Persian Timeline
Darious:522-486 B.C.E
Established a tax-collection system; allowed locals to keep customs and religions;divided his empire into districts known as Satrapies; Built a system of roads still used today; established a complex postal system; established a network of spies he called the "Eyes and Ears of the King." Built two new capital cities, one at Susa and one at Persepolis.
Cyrus: 557-530 B.C.E
Cyrus overthrew three great empires, Babylonians, Medes, and Lydians and united most of the ancient Middle East into one state extending from India to the Mediterranean Sea.
500 B.C.E: Darius makes Aramaic the official language of the Persian Empire
490 B.C.E: Darius attacks Greece
485 B.C.E: Darius dies and Xerxes becomes king of Persia
480 B.C.E: the Greeks expels the Persians from Europe
334 B.C.E: Alexander defeats the Persian army at the Dardanelles
333 B.C.E: Alexander The Great begins his ten year conquest
333 B.C.E: Alexander invades the Persian empire from Syria to Palestine
331 B.C.E: Alexander the Great conquers Persia and destroys the capital
323 B.C.E: End of the ten year conquest
312 B.C.E: Ptolemy's general in Syria, Seleucus Nicator, declares himself satrap of Babylon
305 B.C.E: Seleucus Nicator establishes a kingdom ranging from Syria in the west to India in the east and founds the Seleucid dynasty with capital in Seleucia (Iraq)
303 B.C.E: Seleucus grants Punjab and Afghanistan to Chandragupta Maurya
282 B.C.E: Seleucus defeats and kills Lysimachus and thereby conquers Asia Minor
281 B.C.E: Seleucus is murdered by the king of Thracia and is succeeded by his son Antiochus who transfers the capital to Antiochia
250 B.C.E: Diodotos, a Macedonian ruler of the satrapy of Bactria (Afghanistan), declares its independence from the Seleucids
250 B.C.E: the Parni invade the satrapy of Parthia (northern Iran) and found the Parthian empire with capital in Ctesiphon (near Seleucia) and Arsaces as ruler (founder of the Arsacid dynasty)
248 B.C.E: Tiridates leads the Parthians to independence from the Seleucids
246 B.C.E: defeated by Ptolemy III Euergetes, the Seleucid empire loses eastern lands to the Parthians and to Pergamum
239 B.C.E: Bactria declares independence from the Seleucids
198 B.C.E: the Seleucids under Antiochus III conquer Palestine and Phoenicia from the Ptolemaics
192 B.C.E: the Seleucids under Antiochus III are defeated by the Romans in Thracia
190 B.C.E: Bactrian king Euthydemus defeats Seleucid king Antiochus III at Magnesia
188 B.C.E: Pergamum conquers the Seleucid lands of Lydia, Phrygia, Lycaonia, Pisidia
185 B.C.E: Parthians under Priapatius expand into Seleucid eastern Iran
175 B.C.E: Mithraism (an offshoot of Zoroastrianism that worships Ahura Mazda as the sole and creator god) is born in Bactria
170 B.C.E: Batrian king Demetrios I expands Bactria to northwestern India
155 B.C.E: Bactrian king Menander invades northwestern India
145 B.C.E: the Kushan (Yuezhi), nomadic tribes expelled from China by the Hsiungnu (Huns), overthrow the kingdom of Bactria and pushes the Scythians south to Iran and India
141 B.C.E: the Parthians of Mithradates I conquer Media and Elam from the Seleucids, while Edessa becomes de-facto independent
135 B.C.E: the Kushan establish their capital in Kabul
127 B.C.E: the Parthians under Phraates II are defeated by the Scythians
126 B.C.E: the Parthians under Artabanus II conquer Babylonia from the Seleucids, who now control only Syria
124 B.C.E: the Parthians under Artabanus II are defeated again by the Scythians and Mithridates II succeeds Artabanus II as king of Parthia
53 B.C.E: the Parthians led by Orodes II defeat the Romans at Carrhae (Syria)
20 B.C.E: a treaty between Rome and the Parthians fixes the boundary between the two empires along the Euphrates river (Iraq)
78 C.E: Kanishka, king of the Kushan, enlarges the kingdom from Bactria into Uzbekistan, Kashmir, Punjab, moves the capital to Peshawar and promotes Buddhism
