenean Greeks dominate the Eastern Mediterranean.

1375-1350: Ikhnaton's reforms in Egypt. Egypt crippled by internal disruptions.

1250: Israelites begin conquest of Palestine.

The Era of Smaller Civilizations: 1200 to 600 BC

1190: Philistines settle along the Eastern Mediterranean coast.

1100: Dorian invasion of Greece.

1075: Assyrian Empire collapses.

1020-586: The Kingdom of Israel.

Beginning ca. 750 BC: Revival of the Mesopotamian Empires.

745-612 BC: Period of Assyrian dominance

745: Tiglath-pileser III becomes king of Assyria.

732-722 BC: Assyria conquers Israel and Syria.

663 BC: Ashurbainipal conquers Egypt.

625-585: Period of Neo-Babylonian (Chaldean) dominance.

625 BC: Beginnings of Chaldean kingdom in Babylon.

612 BC: Assyrian capital of Nineveh is destroyed by the Chaldeans or Neo-Babylonians.

587: Jerusalem is taken by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon.

Resources

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources

Text copyright 1996-1999 by David W. Koeller. All rights reserved.