History of Sri Lanka and significant World events from 700,000 BC to 483 BC

Beginning and growth of civilization in Sri Lanka and what happened around the world in this period

Sri Lanka History events are highlighted in BOLD and the world events are in NORMAL letters.

Five Million Years BC - Beginning of the Humans. Five million years ago, Human-like Apes lived in Africa. They developed into humans over a period of 2-3 million years. During the ice age which began around 2.5 million years BC, these humans started to walk over the frozen landscape.

One Million Years BC - Humans migrate from Africa to the rest of the world About 1 million years ago, Humans migrated from Africa, to Asia, Indonesia and Europe over frozen landscapes. Until then, early humans had lived only in Africa. Archaeologists believe that the humans inhabited Sri Lanka during this migration. During the migration, the humans learnt to make and use primitive hand tools like axes.

700,000 BC - Humans in Lanka Archeologists claim that Sri Lanka was definitely inhabited by the humans by 700,000 BC.

500,000 BC - The humans had started to use fire.

Oldest human found in Sri Lanka

123,000 BC - Oldest human found in Lanka - Pathirajawela in the deep South. A student from Bundala Central school recovered the oldest Lankan human’s remains and his stone tools in Pathirajawela in Deep south, near Ambalantota. This Lankan had lived 20,000 years before the Niandathal inhabited the earth. It has been estimated, at an international average, that the population density for Lanka, at the time was 0.8-1.5 per SqKm in dry zone and 0.1 in wet zone. They had lived in groups of 1-2 families, not in large groups due to scarcity of food. With this proof of pre-historic settlement in Lanka, Patirajawela also exposed a flake and stone tool industry belonging to 125,000 to 75,000 BC. This meant that the Lankans had already started their long journey towards civilisation.

80000 BC - Ratnapura - Lions, Rinocerous and Hippos From an excavation in Ratnapura District, archaeologists have found the remains of animals. That included a hippopotamus with six incisor teeth, a rhinoceros, and a lion. Along with these animal remains, stone artefacts comprising, typically, large choppers and flakes of quartz and chert, have been found. However, apart from a human calotte from a gem pit near Ellawala, no human remains have been discovered yet from the Ratnapura.

80000 BC - 2nd oldest human found in Lanka - Bundala in the deep South These people made tools of quartz (and a few on chert). Apart from such tools, no other remains had survived the ravages of time and tropical weathering.

30500 BC - Fa-Hien cave - 3rd oldest Lankan human found in the Largest natural cave in South Asia Over 150 feet in height, 282 feet long, Pahiyangala can accomodate over 3000 humans. It was home to a large community.

30500 BC - Fa-Hien cave - 3rd oldest Lankan human proves world's oldest proof of consumption of rice, Kurahan, salt Female body-remains found near BulathSinhala, proved the consumption of rice, kurahan, and salt. The Archaeologists named her Kalu-Menika. It was proof that 20,000 years before the world, Lankans have gone agricultural. It was also the first anatomically modern human found in whole of South Asia.

30000 BC - Beginning of Red Indians and South Americans: Mongolians migrate to America Around this time, hunter-gatherer tribes in Mongolia started to walk to both South and North America across the frozen land strip that connected Asia with America. Those who stopped in North America would be known as the Red Indians. By 1850, the 10 million strong Red Indian population would be conquered. Those who stopped in South America would start great civilisations such as Incas, Mayan, and Aztecs. By 1600 AD, whole 80 million of them would be conquered.( 30 million Aztecs in Mexico, 30 million Incas in Peru, 11 million Mayans in El Salvador).

28500 BC - Batadomba Lena near Kuruvita - the Balangoda man, stronger & taller These remains, and the following Belilena and BellanBendi Palassa, have been subjected to detailed analysis. These anatomically modern prehistoric humans in Sri Lanka are referred to as Balangoda Man. Some males were 174 cm tall, and some females were 166 cm tall. This is considerably taller than the present-day Sri Lankans. The bones also are robust. They had thick skull-bones and prominent brow-ridges, depressed noses, heavy jaws and short necks. The teeth were conspicuously large. These traits have survived among the Veddas and certain unmixed Sinhalese. Balangoda Man's features are regarded as the typical original Lankan features.

28500 BC - Lankans live in Mannar, Horton plains to Bundala, in two family units. By this time Lankans were settled in every corner of Sri Lanka, from the damp and cold High Plain's such as Maha-eliya (Horton Plains) to the arid lowlands of Mannar and Vilpattu, to the steamy rainforests of Sabaragamuwa. Their camps were small, rarely exceeding 50 sq.m in area, thus suggesting occupation by not more than a couple of families at most. This life-style could not have been too different from that described for the Vaddas of Sri Lanka, the Kadar, Malapantaram and Chenchus of India, the Andaman lslanders and the Semang of Malaysia. They had been moving from place to place, on an annual cycle of looking for food.

28500 BC - Lankans have started business between the coast and the hills Beads of shells have also been discovered deep inside the country. Discovery of marine shells in inland sites such as Batadomba-lena, points to an extensive network of contacts between the coast and the inland.

28500 BC - Lankans have burial customs. Balangoda Man had a custom to bury his dead underneath his camp floor. He selected certain bones for this purpose. At Ravana Ella cave and Fa Hien Lena, red ochre had been ceremonially smeared on the bones.

28500 BC - Geometric microliths (believed to be first used by the Europeans in 12,500BC) are found in Batadomba Lena in the tool kit of Balangoda Man, 16,000 years earlier than Europe first used it. The tool kit of Balangoda Man is distinguished by the occurrence of geometric microliths, comprising small (less than 4 cm long) flakes of quartz and (rarely) chert fashioned into stylised lunate, triangular .

27000 BC - Beli-Lena at Kitulgala There is evidence from Beli-lena that salt had been brought in from the coast at a date in excess of 27,000 BC.

20000 BC - Earliest evidence of Europeans Earliest evidence of Europeans has been discovered in more than 200 caves, mostly in Spain and France, belonging to 20,000 to 10,000 BC. The most famous of them is the cave painting at Lascaux in France, which is dated to 13,000 BC. It has been painted by blowing red and yellow ochre onto the cave wall through hollow bones.

15000 BC - Horton plains - Agro subsistence strategy 7000 years before the world did. There is pollen evidence from the Horton Plains for herding and the farming of barley and oats by 15,000 BC and also around 8,000 BC. The new evidence from the Horton Plains is of great importance. Ghar-i-Mar and Aq Kupruk in Afghanistan and Mehrgarh in Pakistan were known to have had a Neolithic subsistence strategy by 7,000-6,000 BC. There is tentative evidence of herding in northern Rajasthan by 7,000 BC, of rice and pottery at Koldihwa, U.P. in India by 5,000 BC, and perhaps cereal management/farming in the Nilgiri Hills of South India by 8,000 BC. Therefore Lankans had proof of Agro subsistence strategy 7000 years before the world did.

15000 BC - SuriyaKanda near Ambilipitiya - use of necklaces & needles The female body parts recovered by archaeologists proved the use of needles (made of rabbit bones), and necklace made of a see-thru material like glass but as hardy as plastic. The Archaeologists have named her Nimali.

13000 BC - Most Famous European human evidence Earliest evidence of Europeans has been discovered in more than 200 caves, mostly in Spain and France, belonging to 20,000 to 10,000 BC. The most famous of them is the cave painting at Lascaux in France, which is dated to 13,000 BC. It has been painted by blowing red and yellow ochre onto the cave wall through hollow bones.

12500 BC - Norway is inhabited by humans-( By 789 AD, along with such settlers from Denmark and Sweden, they became Vikings ) Archaeologists believe that Norway was inhabited around 12,000BC by hunters from western and central Europe. ( Later, farmers from Denmark and Sweden arrived and settled on the shores of the large lakes and fiords. All of them spoke a Germanic language that became the mother tongue of the later Scandinavian languages. Mountains protected them from attacks. Later an aristocracy developed in villages. Later they became kings. It was only in 750 AD that the first historical records of Scandinavia appeared. By that time 29 small kingdoms existed in Norway. By 789 AD, these kings along with Denmark and started to build ships to raid other European countries. Since then they were called Vikings.)

World's oldest findings of use of steel...

12000 BC - MaduruOya findings World's oldest findings of the use of Steel, Copper, and irrigation technology

10500 BC - Alu-lena near Attanagoda, Kegalle More human remains were discovered here.

10000 BC - The Neolithic revolution starts in Mesopotamia, and then spread to the East, Europe, and India. In a brand new way of life, Humans slowly over several hundred years abandoned their nomadic hunter-gatherer existence and began to settle in permanent villages. (It was these villages that became towns and, then, cities 6500 years later). People began to cultivate wheat, rye, peas, lentils, and other plants, and to domesticate animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats. Stone is still used to build tools and weapons. They also made pottery vessels for cooking and storing food, fashioned sickles out of stone for harvesting crops, and used flat stones as querns for grinding grain into flour. It is more labour-intensive than hunting and gathering. This may have been caused by the need to produce more food as a result of the increase in population.

8000 BC - The Neolithic revolution start in China. Chinese started slow but their stone arrowheads and fishhooks, the silk fabrics, decorated pottery indicates a well-developed sense of design and art.

8000 BC - Humans begin to domesticate animals Around this time both humans and some animals ( like dogs, cattle, sheep, goats) started to live in close proximity ot eachother for mutual protection, food, clothing and companionship.

7500 BC - Cambians of west India - The oldest civilisation! A ship despatched by the Indian Institute of Ocean Technology to measure the marine pollution 30 Kms off Gujarat coast took sonar photos of the ocean floor in 2002. The photos revealed this vast submerged city of Cambans spread over 9 kms, 40 meters under water, with a swimming pool as large as an Olympic swimming pool, with some similarities to Mohendo-Jaro-Harrappa towns. While many of the 2000 artefacts recovered were dated to 5500BC, several were dated to 7500BC. This makes Cambians the oldest civilisation on earth discovered so far.

