Facts About Ancient World

Most scientists agree that Earth formed C.4.5 billion BC and the first signs of primitive life-blue-green algae appeared C.3 billion BC earliest hominid fossils Ardipithecus Ramidus-of-sight at C.4.4 million BC and c.100, 000 BC the first Homo Sapiens returned to South Africa. But it was not until c.4000 B.C. that the first civilization in the world rose in Mesopotamia in Sumer.

A stable food supply existed in the area between the Euphrates and Tigris, where the ancient Sumerians learned to control these water resources through irrigation and dikes. This in turn made it possible for small villages to prosper in the world's first self-governing city-states. By 3500 B.C. the Sumerian civilization reached its zenith. Also at this time, writes Sumerian scribes for the first time in history in a script known as Cuneiform.

This fertile land was also fertile for some of the world's most important inventions. The wheel first appeared in Mesopotamia c3200 BC and plow and nails in C. 3500 BC, yoke c.3000 BC, and bronze in 3500 BC While civilization was flourishing here, growing crops and herding animals spread through Europe as far north as Scandinavia. It is believed that the world population reached 14 millions in 3000 BC (Today the population is estimated at 6,576,142,000)

In Egypt in 3400 B.C. The Pharaoh Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt under his rule. Also occurs in Egypt at the time was the use of cosmetics (c.3700 BC), which both men and women who painted their eyes with a mixture of soot, black lead and antimony. By 2900 B.C. Slaves began to build the great pyrimid of Giza near Cairo. 2.3 million blocks of stone, this pyramid, which belonged to the 4th Dynasty King Khufu. Also at this time the Egyptians began using hieroglyphics to write.

In c.3200 B.C. most ancient civilization on the Indian subcontinent known as the Indus civilization, sometimes referred to as the Harappa civilization begins to take shape. Ultimately, the first villages in that civilization give rise to some of world's first true cities like Mohenjo-Daro along the Indus River. About this time, farmers in the Andes in South America began to grow potatoes.

The Chinese practiced simple farming methods in 3550 BC by moving to new areas, after exhausting the old soil. By 2700 B.C. the Chinese emperor Shen Nung developed system of herbal medicine. Interestingly, the first hemp fibers were used to make rope in China (c.2800 BC).

By c.2500 B.C. the Minoan civilization developed on the Mediterranean island of Crete. During the subsequent thousand years, they would build many palaces including the Palace of Minos at Knossos. They developed the earliest form of written Greek.

Elsewhere in the world in C2500 B.C. population in Central Asia began to tame horses.

Ancient Peruvians used cotton to make fabric and standard scales were used in Mesopotamia. By c.2000 B.C. Hyksos invaders conquered Lower Egypt and the Assyrians rose to power under Sargon of Akkad, when he established his kingdom in c.2371 BC Ashur, Arbel and Nineveh would eventually become Assyrian strongholds. At this point, it is believed that the world population reached 27 million.

In c.1900 B.C. an earthquake destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah on the Dead Sea area. At this time began Mesopotamians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Elamite (major tribes in the region), iron smelting and driving. From 1800 to 1750 BC, Babylonians obeyed Hammurabi's Code-the first written laws. About this time, Indus Civilization fell due to poor farming techniques and Abraham set out from Ur in Mesopotamia to find the religion of Judaism.

In c.1700 Phoenicians developed an alphabet to represent sounds. Other written languages use characters to represent a whole word. The Alphabet helped inspire the Greek alphabet to grow and would develop later to latin. A hundred years later Stonehenge was completed in England.

In c.1600 Shang Dynasty rose to power in China around the same time the people were masters of bronze-casting. Soon after they began to make silk, it would be to connect the eastern and western world eager for the goods. At this time, the Hindu religion spread through India and the Mycenaean civilization controlled Greece.

From c.1500 B.C. to 1000 B.C. many of the world civilizations begin to promote seriously both in terms of technology and culture. Welding appeared in Syria and enamel work took place on the island of Cyprus. During this time, it is believed that the city of Troy fell to the Greeks. Phoenicians dominated Mediterranean Sea, and established an outpost in the case of Cadiz, Spain.