116 C.E: Roman emperor Trajan defeats the Parthian king Vologezes III and conquers Mesopotamia, including the Parthian capital Ctesiphon
224 C.E: Ardashir, descendant of the priest Sassan, seizes the throne of Persia/Parthia, ends the Arsacid dynasty, and becomes the first Sassanid king with capital in Istakhr (near Persepolis) and Zoroastrianism as the official religion
225 C.E: Ardashir I Sassanid defeats Artabanus V, last Parthian ruler, and moves the capital to Ctesiphon
233 C.E: Ardashir I Sassanid conquers Kushan
244 C.E: Shapur I becomes king of the Sassanids and attacks Rome
250 C.E: Shahpur I establishes the library of Jondi Shahpur, one of the largest in the world
256 C.E: the Persians/Sassanids conquer Dura Europus in Mesopotamia
241 C.E: Mani, a thinker from Ecbatana, begins to preach in Seleucia-Ctesiphon
276 C.E: Mani is crucified by the Sassanids to incorporate Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism into one religion ("manicheism")
298 C.E: the Sassanids sign a peace treaty with Rome
363 C.E: the Sassanid king Shapur II defeats the Roman emperor Julian and recapture Nisibis and Armenia
379 C.E: Shapur II died after conquering Arabia and reaching the border with China
451 C.E: Zoroastran Persia (Sassanids) defeats Christian Armenia
460 C.E: Persian king Firuz persecutes Jews, who emigrate to Arabia
484 C.E: Zoroastran Persia and Christian Armenia sign a treaty that allows the Armenians to keep their religion
.
Established a tax-collection system; allowed locals to keep customs and religions;divided his empire into districts known as Satrapies; Built a system of roads still used today; established a complex postal system; established a network of spies he called the "Eyes and Ears of the King." Built two new capital cities, one at Susa and one at Persepolis.
Cyrus: 557-530 B.C.E
Cyrus overthrew three great empires, Babylonians, Medes, and Lydians and united most of the ancient Middle East into one state extending from India to the Mediterranean Sea.
500 B.C.E: Darius makes Aramaic the official language of the Persian Empire
490 B.C.E: Darius attacks Greece
485 B.C.E: Darius dies and Xerxes becomes king of Persia
480 B.C.E: the Greeks expels the Persians from Europe
334 B.C.E: Alexander defeats the Persian army at the Dardanelles
333 B.C.E: Alexander The Great begins his ten year conquest
333 B.C.E: Alexander invades the Persian empire from Syria to Palestine
331 B.C.E: Alexander the Great conquers Persia and destroys the capital
323 B.C.E: End of the ten year conquest
312 B.C.E: Ptolemy's general in Syria, Seleucus Nicator, declares himself satrap of Babylon
305 B.C.E: Seleucus Nicator establishes a kingdom ranging from Syria in the west to India in the east and founds the Seleucid dynasty with capital in Seleucia (Iraq)
303 B.C.E: Seleucus grants Punjab and Afghanistan to Chandragupta Maurya
282 B.C.E: Seleucus defeats and kills Lysimachus and thereby conquers Asia Minor
281 B.C.E: Seleucus is murdered by the king of Thracia and is succeeded by his son Antiochus who transfers the capital to Antiochia
250 B.C.E: Diodotos, a Macedonian ruler of the satrapy of Bactria (Afghanistan), declares its independence from the Seleucids
250 B.C.E: the Parni invade the satrapy of Parthia (northern Iran) and found the Parthian empire with capital in Ctesiphon (near Seleucia) and Arsaces as ruler (founder of the Arsacid dynasty)
248 B.C.E: Tiridates leads the Parthians to independence from the Seleucids
246 B.C.E: defeated by Ptolemy III Euergetes, the Seleucid empire loses eastern lands to the Parthians and to Pergamum
239 B.C.E: Bactria declares independence from the Seleucids
198 B.C.E: the Seleucids under Antiochus III conquer Palestine and Phoenicia from the Ptolemaics
192 B.C.E: the Seleucids under Antiochus III are defeated by the Romans in Thracia
190 B.C.E: Bactrian king Euthydemus defeats Seleucid king Antiochus III at Magnesia