First wave of migrants to Sri Lanka

7500 BC - Connections between Cambians, Sri Lankans, Ramayanaya & Mahabharataya The first wave of migrants to Sri Lanka from north India, were from the Yadu family from Gujarat. Yadus dominated the southwest of India (which included Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan up to Mathura, just south of Delhi). Yadu people had access to the sea from the region of Gujarat. Cambians ruins were discovered in the same region and belong to the same period. New findings reveal that Harappan and pre-Harappan cultures going back to 6000 BC in India were Vedic, as they were based on the Sarasvati river of Vedic fame. Harappan port cities like Lothal or Dholavira in Gujarat and Kutch have been found in the regions of the Yadus going back to the third millennium BC. Hence the date of the north Indian migration into Sri Lanka may be pushed back much further. A close study of the Ramayana reveals that Ravana was not a Dravidian, according to some historians. Ravana was a migrant to Sri Lanka from the Vedic family of the Yadus. These Yadu people, like the North Indians who arrived later, had merged into the native Sri Lankan Sinhalese civilisation.

7500 BC - Dravidians come to India. Archaeological evidence shows that during this Neolithic period, the Dravidians arrived in India from the west. They may have originated from somewhere in the Mediterranean. The native inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent were dispersed and partially assimilated by these invading Dravidian tribes, who formed a new society in India. They will develop the Indus Valley civilization. This civilisation was definitely either equalled or, was greater in splendour, than both the civilizations of Mesopotamia (Sumerians) and Egypt (Pharoes). In another 6000 years the same scenario would be repeated as the Aryans migrated to India. Aryans would push the Dravidians to the South of the Indian sub-continent. In another 7250 years, Sri Lanka would be repeatedly attacked by three of these Dravidian kingdoms.

7000 BC - Jericho, World's Oldest AND continuously occupied town has the earliest known National Defence system. By this time in Palestine, near the Jordan river, the village of Jericho was bursting with population. This 4-hectare town was protected by primitive Citywalls, moat, and watchtowers. That would be the earliest known national defence system in human history.

6500 BC - Bellan-Bendi Pelessa near Embiliyapitiya: Secret of the Strong Bones Bellan-Bandi Palassa near Embiliyapitiya is an open-air site of human remains. The well-preserved evidence from these caves showed that Lankans were having a very wide range of food-plants and animals. Prominent among them were canarium nuts, wild breadfruit and wild bananas. It also showed that Lankans ate almost any type animal, from elephants to snakes, rats, snails and small fish. This well-balanced diet must be the secret behind the robusticity of the human skeletal remains. The degeneration of the bone, caused by a specialised starchy diet and a sedentary life style, was yet to come.

6300 BC - Dorawaka-Kanda cave near Kegalle: Geometric Microlithic industry & pottery The transition from the Mesolithic Balangoda Culture to the protohistoric early Iron Age has not been adequately documented in Sri Lanka. The relevant deposits have been destroyed due to the extraction of fertiliser from prehistoric cave habitations. Recent excavations in the cave of Dorawaka-kanda near Kegalle could resolve this problem. According to the excavator, W.H. Wijayapala, there are indications at this site of pottery (together with stone stools) being used as early as 6300. By this time, Dorawaka-lena shelter had proved a geometric microlithic industry. It also proved a cereal and a crude red pottery by 5,300 BC, and Black and Red Ware by 3,100 BC.

6000 BC - Lankan city on Mahamevuna Uyana - Archeologists uncovered 35 feet under the present Mahamevuna Uyana in Anuradapura, the remains of a huge city dated to 9000-6000BC in 2001 AD. It was proof that Lankans had used Horses before the North Indians such as prince Vijaya came in 483BC.

6000 BC - Use of metal instead of stone Villagers in Turkey knew the art of hammering copper into shapes without smelting.

5500 BC - Urban traces emerge in Mesopotamia They were the world's oldest Neolithic settlement. They will transform in to the world's first civilisation 2000 years later.

5500 BC - Evidence of Earliest Rice Consumption in China Human habitats in China originated in the Hwang Ho (or Yellow River) valley. Archaeological evidence of earliest human in China is near Beijing in 460,000 BC. Evidence of Rice cultivation starts around 5500 BC. By 5000 BC, an agricultural society existed in Huang He valley. By 3950 BC, they were making pottery.

5400 BC - The Neolithic revolution start slowly in America, 4600 years behind the world In America, the progress was so slow that the villagers would stay primitive for another 4200 years before they become a civilisation as Olmecs in 1200BC.

5000 BC - PalleMalala site - First proof of a pre-historic shell midden in the country, fireplace, grinding stone, burial room, Rough clothing. A group of pre-historic Lankans set up camp at a dried-up lagoon in Hambantota. There they lived, hunted and fished for food and buried the dead.

5000 BC - PalleMalala site - indicates the origins of MahaSona beliefs The discovery in the burial floor, of the skull of a wild boar with its tusks intact, next to a human skull suggested some kind of a burial ritual. In Sinhalese folk traditions, Mahasona has been depicted as having the head of a boar. Veddas still have this practice as the kirikoraha ceremony, using the head of a boar, and offering tribute to Kande Yaka, the Vedda's god of hunting.

5000 BC - Similarity of PalleMalala man with the rest of the world: Lankan is in the forefront of the human development The lifestyles of the stone age Lankan could not have been any different from others who lived elsewhere in the world. There are striking similarities in the stone tools found anywhere in the world belonging to the same age. Burial practices too appear to have similarities. The human bodies found in Pallemalala have been buried in a curious folded position where the knees and elbows had been folded towards the body in burial. Similar burials in 'folded' position have been unearthed from sites elsewhere in the world as well. This proved that the Lankan was in the very front of the race for the human progress. There has been frequent migration between the landmass that was Sri Lanka at the time and the Indian continent, across the Palk Strait. That probably helped the Lankan to check what the other humans were doing.

4500 BC - Europeans in Balkans and Danube, begin to advance After the climatic changes in Europe around 5500 BC, farming began to spread in Europe. Europeans of Danube and Balkan areas (near Belgrade in Serbia) were the most advanced Europeans. By 4000 BC, their fortified villages were becoming urban and they were using copper. From 5000 BC, European humans began to erect huge stone monuments as memorials in places of importance. From 4500, trade, especially in amber from the Baltic, was becoming more and more important. In 2000 more years, Indo Europeans from central Asia, Mediterranean and middle east would arrive in Europe, introducing many aspects of human civilisation like the Indo-European languages and horses.

4000 BC - A pre-historic grave Archeologists had found a pre-historic gravesite near IbbanKatuwa Weva in Dambulla.

4000 BC - Towns develop into large settlements By this time, communities have become agricultural and metal has been discovered. As the number of people increased, towns were getting populated fast.

3500 BC - The boat that could carry over 150 passengers, is found in Lanka On Attanagalle Oya, a ferry capable of carrying over 150 people was discovered. This proved the existence of a well-established water-based transport system in Sri Lanka. That showed the advance state of the Hela civilisation of the time.

3500 BC - Civilisations Before 3500 BC, there were cultures. Prehistoric men and women created societies, constructed houses, lived in villages, hunted and fished, farmed, made pottery, wove cloth, and created languages. But they were not civilisations. They did not build cities, read, or write. Historians consider Cities as the basis of civilized life. Elements of civilisation are given as social classes, employment, sophisticated religious and political systems, the ability to record philosophy and imagination (speculative thoughts), monumental architecture, and the formation of states and empires.

3500 BC - First civilisation in the world - Sumerians in Iraq, "the cradle of civilisation" The Sumerians were the true pioneers of civilization. Sumerian civilization sprang up in the rich farmland between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia giving Iraq the title " The Cradle of Civilization". From the small village and town-based human life of domesticated plants and animals, Sumerians developed cities, the first writing (a system of pictographs), a lunar calendar, the wheel, and early bronze work, wheeled carts and many more. They were one of the cleverest inventors in history. But due to the lack of publicity or propaganda, the world doesn't know them.

3500 BC - Two of Sumerian inventions are in use even today Sumerians initiated the use of the number 12 as applied to time and degrees, and counting in dozens. Both these practices are in use even today.

3500 BC - Sumerians advance the world beyond the use of Copper So far in history only copper had been used. Sumerians developed tougher bronze-copper alloyed with tin. By 1700 BC the use of bronze had spread to Egypt and thereafter throughout the Mediterranean.

3500 BC - World's first cities, built by Sumerians In addition to building the World's first cities, they built an excellent canal system, which was in use for 4750 years. Unfortunately in 1250 AD, Mongol invaders destroyed this treasure in revenge. One of their cities named "Erech” had protective City walls built of sun-dried brick. These can still be seen in Iraq today, 5,500 years after the walls were built.

3450 BC - Solid Wheel is founded by Sumerians Sumerians were the world's first to use the wheel. These earliest wheels were solid. It will take another 1500 years for the lighter, spoked wheels to appear. The wheel's ability to create the rotary motion, led to the design of machinery. All early sources of power, (Treadmills, watermills and windmills), depended upon the wheels.

3450 BC - Sumerian's War Wagons - mother of all military vehicles Discovery of wheel enabled the Sumerians to design the war-wagons to attack other communities. The Chariot rider was protected by copper helmets and was armed with copper spears.

3450 BC - Steel Helmets It was the Sumarians who developed the world's first steel helmets. These tight-fitting caps made of beaten copper, were first worn by the Sumerians War wagon riders.

3100 BC - First Pharaohs kingdom in Egypt Area around the river Nile in Egypt was one of the earliest places discovered by the humans to be good for agriculture. As the number of small villages expanded with the population, the Egyptian civilisation emerged. These human settlements united as Egypt under one ruler in about 3100 BC, when the pharaoh Menes joined Upper and Lower Egypt by force. Then Egypt was home to one of the strongest dynasties known to history. The Pharaohs owned all the land. Cultivators had to give their ruler roughly one fifth of their production. Under the pharaoh, a bureaucracy of royal officials, priests, and local chiefs maintained the law and order. They had hieroglyphic writing, fine sculpture and painting, and the World's first 365-day calendar. Their medical knowledge included surgery, antiseptics, and the circulatory system. Pyramids were the most famous of their achievements.