During this period, so the story reign of Tutankhamen in Egypt, and it is believed that Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt in Canan. Olmec civilization in Mexico rose and Mycenae fell to Dorian invaders after the volcanic eruption on Thera. In c.1299 B.C. Ramses II fought the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh and was one of ancient Egypt's most prolific builders.

The period from 1000 B.C. to 500 B.C. so much change and development as well. In North America, burial mounds built strains as Cahokia. Solomon succeeded King David and built the temple in Jerusalem. Chinese people began to save the frozen sea ice for cooling food and Etruscans began to establish towns in Italy. The first methods to measure the time the equipment was tried in Egypt.

Some highlights of this period occurred when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar built his empire. It is at this point that archaeologists believe that the Hanging Gardens, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world were built. Also, Athenian democracy developed and Confucius expounded his philosophy in China. In India, Siddhartha founded the Buddhism religion. The first Olympics were held in 776 B.C. and in 753 B.C. Romulus is said to have founded Rome on the Palatine Hill. In 800 BC, rose kingdom Kush, a former Country Nubians south of Egypt, to power.

Also during this era, the Phoenicians established Carthage and Homer is said to have composed the Iliad and the Odyssey to tell the stories of early Mycenaean's. Assyrians were conquered by the Chaldeans (perceived as more modern Babylonians), when Nineveh was destroyed.

Besides Homer, was a witness to the world, many other great minds in this period. Sappho of Lesbos, the Greek woman poet Lao-tse, influential Chinese philosopher and founder of Taoism, and Greek mathematician Pythagoras all left their influence on world history.

Other noteworthy advances include the Assyrian use of the world's first iron saws and aqueducts, surveying instruments in Egypt, sugar refinement in India, use of money in Asia Minor and false teeth in Etruria, Italy.

The period of 500 B.C. to 1 B.C. so many events and technological changes. The Greeks defeated the Persians at such notable battles as at Marathon in 490 BC and Athens and Sparta fought the Peloponnesian Wars 431-404 BC Athens flourished under Pericles and experienced its Golden Age 450-400 BC Famous playwrights as Sophocles, who wrote Oedipus Rex and Antigone, existed in this period. King Xerxes ruled Persia 485-465 B.C.

Even in this age, Alexander the Great conquered much of the known world, he destroyed Thebes, Tire and invaded Jerusalem and as far afield as India, he died in Babylon. Much of the old world was divided between his generals, including Ptolemy got Egypt, where the world's first lighthouse, Pharos wonder of the world, was built in the port city of Alexandria.

This period saw the Chinese build the Great Wall, and all three Punic wars. Mexico as the construction of the Sun Temple at Teotihuacan and the Maya invented their calendar. The first Roman gladiatorial games were held in 264 BC and Hannibal, in Carthage, crossed the Alps on elephants to threaten Rome. In 386 BC Plato founded his Academy, which promoted Aristotle.

Other mentionable facts include the completion of the Venus de Milo (c.140 BCE), Greek invention of water-powered mill (c.85 BC), and glassblowing in Syria (c.100 BCE). Julius Caesar invaded England in 55 B.C. and conquered Gaul soon after. Finally, at the end of that era lead to the death of Cleopatra and Mark Antony when Octavian defeated them for the ultimate control of the Roman Empire.

Later in the year 300 B.C. also witnessed many historical events and personalities. Celtic Queen Boudicca in England led an unsuccessful revolt against Rome in 61 AD, four years later, in the city of Rome was burned. Mt. Vesuvius broke destroy remarkable city of Pompeii in 79 AD A charming plague killed 500,000 people in Northern Africa and the Romans built Hadrian's Wall in 122 AD to guard against the Picts, or Caledonian, of Scotland. Enough people in full bloom near the River Niger in West Africa.

At this time, so Chinese invention of the wheelbarrow, saddle and paper. Scandinavia used the first skater and Empress chauvinist ruled Japan. Art and science flourished in northern India under the Gupta dynasty. The Chin Dynasty in China rose to power and witness China's first emperor, Shih Huangti.