188 B.C.E: Pergamum conquers the Seleucid lands of Lydia, Phrygia, Lycaonia, Pisidia
185 B.C.E: Parthians under Priapatius expand into Seleucid eastern Iran
175 B.C.E: Mithraism (an offshoot of Zoroastrianism that worships Ahura Mazda as the sole and creator god) is born in Bactria
170 B.C.E: Batrian king Demetrios I expands Bactria to northwestern India
155 B.C.E: Bactrian king Menander invades northwestern India
145 B.C.E: the Kushan (Yuezhi), nomadic tribes expelled from China by the Hsiungnu (Huns), overthrow the kingdom of Bactria and pushes the Scythians south to Iran and India
141 B.C.E: the Parthians of Mithradates I conquer Media and Elam from the Seleucids, while Edessa becomes de-facto independent
135 B.C.E: the Kushan establish their capital in Kabul
127 B.C.E: the Parthians under Phraates II are defeated by the Scythians
126 B.C.E: the Parthians under Artabanus II conquer Babylonia from the Seleucids, who now control only Syria
124 B.C.E: the Parthians under Artabanus II are defeated again by the Scythians and Mithridates II succeeds Artabanus II as king of Parthia
53 B.C.E: the Parthians led by Orodes II defeat the Romans at Carrhae (Syria)
20 B.C.E: a treaty between Rome and the Parthians fixes the boundary between the two empires along the Euphrates river (Iraq)
78 C.E: Kanishka, king of the Kushan, enlarges the kingdom from Bactria into Uzbekistan, Kashmir, Punjab, moves the capital to Peshawar and promotes Buddhism
116 C.E: Roman emperor Trajan defeats the Parthian king Vologezes III and conquers Mesopotamia, including the Parthian capital Ctesiphon
224 C.E: Ardashir, descendant of the priest Sassan, seizes the throne of Persia/Parthia, ends the Arsacid dynasty, and becomes the first Sassanid king with capital in Istakhr (near Persepolis) and Zoroastrianism as the official religion
225 C.E: Ardashir I Sassanid defeats Artabanus V, last Parthian ruler, and moves the capital to Ctesiphon
233 C.E: Ardashir I Sassanid conquers Kushan
244 C.E: Shapur I becomes king of the Sassanids and attacks Rome
250 C.E: Shahpur I establishes the library of Jondi Shahpur, one of the largest in the world
256 C.E: the Persians/Sassanids conquer Dura Europus in Mesopotamia
241 C.E: Mani, a thinker from Ecbatana, begins to preach in Seleucia-Ctesiphon
276 C.E: Mani is crucified by the Sassanids to incorporate Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism into one religion ("manicheism")
298 C.E: the Sassanids sign a peace treaty with Rome
363 C.E: the Sassanid king Shapur II defeats the Roman emperor Julian and recapture Nisibis and Armenia
379 C.E: Shapur II died after conquering Arabia and reaching the border with China
451 C.E: Zoroastran Persia (Sassanids) defeats Christian Armenia
460 C.E: Persian king Firuz persecutes Jews, who emigrate to Arabia
484 C.E: Zoroastran Persia and Christian Armenia sign a treaty that allows the Armenians to keep their religion
.
Battles
Ionian Revolt : 499-449 B.C.
The most famous battles of the Persian war were fought on mainland Greece, but the conflict began in Asia minor, when the Greek colonies of Ionia, revolted against their Persian overlords.
Battle of Sardis- Ionian Greeks defeat Persians
In 498 B.C.E. the Greek cities of Asia minor revolted from Persia, and burned the regional capital, to the ground.
Battle of Ephesus-Persians defeat Ionian Greeks
Fought 499 B.C.E., between the Athenians and Ionians, under Aristagorus, and the Persians, under Artaphernes. The Greeks were overtaken by the Persians and signally defeated. The Athenians thereupon withdrew their fleet, and took no further part in the war.
Battle of Lade-Persians defeat Ionian Greeks
Fought B.C.E 494, between a Persian fleet of 600 sail, which and 353 Lesbian, Chian and Samian ships. The Samians, corrupted by the Persians, deserted at the beginning of the action, with the exception of 11 vessels, and the Greeks were totally defeated.