3100 BC - One of the first and one of the few peaceful civilisations in history. Strangely, though the Pharaohs of Egypt had enough power to conquer neighbours using great armies, they conducted only a very few foreign military missions. The rulers of these first pharaohs Kingdom were happy to rule their own land, like the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka, without grabbing what were others. They used their foreign contacts only to trade.

3100 BC - First Known use of Bow and Arrow It was the Egyptians who used the bows and arrows around this time to fight the Persians, who were armed only with spears and sling-shots. The fact that even the Persians who lived quite close to the Sumerians, the first civilisation, didn't have the bow and arrow means that the Egyptians get the credit for the use of it.

3000 BC - Sigiriya is considered the AlakaMandava of the Ravana times Historians and Archeologists claim that Sigirya must be the great fortress mansion AlakaMandava of Ravana, based on oldest archaeological evidence found on site.

3000 BC - World's First Body Armours The Egyption soldiers wore a wrap-around garment from armpits to knees, reinforced by quilting, and held up by shoulder straps. That was the world's first body armour. Up to this point of time, only the shield gave cover to the body in combat.

3000 BC - First Major civilisation on European soil-Minoans of Crete Minoans of Crete began a transformation into urban life from the farm life since 6000BC. Minoans became the first major civilization on European soil, comparable to the early societies in Egypt and Mesopotamia. They thrived in Crete with a great city and a labyrinth haunted by a half-bull, half-man creature named the Minotaur. The legend says that an early Greek hero, Theseus, killed this monster. Archaeological findings since 1894 seem to support the legend. The Minoans dominated the other peoples of the Aegean Sea. Their language has not yet been deciphered. A Bronze Age people, they were good in sculpture and metalwork. Minoans also created fine pottery, gem engravings, and wall paintings. Their ships carried goods to Egypt, where the Minoans traded them for stone vases and carved ivory. They, along with myacenes, would disappear under the emerging new Greek civilisation, which absorbed what was left of these civilisations.

2700 BC - The first pyramids In Egypt, the first pyramids were built.

2680 BC - First stone pyramid-Oldest surviving architectural monument in the world The first stone pyramid, and the oldest surviving example of an architectural monument, was built for Zoser, a pharaoh who reigned in Egypt until about 2717 BC.

2530 BC - Greatest of the Egyptian pyramids-Great Pyramid of Khufu Egyptians built their greatest pyramids during this first Pharaohs Kingdom. So far, the first pyramids had been built using sun-dried bricks. 2.5 million blocks of stone, each weighing an average of 2.5 tonnes, were used to build this grand pyramid. The stone blocks of these later pyramids were said to be petrified rays of the sun. Throughout the year, quarrymen cut huge blocks of stone. In the late summer, when floods raise the waters of the Nile as much as 30 ft, an army of labourers, freed from farmwork by the deluge, floated the stones on barges over the flooded land towards the site of the pyramid then under construction. Initially it was believed that the slaves built these. Now it has been discovered that the pyramids were built using free labour, efficiently organized by the royal bureaucracy. Each side of the pyramid is 230 m (750 ft) long, and it is 146 m (480 ft) high. The Great Pyramid of Khufu has a volume of some 2.6 million cubic meters. The Great Pyramid of Khufu served as burial places of the pharaohs, particularly during this Old Kingdom.

2525 BC - Indus Valley civilisation appears The evidence uncovered so far, points to a peaceful and thriving community who lived around two great urban centres of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, and who lived on agriculture and trade. During their 1000 years in the Indus valley, these people laid the foundation for several aspects of later Indian civilizations. Clay and bronze models of ox carts, ear ornaments, bangles, and horned bulls suggest similar artefacts found in India thousands of years later. Figurines of nude females suggest the guardian mother goddess figure of most early civilizations, whose worship has continued into modern India. A three-faced male god, seated in what appears to be a yoga or meditative position, structures similar to the later Shiva linga, and the swastika symbol all suggest elements of Indus culture which were later incorporated into Hinduism. Bronze tools of good quality have been found but, interestingly, few weapons and those spears and other items that have been unearthed appear weak and ineffective. There is considerable evidence of close trading links with Mesopotamia.

2517 First North Indian migrants in Sri Lanka The first wave of migrants to Sri Lanka from the north India, were from the Yadu family from Gujarat. The Yadu family dominated the southwest of India (which included Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan up to Mathura south of Delhi.). Yadu people had access to the sea from the region of Gujarat. They travelled far in their trading and colonizing trips. Ravana was a migrant to Sri Lanka from this Vedic family of the Yadus. New findings reveal that Harappan and pre-Harappan cultures going back to 6000 BC in India were Vedic, as they were based on the Sarasvati river of Vedic fame. Hence the date of the arrival of the North Indians into Sri Lanka may be pushed back much further. Harappan port cities like Lothal or Dholavira in Gujarat and Kutch have been found in the regions of the Yadus going back to the third millennium BC. The Cambians cities discovered recently near Gujarat could probably be the remains of these cities.

2517 Ramayanaya and Sri Lanka According to Ramayana story, Ravana, the king of Sri Lanka, belongs to a family of migrants from North India who had close connections with region of the Yadus, which included Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan up to Mathura, south of Delhi. Ravana abducted Sita on the banks of the Godavari, also in the southeastern region of the Yadus. It appears that Ravana had territory in this Yadu region of India, reflecting his ancestral connections. In this same region, Rama encountered Ravana's sister, who perhaps lived in this region, and that Ravana abducted Sita after Rama and Sita walked unknowingly into his territory. Rama’s victory liberated the parts of South India from the rule of Ravana and returned it to the rule of its own native people. Rama did not impose the rule of the north upon the south. For this reason he has always been traditionally worshipped in the south as a great hero. This proved that at least some parts of South India were under Sri Lankan rule at this time.

2517 BC - Proof of Ramayana ( 2517 BC) & Mahabarath ( 900 BC ) Some archaeological evidence supports both Ramayana and Mahabharata (dated to 900 BC in the ancient Hindu literature) stories. However, since they had been compiled only from 200 AD, historians refuse to treat them as authentic historical evidence for the period to which they pertain. (The Aryans developed a written script only in 700 BC). Both these epics were recorded in Sanskrit. There is another argument that both epics Ramayana and Mahabharata stories took place between about 1000 and 700 BC. The troubled period after 1500 BC when the Aryans migrated to North India dominating the Dravidians, supports this theory.

2517 BC - Rama-Ravana Story is analysed by Western Historians Ravana was known to be a Brahmin. Ravana was a great chanter of the Sama Veda, and a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Ravana was well versed in Sanskrit and the composer of the famous Shiva Tandava Stotra. His native tongue does not appear to have been Dravidian. This rejects the recent tendency of South Indian politicians to look up to Ravana as a Dravidian hero. Ravana and his brother Vibhishana were people of Sri Lanka, whose ancestry derives from the north India.

2517 BC - Western Historians see similarity between Rama-Ravana story & the Mahabarath and Puranas The Rama-Ravana story has similarities to the Deva-Asura conflict though that war is dated to 900 BC in the ancient Hindu literature. In the original story found in the Puranas and Mahabharata, there was a conflict between these two groups. The Devas or Suras had Brihaspati as a guru. Asuras, Daityas or Rakshasas had Shukra as their teacher. It shows that both groups followed the Vedic religion. The Devic (Sura) culture, as described in the Manu Samhita, was centered on the Sarasvati region in north India. The Daitya (Asura) culture was located nearby in the southwest of India by the Arabian sea, near modern Baroda. They fought until one of the kings married two brides from both groups, linking the two bloodlines.

2517 BC - How Sura and Asura Wars ended : But the troubled period after 1500 BC when the Aryans migrated to North India dominating the Dravidians, supports the theory that this war really occured in 900BC. After several battles the Deva and Asura groups made an alliance. Yayati, the Sura king had two wives (one Sura & one Asura). By that, he brought the bloodlines of both Devas and Asuras and their gurus together. His oldest son Yadu took over the region of the Daityas. These Yadus then became a very powerful military people, perhaps reflecting their Sura connections. His youngest son Puru, born of Queen Sharmishtha of the Asuras, inherited his central Sarasvati kingdom, which became the basis for many of the dynasties of later India including the Kurus, under whose patronage the Vedas were compiled, who therefore had Asuric blood in their veins. The Dravidians were regarded as descendants of this second son. Rama Ravana story is similar to many battles fought between Yadus - the greatest and largest Kingdoms of the Vedic people, and other kingdoms. Ravana was probably another militant Yadu similar to Kansa, the Yadu king of Mathura, who troubled Krishna and his family.

2517 BC - Western Historians claim Ravana as Sri Lankan Western Historians reject the claim that Ravana was a Dravidian: Sri Lankan Buddhists traditionally held Ravana in respect, perhaps knowing he was one of their own ancestors. The famous Buddhist Sutra, the Lankavatara, looks to Sri Lanka as a holy land and the Sutra is given in honour of Ravana himself, who is styled as the king of the Yakshas. Even a close study of the Ramayanaya, particularly the last book or Uttara Kanda, reveals that Ravana was not a Dravidian, but related to the Sri Lankans, who are considered to be Aryans.

2517 BC - Western Historians claim Hanuma as Dravidian As Dravidians are regarded as the descendants from this second son of King yayati, the Dravidians have been identified by Western Historians as Rama's companions like Hanuman. The region of Kishkindha (Karnataka), at the time of Rama, was under the domination of Ravana, though his alliance with their king Bali. Hanuman, who was Rama's best devotee, better, represents the ancient Dravidians (who incidentally were also Aryans, in that they have always been portrayed in Vedic and puranic literature as descendants of Vedic people). Unfortunately various groups have tried to use the Ramayana for political gain without ever really examining the details of the story. Before Rama, the Yadus and Daityas had long before migrated to Sri Lanka.

