Empires

now part of our everyday lives were used for the first time during this period. DATES - BCE - - CE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AFRICA Bananas introduced from Southeast Asia to East Africa through sea routes Cleopatra, queen of Egypt ( - BCE ) Hero of Alexandria makes a machine that runs on steam Ptolemy of Alexandria writes a work on geography. Christianity introduced in Axum * ( ) Vandals from Europe set up a kingdom in North Africa ( ) Emigration (hijra) of some Muslims to Abyssinia ( ) Muslim Arabs sign treaty with Nubia, south of Egypt ( ) Rise of kingdom in Ghana Almoravid kingdom ( - ) extends from Ghana to southern Spain Zimbabwe ( - ) emerges as a centre for the production of gold and copper artefacts, and of long-distance trade Christian churches established in Ethiopia ( ), kingdom of Mali in West Africa, with Timbuktu as a centre of learning EUROPE Spartacus leads revolt of about , slaves ( BCE ). Building of Colosseum in Rome Roman empire at is peak * Constantine becomes emperor, establishes city of Constantinople Roman empire divided into eastern and western halves Roman empire invaded by tribes from North and Central Europe Conversion of Clovis of Gaul (France) to Christianity ( ) St Benedict establishes a monastery in Italy ( ), St Augustine introduces Christianity in England ( ), Gregory the Great ( ) lays the foundations of the power of the Roman Catholic Church Bede writes the History of the English Church and People Charlemagne, King of the Franks, crowned Holy Roman Emperor ( ) First Russian states founded at Kiev and Novgorod. Viking raids across Western Europe Medical school set up in Salerno, Italy ( ) William of Normandy invades England and becomes king ( ). Proclamation of the first Crusade ( ) Construction of the cathedral of Notre Dame begins ( ) St Francis of Assisi sets up a monastic order, emphasizing austerity and compassion ( ) Lords in England rebel against the king who signs the Magna Carta, accepting to rule according to law Establishment of the Hapsburg dynasty that continued to rule Austria till T IMELINE - II T HEMES IN W ORLD H ISTORY DATES - BCE - - CE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ASIA Han empire in China, development of the Silk Route from Asia to Europe Jesus Christ in Judaea, a province of the Roman empire, Roman invasion of Arabia ( ) Paper invented in China ( ), development of the first seismograph ( ) End of Han empire ( ), Sasanid rule in Persia ( ) Tea at the royal court, China ( ), use of the magnetic compass, China ( ) Chinese start using stirrups while riding horses * Buddhism introduced in Japan ( ) Grand canal to transport grain built in China( - ), by , , workers over years. The Tang dynasty in China ( ) Prophet Muhammad goes to Medina, the beginning of the Hijri era ( ) Collapse of the Sasanian empire ( ) The Umayyad caliphate ( - ) A branch of the Umayyads conquers Spain, Tang dynasty established in China. Abbasid caliphate established and Baghdad becomes a major cultural and commercial centre Khmer state founded in Cambodia ( ) The first printed book, China ( ) Use of paper money in China Ibn Sina, a Persian doctor, writes a medical text that is followed for centuries Establishment of the Turkish empire by Alp Arslan ( ) First recorded display of fireworks in China Angkor empire, Cambodia, at its height ( ), temple complex at Angkor Wat Genghis Khan consolidates power ( ) Qubilai Khan, grandson of Genghis, becomes emperor of China SOUTH ASIA Bactrian Greeks and Shakas establish kingdoms in the northwest, the rise of the Satavahanas in the Deccan Growing trade between South Asia, Southeast and East Asia, and Europe The establishment of Kushana state in the north west and Central Asia The establishment of the Gupta * dynasty ( ) Fa Xian travels from China to India ( ) Aryabhata, astronomer and mathematician Chalukya temples in Badami and Aihole Xuan Zang travels from China to India, Nalanda emerges as an important educational centre Arabs conquer Sind ( ) Mahmud of Ghazni raids the northwest, Alberuni travels to India, Rajarajesvara temple built at Thanjavur Kalhana writes the Rajatarangini Establishment of Delhi sultanate ( ) Amir Khusrau ( - ) introduces new forms of poetry and music * , Sun temple at Konark DATES - BCE - - CE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AMERICAS City-state of Teotihuacan established in Mexico, with pyramid temples, Mayan ceremonial centres * , development of astronomy, pictorial script * The first city is built in North America (c. ) AUSTRALIA/PACIFIC ISLANDS Maori navigator from Polynesia ‘discovers’ New Zealand Sweet potato (originally from South America), grown in the Polynesian islands ACTIVITY Try and identify at least events/ processes that would have involved the movement of peoples across regions/ continents. What would have been the significance of these events/ processes? T IMELINE - II T HEMES IN W ORLD H ISTORY