Second Persian Invasion (under Darius) : 490 B.C.
Darius launched his second expedition in 490. This time, the entire invading force, including cavalry, was sent by ship across the Aegean Sea. The expedition was led by Artaphernes and Datis, two Persian commanders who had put down the Ionian rebellion, and Hippias, an exiled Athenian tyrant
Siege of Eretria-Persians defeat Eretria
This town was overwhelmed in 490 B.C.E. when a Persian force landed on the Island of Euboea and besieged its largest town. The Eretrians attracted to the Athenians for help, but before they could respond, traitors inside the town aided the invaders, and fell after a resistance.
Battle of Marathon-Athenians defeat Persians
Fought 490 B.C.E., between the Athenians and Plataeans, 10,000 and 1,000 strong respectively, under Miltiades, and the army of Darius Hystaspes, about 100,000 in number, under Datis. The Persians were losing and fled in confusion to their ships, which they succeeded in launching, and escaped with a loss of 6,400. The Athenians lost 192 only.
Third Persian Invasion Under Xerxes : 481-479 B.C.
The Persians did not attack Greece again for ten years, but after Darius’s son Xerxes became king, the Persians launched another expedition against Athens. This time they were determined to use overwhelming force so in 481 BC, Xerxes gathered together an army of several hundred thousand infantry and a navy of six hundred ships.
Battle of Thermopylae-Persians defeat Spartans
Fought 480 B.C.E., 1000 Spartans and their allies, defended the pass of Thermopylae against the Persians. They kept the Persians at bay untill, they were attacked in the rear. The Spartans and their allies then fought till the last man fell.
Battle of Salamis-Greeks defeat Persians
Fought 480 B.C. between the Greek fleet of 370 sail, and the Persian fleet, of over 1,000. The Greeks at first hesitated to attack in face of the overwhelming numbers of the Persian ships, but an Athenian trireme, commanded by Aminias, dashed in, and being followed by the rest of the Athenians and the Aeginetans in good order, the Persians were, after a hard struggle, totally defeated, with the loss of more than half their fleet.
Persian War Aftermath : 479-450 B.C.E.
Over the following thirty years, Athens continued to fight battles with Persia for control of the dozens of Greek colonies in the Aegean Sea. It was not until 448 B.C.E. that a treaty finally ended hostilities between Athens and Persia.
Battle of Plataea-Greeks defeat Persians
Fought B.C.E. 479, between the Greeks, about 100,000 strong, under Pausanias the Spartan, and 300,000 Persians, with 50,000 Greek auxiliaries, under Mardonius. The Persians fought, but were overborne due to the better discipline and heavier armour of the Greeks they fled to their entrenched camp. Only 3,000 Persians escaped.
Battle of Mycale-Greeks defeat Persians
Fought August, 479 B.C.E, between the Greeks and the Persian army. The Greeks affected a landing near Cape Mycale, and drove the Persians back. The whole army destroyed.
Battle of the Eurymedon-Athenians defeat Persians
Fought B.C.E 470, between the Persian fleet and army, and the Athenians and Delians. The Greeks were victorious both by land and sea, defeating the Persian fleet with a loss of 200 ships.This victory secured the south of Asia Minor to the Athenian Confederacy.
Siege of Memphis-Persians defeat Athenians
This city was captured B.C.E 459 by an Athenian fleet of 200 ships, which sailed up the Nile to the assistance of Inaros, who had raised the standard of revolt against Persia.
Battle of Salamis (Cyprus)-Athenians defeat Persians
The Athenians defeated the Persians in the Battle of Salamis. The Athenians overwhelmed the Persians at Citium. Lack of supplies forced the Athenians to return home.
The most famous battles of the Persian war were fought on mainland Greece, but the conflict began in Asia minor, when the Greek colonies of Ionia, revolted against their Persian overlords.
Battle of Sardis- Ionian Greeks defeat Persians
In 498 B.C.E. the Greek cities of Asia minor revolted from Persia, and burned the regional capital, to the ground.