2517 BC - Ravana gets killed in Balangoda during March, 2517BC Ravana, while attending to the wounds suffered in combat by Vibishana (his brother) in Balangoda, was killed under a rain of poison arrowhead attack ordered by Rama. Rama was said to have obtained that weapon system from Vibishana when they were in friendly terms. Then Rama burnt down the City of Lankapura.

2500 BC - Pet Cats Although dogs had already been domesticated for thousands of years, the first historical trace of tamed cats came from Egypt in 2500 BC. An African wildcat called the Caffre cat was the first pet cat. In another 3700 years, crusaders will take this pet culture to Europe.

2300 BC - Assyria, a small kingdom less than 160 Km in length, is part of Sumerians For many centuries Assyria was a small state, often ruled by other people. About 2300 BC Assyria submitted to Sumerians. In 1100 years their efforts to master the art of warfare will make them the most successful warriors so far in human history.

2258 First Pharaohs Egypt decline The first Pharaohs Kingdom fell into decline as famine plagued the land, and invaders attacked the borders. The central power of the Pharaohs gave way to the growing power of the local governors. Egypt entered a period of feudalism for 258 years before the second Pharaoh kingdom appeared.

2200 BC - Indo-Europeans arrive in Europe with horses Indo-Europeans spread to Europe around this time. The Indo-Europeans originated in Central Asia, near the Caspian Sea. They were also called Aryans. The Aryan tribes were semi-nomadic pastoralists who settled in small village communities. Their main occupation was the cattle rearing. They used stone, bronze, and copper axes to clear forests. They first arrived in the Balkans. They introduced the horses to Europe. They originally shared a common language, which, in the course of their migrations, was spread far and wide throughout Europe and South Asia. Europeans also began to speak Indo-European languages.

2134 BC - Second Pharaohs Kingdom- Less grand and peaceful than the first The Middle Kingdom was different. It was hardly a democracy. They probably learnt a lesson form the decline of the first kingdom whose rule was grabbed by the local governors. They developed a standing army and extended Egypt's influence towards Libya and Palestine and deep into Nubia. They were less grand than the first kingdom. Their pyramids were smaller. These pharaohs show their human characteristics, unlike the god like portrayals of the pharaohs of the first kingdom.

2000 BC - World's first metal swords. Swords made of stone, bone, or wood have been used before. But it was the Egyptians who used the world's first metal swords. They were made of Bronze. ( In another 600 years, discovery of iron by the Hittites in 1400 BC led to the production of much harder iron swords.)

2000 BC - Lighter, spoked wheel appears 1500 years after the Sumerians invented the solid wheel, lighter spoked wheels appeared about 2000 BC. As the wheel made the controlled-rotary-motion possible, it was of fundamental importance to the design of machinery. The War-wagons first built by the Sumarians in 3500 BC, could now be driven faster.

2000 BC - Babylonians develop in northern Mesopotamia Babylonian history begins as Ammur (most likely an Amorite people) entered northern Mesopotamia and founded the city of Babylon. They extended their rule over the region and absorbed the rich culture of the Sumerians.

2000 BC - " Restitution rather than Retribution”: The rise of Hittites (from Turkey): one of the greatest warriors and the greatest lawmakers the world had seen. The Hittites were the first great power in Asia Minor (Asian Turkey). They had a humane approach to the way of the government. The law-codes of most nations at that time were brutal. The Babylonian Code of Hammurabi, included punishment of death by drowning, burning, and crucifixion. In contrast, the Hittites rarely used capital punishment or mutilation. Most criminals paid for their misconduct by restitution rather than retribution. They dominated Asia Minor till 1200 BC.Their chariots were the lightest and fastest at the time. They were among the greatest warriors and the greatest lawmakers the world had seen. In 1400 BC, They were the first to smelt iron. They were the first to mint coins.

2000 BC - The Greatest Four The earliest human civilizations developed along the banks of great rivers. The Nile (Egyptians), the Tigris and Euphrates (Mesopothamian), the Indus, and the Huang He. First three of these civilizations were in close proximity and may have influenced each other. The fourth, China, lay thousands of miles from the other three and developed in total isolation until 1300 AD.

2000 BC - First Chinese kingdom (Xia Dynasty) is developed Because of the isolation of the Chinese civilisation, the Chinese has a unique culture. The earliest history of China is known only through stories handed down through the ages. According to Chinese legend, the Xia dynasty, created by the ancient heroes, was thriving around 2000 BC. After several centuries of rule, the Xia leader was so oppressive, that his people led by a man named Tang, grabbed the rule. Tang created the second Chinese dynasty, known as the Shang (or Yin) dynasty. There is no archaeological evidence for the existence of the first Xia dynasty. However, there is evidence that, by this time, the Chinese had developed agriculture, lime-plastered houses, palaces, pottery-making, and copper metallurgy. Historians generally agree on the legend of the Xia dynasty.

2000 BC - Importance of Chinese civilisation China had generally remained a unified nation. They always had at least 25% of the world's population. Their roads, canals, and irrigation system were the best on earth. The political and economic power of China would far exceed that of any European country until the 18th century. The Tang (618-908) and Song (960-1279) dynasties alone contributed a lot to the progress of the human kind. The Chinese scholars survived the power of nomadic invaders, and local aristocrats and left many masterpieces in philosophy, wisdom and literature. Guarding the vast landmass and the huge number of people had always been a problem to the Chinese governments. This is why the Chinese rulers have always been very strict in their governance. By the year 2002, with the constant attempts made by the foreign superpowers to control and weaken China, protecting the country had become a big problem for China.

2000 BC - Milking of farm Animals in China The milking of farm animals began in China around 2000 BC. This became an essential ingredient in all civilisations around the world.

2000 BC - Ice cream made in China Ice cream was invented in China in 2000 BC. This early ice cream consisted of soft milk and rice, packed in snow or frozen on a plate. It became a favourite dish of the Chinese elite.

2000 BC - Fruit cultivation -Watermelon, apples, Bananas, figs By the year 2000 BC the Africans were cultivating watermelon. Egyptian art and Sanskrit literature also gives evidence of fruit cultivation during this period. Other common fruits grown around this time included figs in Arabia, and apples and bananas in India.

2000 BC - First metallic money in the world All this time, cattle were used as currency. The first metallic money appeared in 2000 BC. The first metallic money was made of bronze, and was generally in the shape of miniature cattle. At this time, its value was determined by weight. Later, the value was marked on the metal itself.

2000 BC - World's Best Cities are in the Indus Valley civilisation They were expert city designers. They had streets built in neat rectangular patterns. They had running water (through clay pipes), toilets and bathrooms, and a sewage system. This was long before such urban features were available elsewhere in the world. Their cities were larger than the cities of Mesopotamia or Egypt at the time.

2000 BC - Indus Valley civilisation peaks as the largest state in the world Indus Valley civilisation stretched for over 1,600 km. It was the largest state in the world. Large houses with private wells, some with an upper storey, have been discovered. But no palace or royal residence has been discovered. It is said that the rulers were priests who had a connection with the magnificent citadel mounds discovered in both main cities, Mohendojaro and Harappa. The Mohenjo-daro has revealed a magnificent “Great Bath”, a deep rectangular bathing pool with fine steps surrounded by a number of rooms. Their writing is a mystery. Few writings have been found as short inscriptions on seals. They are yet to be translated. Only the bare outlines of the Indus Valley history are known. The civilization peaked between about 2500 and 1750 BC, after which it declined fast.

1900 BC - Indo-Europeans start to migrate to Indus Valley & Greece Around 2000 BC, Indo-Europeans entered Greece from the north. In 400 years, they will develop into the Mycenae civilisation.

1830 BC - Babylonian Dynasty is founded. In 1830 BC, the first dynasty of Babylonia was founded.

1800 BC - Mantai is a harbour town exporting Copper from Seruwila Archaeologists believe, by the archaeological testing of copper found in Mantai, that Mantai in the north was a port for shipping copper to India. It is now known that the only major source of copper ore south of Madhya Pradesh in central India is located at Seruvila in eastern Sri Lanka. It is very likely that the Chalcolithic peoples of India knew this and that Sri Lanka exploited this resource.

1800 BC - The Minoans (Aegeans) - 1st civilisation on European soil peak under King Minos (result of Indo-European migration) Minos was the son of Zeus, father of the gods, and of the princess Europa. He ruled form the city of Knossos. He colonized many of the Aegean islands. In the most famous story about the Minoan civilisation, Minos refused to sacrifice a certain bull. The god Poseidon punished him by making his wife Pasiphae fall in love with the animal. She gave birth to the Minotaur, the half man half bull monster. Minoans considered him as a just ruler. According to other islanders, Minos was a tyrant who brutally avenged his son's death in the Athens. He ordered Athens to supply seven youths and seven maidens to be sacrificed to the Minotaur. Minos eventually met his death in Sicily, and he then became one of the judges of the dead in the underworld. The legends of Minos probably show how Crete was supreme in the Aegean region.

1800 BC - Sumerians disappear in clashes with Babylonians Babylonian king Hammurabi defeated the army of the Sumerians. He absorbed the region under the Babylonian rule.

1800 BC - Stonehenges are built by tribes in England Stonehenge, a circular group of huge stones, was built on Salisbury Plain in western England between 3000 and 1000 BC. The main ring of stones was erected around 1800 BC. Although no records had survived to explain the significance of the monument, it was probably a centre for religious devotion and astronomical observations.

