Ancient history

Ancient history is from the period of time when writing and historical records first appear, roughly 5,500 years before the Birth of Christ. For some, the discovery of agriculture, roughly 6,000 BC is the beginning of ancient history. The most common date for an end of ancient history in Europe is AD 476 (the fall of the Western Roman Empire), however the exact date is still disputed among various historians. In Europe ancient history was followed by Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000-5,500 years, with cuneiform possibly being the oldest form of writing. Genetic evidence, however, points to the first appearance of human beings about 150,000 years ago. There is also a growing body of evidence that Homo sapiens first left Africa about 60,000 years ago.

Chronology

Beginning of ancient history

10,000 BC - invention of agriculture is the earliest given date for the beginning of Ancient Era
3,300 - oldest historical documents
5,000
4,000
Important events

: BC
3300 - Bronze Age begins in the Near East, slowly spreads to the rest of Eurasia
2000 - Domestication of the horse
356 - Birth of Alexander the Great
322 - Death of Alexander the Great
149-146 - Third and final Punic War
100 - Julius Caesar is born.
49 - Civil War between Caesar and Pompey the Great.
: AD
AD 313 - Edict of Milan declared that the Roman Empire would be neutral with regard to religious worship
378- Battle of Adrianople, Roman army is defeated by the Germanic tribes
395- Roman Emperor Theodosius I outlaws all pagan religions in favor of Christianity
410- Alaric sacks Rome for the first time since 390 BC
476- Prompted by the barbarian General Odacer, the last Roman Emperor Romulus Augustulus abdicates, formally ending the Western Roman Empire.