Battle of Ephesus-Persians defeat Ionian Greeks
Fought 499 B.C.E., between the Athenians and Ionians, under Aristagorus, and the Persians, under Artaphernes. The Greeks were overtaken by the Persians and signally defeated. The Athenians thereupon withdrew their fleet, and took no further part in the war.
Battle of Lade-Persians defeat Ionian Greeks
Fought B.C.E 494, between a Persian fleet of 600 sail, which and 353 Lesbian, Chian and Samian ships. The Samians, corrupted by the Persians, deserted at the beginning of the action, with the exception of 11 vessels, and the Greeks were totally defeated.
Second Persian Invasion (under Darius) : 490 B.C.
Darius launched his second expedition in 490. This time, the entire invading force, including cavalry, was sent by ship across the Aegean Sea. The expedition was led by Artaphernes and Datis, two Persian commanders who had put down the Ionian rebellion, and Hippias, an exiled Athenian tyrant
Siege of Eretria-Persians defeat Eretria
This town was overwhelmed in 490 B.C.E. when a Persian force landed on the Island of Euboea and besieged its largest town. The Eretrians attracted to the Athenians for help, but before they could respond, traitors inside the town aided the invaders, and fell after a resistance.
Battle of Marathon-Athenians defeat Persians
Fought 490 B.C.E., between the Athenians and Plataeans, 10,000 and 1,000 strong respectively, under Miltiades, and the army of Darius Hystaspes, about 100,000 in number, under Datis. The Persians were losing and fled in confusion to their ships, which they succeeded in launching, and escaped with a loss of 6,400. The Athenians lost 192 only.
Third Persian Invasion Under Xerxes : 481-479 B.C.
The Persians did not attack Greece again for ten years, but after Darius’s son Xerxes became king, the Persians launched another expedition against Athens. This time they were determined to use overwhelming force so in 481 BC, Xerxes gathered together an army of several hundred thousand infantry and a navy of six hundred ships.
Battle of Thermopylae-Persians defeat Spartans
Fought 480 B.C.E., 1000 Spartans and their allies, defended the pass of Thermopylae against the Persians. They kept the Persians at bay untill, they were attacked in the rear. The Spartans and their allies then fought till the last man fell.
Battle of Salamis-Greeks defeat Persians
Fought 480 B.C. between the Greek fleet of 370 sail, and the Persian fleet, of over 1,000. The Greeks at first hesitated to attack in face of the overwhelming numbers of the Persian ships, but an Athenian trireme, commanded by Aminias, dashed in, and being followed by the rest of the Athenians and the Aeginetans in good order, the Persians were, after a hard struggle, totally defeated, with the loss of more than half their fleet.
Persian War Aftermath : 479-450 B.C.E.
Over the following thirty years, Athens continued to fight battles with Persia for control of the dozens of Greek colonies in the Aegean Sea. It was not until 448 B.C.E. that a treaty finally ended hostilities between Athens and Persia.
Battle of Plataea-Greeks defeat Persians
Fought B.C.E. 479, between the Greeks, about 100,000 strong, under Pausanias the Spartan, and 300,000 Persians, with 50,000 Greek auxiliaries, under Mardonius. The Persians fought, but were overborne due to the better discipline and heavier armour of the Greeks they fled to their entrenched camp. Only 3,000 Persians escaped.
Battle of Mycale-Greeks defeat Persians
Fought August, 479 B.C.E, between the Greeks and the Persian army. The Greeks affected a landing near Cape Mycale, and drove the Persians back. The whole army destroyed.
Battle of the Eurymedon-Athenians defeat Persians
Fought B.C.E 470, between the Persian fleet and army, and the Athenians and Delians. The Greeks were victorious both by land and sea, defeating the Persian fleet with a loss of 200 ships.This victory secured the south of Asia Minor to the Athenian Confederacy.
Siege of Memphis-Persians defeat Athenians
This city was captured B.C.E 459 by an Athenian fleet of 200 ships, which sailed up the Nile to the assistance of Inaros, who had raised the standard of revolt against Persia.
Battle of Salamis (Cyprus)-Athenians defeat Persians
The Athenians defeated the Persians in the Battle of Salamis. The Athenians overwhelmed the Persians at Citium. Lack of supplies forced the Athenians to return home.