1766 BC - Shang - First Chinese dynasty to be supported by archaeological findings, World's Best Copper craft Shang dynasty, first Chinese dynasty supported by archaeological findings, includes such artefacts as bronze knives, wash basins, bottles, jade ornaments, chariots, stone chimes, and written documents. Emperors ruled Shang China. Aristocrats ruled the countryside. Priests kept records and studied the times. Animals and even humans were sacrificed in worshipping the ancestors. Their bronze technology was the best in the world. The Shangs developed a written language of more than 2,000 characters, many of which are still in use, although the spoken language has changed. The dynasty ruled China for almost five centuries until the people led by Wu Wang, founder of the Zhou dynasty, overthrew the selfish last emperor.

1760 BC - Hammurabi's declaration of state rule Hammurabi, the greatest of the Babylonian kings, ruled from 1792 to 1750 BC. Like what the good Sinhalese kings did 1700 years later, he took great pride in his efforts to rule his kingdom effectively with care for his people. He said, "I rooted out the enemy above and below, I made an end of war, I promoted the welfare of the land, I made the peoples rest in friendly habitations, I did not let them have anyone to terrorize them, I have governed them in peace, I have sheltered them in my strength." Evidence uncovered proved that he directed his bureaucracy with painstaking efficiency. He defended the land, maintained irrigation canals, and upheld justice. He set an example, which unfortunately, hardly any other rulers followed.

1760 BC - Assyria, a small kingdom less than 160 Km in length, is invaded & captured by Babylonians In 500 years, their effort to master the art of warfare will not only get them freedom, it will make them the most successful warriors ever. They will become the World's first empire.

1700 BC - Dravidians migrate to south India according to some histrians Dravidians migrated to South India from the Indus Valley around this time.

1700 BC - Use of Bronze spreads from Egypt to the Mediterranean. In 3500 BC, the Sumerians had advanced the use of iron from the use of copper to tougher bronze-copper alloyed with tin. By 1700 BC, the use of bronze had spread to Egypt and thereafter throughout the Mediterranean.

1668 BC - Second Kingdom of the Pharoes ends by invasion The army of the Pharoes had only a few fulltime troopers. The rest were conscripts who would turn up at times of invasions. They weren't a match for the full time militants named Semites, known as Hyksos from Palestine and Syria. They would control Egypt until the Pharoes retrain and rebuild the army to fight for the liberation.

1668 BC - Horse-driven Chariots are used for the first time when Egypt is invaded by tribes from Palestine & Syria The Egyptian army was effectively defeated by the horse-driven chariots of the invaders. This was the first arrival of the horses to Egypt. Horses would eventually contribute to Egypt's prosperity and power.

1668 BC - "My wish is to save Egypt" - Pharoes plan to liberate the country After the defeat in 1668 BC, humiliated Pharoes withdrew to Thebes which became the home of the liberation movement. The defeated Pharoes said "My wish is to save Egypt". But he died trying to free his country. Next Pharoes carefully analysed the requirements and realised the need to raise a full time dedicated army. He also built and trained a chariot unit in aggresive and fast action tactics. He started training the poor farmers who would get drinking water only on every third day. The training produced warriors who could stay without drinking water for 3 days.

1600 BC - Greek language is developed Greek language is developed by the Indo-Europeans who migrated in to Greece

1570 BC - Egyptian Liberation Movement under Pharoes fight back to liberate the country Once prepared, the new Egyptian Liberation army attacked the occupying invaders. Brave Pharoes personally led the campaign from the front line. The soldiers of the both sides were equally trained. But the Egyptians were more patriotic and motivated to liberate their country. The Egyptian Chariots, the greatest chariot formation todate, well-practised and disciplined, cut through the surprised enemy lines only to turn back and charge again and again. Finally the Egyptian patriotism won the day as the enemy soldiers started to flee in disarray. But they vanished in 1019 AD after the constant power struggles with the Hittites civilisation and after the escape of Moses with the slaves ( presented in the famous Hollywood movie Ten Commandments).

1570 BC - Egyptians free their country from foreign rule & create the Third Pharoes kingdom: Under the 3rd Pharoes kingdom, Egyptian armies moved down the Nile into Nubia and deeper into Libya. The art of painting was highly developed during this Kingdom. Ambassadors from foreign lands are shown standing before the king. Craftsmen are pictured at work making jewellery. A brightly painted limestone sculpture of Queen Nefertiti, wife of Ikhnaton, is one of the finest portraits of any age. It depicts a woman who is both regal and humane.

1570 Ramses creates Temple of Luxor Pharoe Ramses also contributed to one of the greatest architectural projects in history, the building of the vast temple complex at Karnak, near Luxor.

1570 BC - Thutankaman is buried - The cities of Thebes and Memphis in Egypt are the most important political and cultural centres in the world. The pharaohs designed the pyramids expecting the grave robbers. Yet, most of the treasures were looted. Fortunately Tutankhamen's grave was discovered intact, in 1922, by two British archaeologists. His remains and possessions have been carefully preserved. Magnificent artefacts like fine jewellery, furniture, clothes, weapons, and a chariot, found inside the tomb, explained the splendour of the period. Tutankhamen, the boy king, became king at the age of 9 and lived only until the age of 18. He was buried in the Valley of the Kings. Like the coffins of other pharaohs, his was hidden in a network of halls and rooms dug into the rock. The room containing his remains was rather small, because he was a minor figure among the Egyptian pharaohs. The young king lay inside three coffins, the outer two of wood covered with hammered gold, the inner casket of pure gold. On his head was a golden mask.

1550 BC - Mycenae civilisation peaks in Greece: They will attack Troy in 300 years People in the city of Mycenae, absorbed the declining Minoan civilization from Crete. They then colonized Crete, and other Greek islands. They then ruled over much of the Greeks and traded in the eastern Mediterranean. First evidence about the Mycenaean civilization came in 1876, when German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann discovered the city of Mycenae. They unearthed palace walls and royal tombs. They were known through myths and legends composed by later Greek writers, including Homer, Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles. Their favourite subject was the unfortunate ruling palace of their king Atreus. According to legend, Atreus, King of Mycenae, discovered that his brother, Thyestes, had seduced his wife. In revenge, Atreus slew two of his brother's sons and served them up to their unsuspecting father at a banquet. Outraged, a third son, Aegisthus, slew Atreus. They will be famous for the war against the city of Troy. It was their coalition that attacked Troy, demanding Helen.

1550 BC - Treasury of Atreus: Most impressive monument erected in European continent so far The tombs of Mycenae included “shaft graves”, deep holes in the ground containing such treasures as ivory game boards, and gold drinking vessels and facemasks, and ducks made of crystal. The tomb called the Treasury of Atreus was the most impressive monument erected in European continent so far. It was an elaborate tomb, which included a lintel weighing more than 100 tons.

1531 BC - Babylonian Empire is ruined by the Hittites The Babylonian empire was weakened due to internal strife. In 1531 the army of Hittites stormed Babylon and destroyed the city.

1500 BC - Aryan Migration to South Asia begins- These tribes from Central Asia migrate to North India. The Indo-Europeans originated in Central Asia, near the Caspian Sea. They originally shared a common language, which, in the course of their migrations, was spread far and wide throughout Europe and South Asia. They were called Aryans. The Aryan tribes were semi-nomadic pastoralists who settled in small village communities. Their main occupation was the cattle rearing. They used stone, bronze, and copper axes to clear forests. In the first few hundred years after their arrival through the passes of the Hindu Kush mountains, Aryan expansion was gradual. Then they moved further east into the Indo-Gangetic plain. Their language formed the basis of the Indo-Aryan language family, from which Sanskrit, Hindi, and other Indian languages are derived. The use of iron implements can be dated to around 700 BC, which accelerated expansion and increased agricultural development.

1500 BC - History of Jewish people begin as they, after migrating to Egypt from Mesopotamia, are enslaved by the Pharoes Christians believe that Abraham mentioned in the Bible, was a real person who lived in Mesopotamia around 2000 BC. However, the text of Genesis in which most of these stories are recorded, is a mix of prophetic insights, tribal memories, and folklore from later ages. Genesis tells how Abraham, called upon by God, left his home and family. He settled with his wife Sarah in "the land of Canaan", which God promised to Abraham's descendants. God ordered Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. But God relented as soon as Abraham showed his readiness to obey, thereby demonstrating faith in the one God, Lord of heaven and earth. This Abraham's heritage passed through his son Isaac to Isaac's son Jacob, also known as Israel, who had 12 sons. These 12 sons were the ancestors of the future 12 Tribes of Israel (according to the Koran the heritage passed through Ishmael to the Arabs). These people ended up being slaves of the third pharaoh’s kingdom in Egypt around this time.

1500 BC - Story of the Jews According to the Exodus narrative, in 500 years from now, Moses led these slaves in 1020 BC to Israel. Joshua and Judges describe the settlement of the land and the eventual union of the tribes under their first king, Saul. King David then established Jerusalem as the capital, and his son, king Solomon took the nation to its peak. After his death the realm split into the Davidic kingdom of Judah in the south, and the kingdom of Israel, consisting of ten tribes, in the north. The northern kingdoms vanished under the invading Assyrians. The period of the monarchy saw the rise of prophecy, from the workers of miracles, Elijah and Elisha, to the great prophets of social justice such as Amos, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. To all of these, faithfulness to God was the root of a just, holy, and compassionate society.

1500 BC - Indus Valley civilisation (Mohendojaro-Harappa) disappears The reasons for their decline are uncertain. Environmental changes severely affecting agriculture, such as changes to the flow of the river or more dramatic events such as earthquakes, have been suggested. Invasions may have contributed, and it may just be possible that the first waves of Indo-European nomadic peoples, known as Aryans, may have been involved in the final collapse of the civilization. But there is no real evidence for this. The collapse of the Indus valley civilization brought a long “dark age” to India. Survivors mixed into the Aryan culture, producing the civilization of Vedic India.

1500 BC - Aryans arrive in Iran & Iraq Two main Aryan tribes inhabited the Iranian plain. Medes, who will dominate others till 558 BC and the Parsa (Persians), who will emerge as the largest empire after crushing the Medes in 558 BC.

