Ancient World
Djenné-Djenno: West Africa's Oldest Known City on the Niger
An indigenous town grew into a large trading centre long before Arab merchants crossed the Sahara, overturning older ideas about the origins of West African cities.
Era · c. 3000 BC – AD 500
Ancient World
The first cities, empires and written records, from the pyramids of Egypt to Greece and the Roman Empire.
Ancient World
Arsaces I and the Founding of the Parthian Empire
The Parni under Arsaces took Parthia and Hyrcania from Seleucid control and founded the Arsacid dynasty, which ruled Iran until AD 224.
Ancient World
Mahinda's Mission: How Buddhism Reached Sri Lanka in 247 BC
King Devanampiya Tissa and his court accepted Buddhism, the Mahavihara was founded and Sri Lanka became a lasting centre of Theravada Buddhism.
Ancient World
Zhengguo Canal (246 BC): The Spy Who Watered Qin's Fields
Meant to drain Qin's resources, the canal irrigated a large area of saline land and strengthened Qin's economy on the eve of unification.
Ancient World
Terracotta Army: The Clay Soldiers of China's First Emperor
Thousands of life-size pottery warriors, horses and chariots were buried near the First Emperor's tomb; rediscovered in 1974, they became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
Ancient World
Battle of the Aegates Islands (241 BC): First Punic War Ends
Decisive Roman victory; Carthage sued for peace, gave up Sicily and paid a heavy indemnity, ending the First Punic War.
Ancient World
Eratosthenes Measures the Earth (c. 240 BC): Syene and Alexandria
Eratosthenes estimated Earth's circumference at 250,000 stadia, a figure within roughly 1 to 16 percent of the true value, depending on the stadion used.
Ancient World
Temple of Edfu: The Best-Preserved Temple of Ancient Egypt
A complete Ptolemaic temple of Horus survived almost intact, preserving a vast library of inscriptions on Egyptian religion and temple life.
Ancient World
Jing Ke's Attempt to Assassinate the King of Qin (227 BC)
The attempt failed; Jing Ke was killed, and Qin invaded Yan, which it conquered by 222 BC.
Ancient World
Qin Unification of China (221 BC): The Birth of an Empire
Qin conquered Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan and Qi and founded China's first centralised empire, whose institutions outlived the dynasty's fall in 207 BC.
Ancient World
Siege of Saguntum (219 BC): Hannibal Provokes War With Rome
Hannibal captured and sacked Saguntum; Rome declared war on Carthage in 218 BC, beginning the Second Punic War.
Ancient World
Battle of the Trebia (218 BC): Hannibal's First Great Victory
Decisive Carthaginian victory; most of the Roman army was killed or scattered, and the Gauls of northern Italy joined Hannibal.