1500 BC - Minoans civilisation in Crete disappears Minoan civilization was in the decline after 1500 BC when Myacaenians dominated them. Invaders like Phoenicians who came to conquer Greeks, destroyed many Minoan cities.

1400 BC - Hittites discover Iron : End of the Bronze age Hittites had discovered how to smelt iron and mix carbon (as charcoal) with it, to produce a substance harder than bronze. This led to them producing iron weapons around 1400 BC,

1450 BC - Hittites power develop into Syria & Mesopotamia After a period of internal strife, by 1450 BC, the New Hittite Kingdom extended its boundaries to the Aegean Sea, and deep into Syria and Mesopotamia. They were a super power threatening the Egyptian pharaohs in the region.

1274 BC - Hittites & Egyptian Pharoes battle for supremacy On their southern frontiers, the Hittites fought many battles with the Egyptians, including the great battle of Kadesh in Syria around 1274 BC. At this point their power equalled that of the Pharoes Egyptians.

1260 BC - Helen Of Troy - Most famous story from Mycenae civilisation in Greece Menelaus, son of Atreus, had a beautiful wife, Helen. Paris, the younger son of the king of Troy, abducted her. In response, Menelaus and his brother, Agamemnon, gathered a coalition of Mycenaean forces against Troy in Turkey. This large Greek army waged the Trojan War for 10 years. Legendary Greek heroes like Achilles, Ulysses, and Troy's greatest hero, Hector, are some of the greatest characters of this fascinating story.

1250 BC - Destruction of Troy by the Myacaene Armies Myacaene coalition won the city of Troy after 10 years siege. At the end of the war, Troy fell. The Myacaenians destroyed the city killing all males and taking females as slaves. Menelaus and Helen lived happily, but Agamemnon was less fortunate. Upon his return to Greece, his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover Aegisthus murdered him. Seven years later Electra and Orestes, children of Agamemnon, killed their adulterous mother.

1200 BC - Europeans learn Iron-melting from Hittites The iron technology arrived in Europe from the Hittites in Turkey in 1200 BC. Europeans began to make stronger weapons and tools than those made of stone or bronze.

1200 BC - Hittites disappear under Indo-European invasion The Hittite's fall came suddenly after 800 years of rule, around 1200 BC, when a stronger army of Indo-Europeans (sometimes called the Sea People) swept across Asia Minor. They could be either Phoenicians or Persians)

1200 BC - Veda - reveal India after the Aryan integration Indian history after the arrival of the Indo-Aryans from central Asia is not clear until a collection of sacred writings named Veda was written describing India around this time. Veda has information on social and cultural practices, and religious beliefs of India after the Aryans integrated into the Dravidian India. Tribal governance was on democratic principles. Women had equal rights with men. Marriage was sacred. Indo-Aryans advanced skills in arts and sciences, livestock-raising, metal handicrafts, carpentry, boatbuilding, and military science.

1200 BC - Aryans develop the new culture in India, and dominate "Dasas", the Dravidians of South India Aryans contrast themselves with the "Dasas"(The Dravidians). They had strict practice of endogamy to ensure racial "purity". The social organization of the Aryans gave rise to the caste system as a result of their encounter with the Dravidian people. They were called Dasas, the indigenous inhabitants of India who were physically of a darker colouring to the Aryans. The word Arya in Sanskrit means "pure". The Sanskrit word for caste, varna, means "colour", and inter-marriage was forbidden between the two groups in order to preserve the Aryan identity. Aryans conquered the Dasas in India. The Dasas were accommodated as the shudras (servants) at the bottom of a caste system that was based on an ideology of ritual purity. The Brahmans (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), and Vaisyas (traders), all of whom were Aryan, were ranked above them. The continuance of caste was made hereditary. Sub-castes were linked to occupation. Sacrifice, animism, and the doctrine of karma were central to Aryan ideas of religion.

1200 BC - The Vedic hymns - world's oldest continuous musical tradition & the oldest scriptures of Hinduism India has the world's oldest continuous musical tradition. In 1200 BC Vedic chants were being sung to accompany readings from the Hindu scriptures. The chants employed three levels of pitch. One note, used in recitation, is embellished by neighbouring notes used to accent the text.

1200 BC - Origin of Hinduism The Vedic hymns composed at this time shows the emergence of the socio-religious system known as Hinduism.

1200 BC - Olmec civilization is the oldest known in America The Olmec civilization is the oldest known in the Americas. They were the indigenous people of the southern Gulf of Mexico. It grew up in the eastern coastal lowlands of Mexico. They lived in the swampy jungle river basins of the present Mexican states of Vera Cruz and Tabasco. Information about the Olmec is limited to their carvings, statues, and monuments. The Olmec are particularly noted as sculptors. The Olmec were the first to use stone architecturally and sculpturally, even though it had to be quarried in the Tuxtla Mountains, about 97 km to the west of Tula. Their carved products ranged from huge statues of male heads, about 2.7 m (9 ft) high, to small jade figurines. They wrote in hieroglyphs, which influenced the Mayans later on, have not been deciphered.

1200 BC - Olmec Army The main force of the army consisted of heavy and light infantries. Both were equipped with spears, bows, and short swords, but only the heavy infantry was protected by armour. The cavalry were similarly equipped and rode without saddles. Three-man crews drove heavy chariots, and siege towers and battering rams were used for attacking and breaking down walls and fortifications.

1200 BC - Oldest pyramid in the American continent The earliest complex, built about 1200 BC, is at La Venta, in southeastern Mexico. It was a city built in an axial pattern that influenced urban development in Central America for centuries. A mounded earthen pyramid about 30 m (100 ft) high, stood at the centre of a complex of temples and open courtyards.

1200 BC - Mycenaean civilization start to decline Between 1200 and 1100 BC, Mycenaean civilization fell into decline. The resources wasted in attacking Troy probably weakened the states. Lack of attention probably created internal strife while their rulers were away. Another Indo-European group, the Dorians, started to attack the declining Mycenaean civilization. For several centuries, this civilization was reduced to weakened cities at the mercy of the invaders. Even the skills of writing and reading were lost. They will be recovered only in the last millennium BC with the birth of the last great Greek civilization.

1200 BC - With the decline of Mycenae after 1200 BC, the Phoenicians emerged as the greatest seagoing traders in the world. The Phoenicians were a number of politically aligned city-states. These cities were located on a narrow strip of land on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean. The cities of Sidon and Tyre alternately dominated their civilisation. Mastering sailing in ships for business, the Phoenicians established trading posts and colonies throughout the western Mediterranean, including Carthage in North Africa. The Phoenician city-states were fiercely independent. Although the Babylonians conquered most, Tyre withstood a 13-year siege before falling to Nebuchadnezzar. Tyre fell again, to Alexander the Great, in 332 BC after a seven-month siege. Alexander then killed 10,000 Tyre citizens to death and sold 30,000 more into slavery.

1200 BC - Weakened Myacaene civilisation is conquered by invaders within 60 years of Troy 60 years after the Battle of Troy, Mycenaean civilisation ended. Invading Ionians, Dorians, and Aeolians, took their cities and began to rule them. These invaders created a cluster of city-states in Greece, the Aegean Islands, and Asia Minor. Their governments often consisted of a king and an assembly of warriors who defended the realm. As the danger from invaders diminished, the need for the warrior-king lessened and the importance of the citizens grew proportionally.

1100 BC - Etruscans ( Future Romans) migrate from Turkey to Italy The Etruscans migrated to Italy from Asia Minor (Turkey), around 1100 BC. Etruscans created the main civilization in Italy before the Romans rose to power in 500 BC. Their language was unique to them. Their Italian colony was named Etruria. It consisted of a confederation of Italian city-states one of which was Rome. ( As a village named Rome turned into a town in 753 BC, Etruscans took over the city. They were known for their metalworking and their fine pottery. The Etruscans reached the height of their power during the 6th century BC. By 500 BC attacked by the Celts from France and Germany, their civilization was in decline. About that time the Romans rose up and claimed power in their city, establishing a republic. Roman civilization was based on the Etruscans civilisation.)

1027 BC - The Zhou dynasty in China (1027 to 256 BC) Shang dynasty ruled China for almost five centuries until the people led by Wu Wang, founder of the Zhou dynasty, overthrew the selfish last emperor. At their height, the Zhou emperors extended Chinese rule throughout most of northern China, including the Yangtze River. They were said to rule by a "mandate from heaven". In 770BC, they were pushed eastwards by warring states. There they developed the First Chinese chronicles. Daoism replaced many ancient religions. Confucianism and Legalism were introduced. New irrigation techniques such as iron-tipped, ox-drawn plough, increased production and the population.

1020 BC - Moses takes Jews from Egypt to Jerusalam: Jews 500 year transformation from Slavery to a prosperous nation begins According to the Exodus narrative, after 500 years of slavery in Egypt, the Jews (Israelites) were led by Moses in 1020 BC across the Red Sea to Mount Sinai, where God revealed the Ten Commandments and established a homeland as Israel. Joshua and Judges describe the conquest and settlement of the land and the eventual union of the tribes under their first king, Saul. ( Later King David established Jerusalem as the capital. His son Solomon took them to their peak replacing the tribal organization by a strong centralized administration. After his death the realm split into the Davidic kingdom of Judah in the south, and the kingdom of Israel, consisting of ten tribes, in the north. )

1019 BC - Third Pharoes kingdom disappears After Moses left with the slaves, Egyptian power began to decline. As foreign invasions increased the average age of the Egyptian male came down to 38 years due to combat deaths. Situation was so desparate that the soldiers who lived past 50 years were promised a pyramid as the tomb. Military commanders and priests began to demand more power. This contributed to the disintegration from within. Foreign armies took advantage. Nubians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans would invade and rule Egypt one after another.

1000 BC - European tribes develop along rivers European population increased rapidly from 1000 BC, as the central European tribes expanded along the rivers. Major tribes such as the Celts, the Slavs, the Italic-speakers began to develop.

1000 BC - The phonetic alphabet of today -Phoenicians best legacy The Phoenicians are perhaps best known today for their invention. Around 1000 BC, they developed the phonetic alphabet, which was named after them. Adapted by the Greeks and the Romans, it is the basis for modern English alphabet.

1000 BC - Kingdom of Nubia dominates Africa after Egyptian Pharoes vanished In north modern-day Sudan, an African kingdom grew up in the days of Egypt's pharaohs. It was known as the kingdom of Nubia or Cush (Kush). Initially they were by Egypt. Nubians began to gain power with the decline of the pharaohs. This rising Nubia kingdom in Uganda & Ethiopia filled the local power vacuum left by the vanishing Pharoes.

1000 BC - Iron weapons are widely used in the Middle-east & Mediterranean The Hittites who discovered how to smelt iron and mix carbon (as charcoal) had introduced the iron weapons in 1400 BC. By 1000 BC iron weapons were widely used in the Middle east and the Mediterranean.

1000 BC - Sri Lanka has the latest technology : Iron technology is evident in SL This is another classic example to prove that the Sri Lankans were in par with the rest of the developed world at this time. There is solid archaeological proof to show that Sri Lankans had their own Steel factories by this time. Imagine having the latest technology of the day.

1000 BC - Farming, long-distance trade is evident in Lanka. Along with the iron technology, the evidence exists of organised large scale farming and long-distant trade with foreign countreis by this time.

1000 BC - Assyrians, a good example of how a small country can defend themselves IF all citizens unite Assyrians, in small city state named Asher ( in today's Iraq), who would be the world's first empire in another 250 years, are constantly invaded. As late as 900 BC it was still a small country, less than 160 km across. Though they were based on the prosperous Tigris river bank, their hard work was lost to the invaders in the form of tribute paid. This continued for 200 years until they decided that they should develop an unique military power.

950 BC - Queen of Sheeba from Nubia, falls in love with King Solomon of Jerusalam. According to legend, the Queen of Sheeba, an Ethiopian, travelled to Jerusalem. There she met and fell in love with Solomon. When she returned home with spices and gold, she carried a son by Solomon, who grew up to be King Menelik I. Called the Lion of Judah, he is the ancient Ethiopian ruler from whom later kings, including the 20th century monarch, Haile Selassie I, claimed descent.

950 BC - King Solomon, best known for wisdom than power & wealth, dies One of the most publicised ancient kings was King Solomon of Judea and Israel. His fleets traded in the Mediterranean and Red seas. His people mined gold in today's Saudi Arabia. With his wealth he built the great Temple and a palace in Jerusalem. In 950 BC, King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Despite his wealth and power, Solomon is known to history for his wisdom. Solomon took the Jews to their peak replacing the tribal organization by a strong, centralized administration. After his death the realm split into the Davidic kingdom of Judah in the south, and the kingdom of Israel, consisting of ten tribes, in the north.

900 BC - An Alphabet is used in Lanka Evidence was discovered by the Archeologists that, the Lankans used an Alphabet by 900BC

900 BC - Lankan documents much older than Indian documents The Archeologists discovered evidence that the documents found were much older than what has been discovered in India.

900 BC - The War in Mahabarath epic: There is a theory that this was the Rama-Ravana War that occured in 2517BC. But the troubled period after 1500 BC when the Aryans migrated to North India dominating the Dravidians, supports the theory that this war really occured in 900BC. The legendary war in Mahabarath epic is dated to this period in the ancient Hindu literature. In the original story found in the Puranas and Mahabharata, there was a conflict between these two groups. The Devas or Suras had Brihaspati as a guru. Asuras, Daityas or Rakshasas had Shukra as their teacher. It shows that both groups followed the Vedic religion. The Devic (Sura) culture, as described in the Manu Samhita, was centered on the Sarasvati region in north India. The Daitya (Asura) culture was located nearby in the southwest of India by the Arabian sea, near modern Baroda. They fought until one of the kings married two brides from both groups, linking the two bloodlines.

900 BC - How Sura and Asura Wars ended : After several battles the Deva and Asura groups made an alliance. Yayati, the Sura king had two wives (one Sura & one Asura). By that, he brought the bloodlines of both Devas and Asuras and their gurus together. His oldest son Yadu took over the region of the Daityas. These Yadus then became a very powerful military people, perhaps reflecting their Sura connections. His youngest son Puru, born of Queen Sharmishtha of the Asuras, inherited his central Sarasvati kingdom, which became the basis for many of the dynasties of later India including the Kurus, under whose patronage the Vedas were compiled, who therefore had Asuric blood in their veins. The Dravidians were regarded as descendants of this second son. Rama Ravana story is similar to many battles fought between Yadus - the greatest and largest Kingdoms of the Vedic people, and other kingdoms. Ravana was probably another militant Yadu similar to Kansa, the Yadu king of Mathura, who troubled Krishna and his family.

900 BC - Aryan kingdoms, The Maha Janapadas, develop in North India Aryans used stone, bronze, and copper axes to clear forests, and moved further east into the Indo-Gangetic plain. The use of iron implements can be dated to around 700 BC, which accelerated expansion and increased agricultural development. Gradually 16 autonomous states called Maha Janapadas were established in the region bounded by the Himalaya, the southern reaches of the Ganges, the Vindhya Range, and the Indus Valley. Of these states, comprising both republics and kingdoms, the most important was Kosala. Other important kingdoms were Avanti, Vamsas, and Magadha which was in modern Bihar, became the dominant state of India in 300 years. Both Lord Buddha and Vardhamana Jnatiputra or Nataputta Mahavira, the respective founders of Buddhism and Jainism lived in Magadha during the time of Magadha's first great King Bimbisara (ruled 543-491 BC).

900 BC - Anuradapura, a major town of, at least 10 Hectares (25 Acres). Anuradhapura was at least 10 ha in extent by ca. 900 BC (perhaps much more). By then prehistoric stone tool technology had been completely superseded by that of iron. Other advanced features were the manufacture of copper-alloy artefacts, high-quality pottery (notably Black and Red Ware), the breeding of cattle and horses, and the cultivation of rice.

900 BC - After 4500BC a new man, different to Balangoda Man, has appeared in Lanka. They are believed to be Phoenicians, Persians, and Greeks, South Indians & North Indian Aryan merchants who came for overseas trade. The biological anthropology of Early Iron Age man in Sri Lanka is distinct from that of Balangoda Man. This could have occurred considerably prior to 500 BC (and after Bellan-bandi Palassa at 4500 BC). What attracted these people who intruded on the scene is probably the agricultural potential of Sri Lanka, notably it's abundant supplies of water, with iron technology to subjugate the dense equatorial rainforest and heavy soils. Other attractions could have been the pearl banks in the northwest of the island, the major copper ore source at Seruvila, and the island's location as an entrepot for long-distance trade between Southeast Asia and West Asia (note that black pepper in pharaonic Egypt of the 2nd millennium BC could only have come from Kerala, Sri Lanka or Southeast Asia). King Solomon had Sri Lankan products in his palace. Thereafter, Sri Lanka's attraction for settlers from further afield than South India appears to have gained rapidly. This swell coincided with the so-called Second Urbanisation of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

850 BC - First fish cultivation - in China The Chinese were engaged in fish cultivation by 850 BC

800 BC - Anuradapura, continue to expand from 10 Hectares (25 Acres). By radiocarbon proof dated to 1000-800 BC at Anuradhapura, the town exceeded 10 hectares (25 acres) in extent by 800 BC. By 700-500 BC, Anuradhapura exceeded 50 ha. The phenomenon of the Indian Second Urbanisation would appear to have manifested itself unexpectedly early in Sri Lanka, either through rapid stimulus diffusion, or convergent evolution due to a stimulus from further afield such as long-distance trade, or (more likely) a combination of both.

800 BC - Greek civilisation develops a proud racial identity Calling themselves Hellenes, claiming ancestry to semi-divine heroes, the new racially proud Greek civilisation in independent towns, develops into small kingdoms ruled by the kings. Athens and Sparta would become the two main kingdoms.

800 BC - Glass by the Phoenicians The Phoenicians, though they were primarily outstanding merchants and sailors rather than creators, they are credited with the invention of glass.

800 BC - Phoenicians: outstanding merchants and sailors rather than philosophers or artists. The Phoenicians were primarily outstanding merchants and sailors rather than philosophers or artists. In pottery they manufactured only cheap imitations of Egyptian and Greek designs. In literature they produced no great drama, history, or poetry that has survived. Their fortune lay in their trading skill of buying cheap and selling dear. Pursuing this goal, they obtained a wide variety of goods including wild animals from the African interior, knowing that somewhere in the Mediterranean world, someone would pay them good money for these items.

800 BC - Rise of Carthage: a trading post of Phoenicians Founded around 800 BC by the Phoenicians from Tyre, Carthage soon developed as an independent trading centre. It eventually came to control the African coast from the Egyptian border to the Straits of Gibraltar, and also dominated Sardinia, Malta, the Balearic Islands, and the Mediterranean coast of Spain. They would fight the emerging Roman empire to the last.

790 BC - Aryans start settlements in Bengal In 400 years, It will be these people who will begin to migrate to Lanka, starting with prince Vijaya. Many people from many of these towns, like Singhapura, would migrate to Lanka and mix into the Sinhalese community accepting their culture and Buddhism. Some of these migrants survived by migrating back to Singhapura, when the invaders ruthlessly massacred the weakened Sinhalese 2000 years later.

776 BC - First Olympic Games are held in Greece They were finally abolished in AD 394 by the Roman emperor Theodosius I. More than 1,500 years later, in 1896, the modern Olympic Games were established in Athens.

770 BC - Warlords fight eachother defying the Zhou emperor's rule in China. In reality, the Emperor had to share the power with local lords. By 770 BC many of these lords, though theoretically inferior, were stronger than the emperor. They often fought each other for power in local areas.

753 BC - Legend of Rome : Roman history has been romanticised and subjected to much exagerated publicity by the Roman Catholic Church after these two political and religious powers aligned together for mutual benefit. According to the legends made famous by them, a basket floating on the River Tiber, was washed ashore at a place near seven hills. The basket carried twin infants, Romulus and Remus whose mother was the daughter of a local king, and their father was Mars, the god of war. The villain was their uncle, who had set them adrift to prevent them from challenging his title to the throne. A she-wolf found and nursed the infants. Later a shepherd discovered them and took them home, where he and his wife raised them. ( Later Romulus and Remus set things right by deposing their wicked uncle and replacing him on the throne with their grandfather. Then they built a city, choosing the Palatine Hill for its location. Romulus welcomed fugitives to his hill and provided wives by hosting a festival for a neighbouring tribe, the Sabines, then seizing their women. The story of Romulus and Remus is fantastic. In the legend, the founders of Rome had the god of war for a father and had been raised on wolf milk, representing a skill in warfare on which the Romans prided themselves.)

750 BC - Greek States experiment for a suitable political strategy Living close to the sea, the ancient Greeks were valiant sailors and traders. Between 750 and 450 BC, they founded hundreds of colonies around the Black Sea and in present-day Italy, Sicily, Spain, Greece, and Libya. By the end, the Greeks lived in several hundred city-states, each independent and consisting of an urban centre and its rural hinterland. These states experimented with various forms of government, the names of which are still used today: aristocracy, oligarchy, tyranny, and democracy. (Words "politics" and "police" come from the Greek word polis, meaning "city".)

750 BC - Nubians take Egypt In about 750 BC, Nubia, a small but strong kingdom, lying just beyond the first cataract of the Nile, conquered Egypt and founded the 25th Dynasty. They, with Memphis as the capital, ruled the country until 656 BC, when the Assyrians chased them out.

748 BC - Assyrians decide to master the art of war to defend the land at any length Assyrians in a small city state named Asher( in today's Iraq) on the prosperous Tigris river bank decided that the only way to develop the nation was to develop an unique military power. People from both the ruling class and the working class were expressing strong sentiments of the need to defend themselves in order to develop the state. The steps that they took at this time enabled them not only to defend themselves, but also to conquer the whole middle-east and the Egypt, like the way the Roman empire did. But the cruelty that they experienced at the hands of the invaders, made them to add senseless cruelty to their tactics. All men were called upon for military training where they learnt to march 20 miles a day. Whoever was late, was impaled on a stick in their house itself. Farmers undergo weapon training and work with the sword by their side.

748 BC - Largest, Greatest, and also the Cruelest Army so far in history : First large army to carry weapons and shields of iron : most professional army the world had seen todate A full-time army is raised with separate units for armour, chariots, steel products, other craftsmen, leather products. Armed with daggers, they wear iron helmets, brazen plates, leather boots. Tallest are selected as spearmen of the chariots. Archers are covered by shield carriers. They raised the first large army to carry weapons and shields of iron, giving them a deadly advantage over their Bronze Age enemies. All such detailed planning created the most professional army the world had seen todate.

725BC - World's first true empire: Assyrians The Assyrians built the world's first great empire. They were also one of the most aggressive powers in human history. Because of the careful thinking and planning, they were the most skilled warriors so far in history. Within 100 years, Assyrians mastered the art of war and were at the height of their power. Assyrian armies moved deep into Egypt, Mesopotamia, and marched north almost to the Caspian and Black seas.

725 BC - Secrets of Assyrian's military power They bought carefully selected strong horses from the northern Iran and created the world's fastest horsemen. They modified the 4-wheeled Babylonian Chariot into a 2-Wheeled faster chariot. They had mastered the use of Fire Towers and Siege Towers, from which they could rain down spears, arrows, fire balls on to a fortified enemy. They created Graineries where ever they advanced so that any of their army units could get supplies not more than 300 miles from the base.

725 BC - Assyrian's Cruelty generates fear as they assault Egypt, & Mesopotamia Assyrians were the first to introduce merciless cruelty and destruction in war. (This culture was very well preserved by the Cholas and Portugese invaders for Sri Lanka). One of their kings claimed, “ I am the king of the four rims of the earth” as their reputation for cruelty alone discouraged the resistance. After a battle another Assyrian king boasted, “I destroyed them, tore down the walls and burned the towns with fire. I caught the survivors and impaled them on stakes in front of their towns”. The heads of conquered kings were sometimes hung from trees in the Royal gardens.

721 BC - "If you dont surrender you will drink your own urine, and eat own extrement" :10 tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel vanish under Assyrians After the death of King Solomon the realm split into the Davidic kingdom of Judah in the south, and the kingdom of Israel, consisting of ten tribes, in the north. These 10 tribes were living in 40 cities. The Assyrians made them all disappear from history. "If you dont surrender you will drink your own urine, and eat own extrement" said the Assyrians to the Wall Guards at the 20 feet thick walls of Jerusalem. When the confident Judeans refused surrender, the attack began. Assyrian Stone-slingers, Archers with tall shields, spearmen stormed the walls. Many Judeans ended up as slaves.

705 BC - Nineveh in northern Iraq: Assyrian's new capital city Nineveh was situated at a junction of several commercial routes crossing the Tigris river in northern Iraq. Nineveh was settled since Neolithic times before 6000 BC. Since 2000 BC, Nineveh was a well-known religious centre. The healing powers of its statue of the goddess "Ishtar” were renowned as far as Egypt. Assyrian King Sennacherib moved the capital of the empire from Calah (now Nimrud) to Nineveh. New broad boulevards, wide squares, parks and gardens were added to the ancient city. They also built a magnificent edifice of more than 80 rooms called the Palace Without a Rival. The city was expanded to 730 hectares (1,800 acres). Massive defensive walls were added as Assyrians had made many enemies. Drinking water was brought in from some 50 km away by a system of canals and tunnels. Sargon II (reigned 722-705 BC), of Assyria established the famous library at Nineveh. It was inhabited almost without a break until after AD 1500.

705 BC - Assyrians power peaks As Assyrians reached the height of their power (705-612 BC), Nineveh flourished on the Tigris River in northern Iraq, opposite the modern city of Mosul, as one of the best cities of the ancient times. Today, as Assyrians had many enemies, only two large mounds and some ruins of the city walls spread in an area about 12 km in circumference, are left.

700 BC - Anuradapura Town, 50 Hectares (125 Acres) Anuradapura town was at least 50 hectares by 700-600 BC. By then prehistoric stone tool technology had been completely replaced by that of iron. Other advanced traits were the manufacture of copper-alloy artefacts, high-quality pottery (notably Black and Red Ware), the breeding of cattle and horses, and the cultivation of rice. By 500 BC, Anuradhapura exceeded 50 ha as it developed into a city.

700 BC - The Aryans develop a written language The Aryans in India are best known for the literature, namely the ancient Vedic texts that they produced in Sanskrit. This comprised of the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata were also recorded in Sanskrit in 200-400 AD. The Aryans developed a written script in about 700 BC. Before that, instruction was totally oral.

700 BC - Greeks Aristocrats become more powerful than kings Within 200 hundred years, local nobles who had popular public support, began to rule the Greek kingdoms. The power of the kings, who were alienated from the public, diminished. The nobles developed their own little kingdoms named "States".

700 BC - Beginning of the Greeks States Greek nobles developed their own little kingdoms named "States". Although these states were politically separated, one common religion, and an almost common language understood by everyone in other kingdoms without much difficulty, kept them united as one culture. It was the culture that would ultimately become "the Greek civilisation". This new Greek culture advanced reducing the power of the ruling elite with written law codes.

660 BC - Assyrians chase Nubians from Egypt At the height of their power, the Assyrians daringly marched over 1000 miles to invade Egypt which was under the Nubians. Nubians fled from Egypt and from many other areas that were under them as Assyrians took over the region. But the Assyrians had no strength to hold on to such a vast landmass. The strain on resources needed to maintain the empire increased. With that the cruelty increased. With that the number of friends decreased.

660 BC - First Claim of a Japanese Kingdom Japanese claim that the emperor Jimmu, a descendant of the sun goddess, established their first Empire in 660 BC. No reliable records exist for Japanese history prior to 400 AD.

650 BC - Greeks learn monumental architecture and sculpture from Egyptians After establishing colonies in Egypt, Greeks were influenced by the Egyptian creations. Early Greek statues comprised of Egyptian styles like men with clenched fists, one leg forward, and wig-like hair, and women are clothed in close-fitting garments and have one arm raised. They were basic imitations of the Egyptian style. Greeks greatest creations of own monument styles would follow in 150 years.

650 BC - Anuradapura, a major town in Lanka Spread over 59 hectares (59 * 2.5 Acres), it was home to people who used horses, cattle, and made pottery, paddy cultivation and who were masters of the iron technology.

638 BC - Greeks write down the Law In order to define the rules of the society in Greek city-states, codes of law were written down. The best-known lawmaker was Solon, who lived from 638 to 559 BC. His regulations covered matters as diverse as marriage, adoption, clothing, farming, and the calendar.

626 BC - Neo-Babylonia: Chaldeans conquer & mix into Babylonia After the king Hammurabi, invaders ruled Babylonia, including the Assyrians. One invader named the Chaldeans, made Babylonia their home and merged their culture with that of Babylonia. The new empire was known as Chaldea, or as Neo-Babylonia.

624 BC - Prince Siddarta is born, according to Sinhala chronology Most Western scholars consider 563 BC as Buddha's year of birth, while Sinhalese chronicles set it at 624 BC. (This difference of 61 years continues until 246BC when both versions agree again. We follow the western dates in this compilation in order to compare history of Sri Lanka with international history). Buddha, who lived from 563 to 483 BC, is the founder of Buddhism. He was born in the Lumbini Park near Kapilavastu, in present-day Nepal near the Indian border. The name Gautama Buddha by which the historical Buddha is known is a combination of his family name Gautama and the epithet Buddha, meaning "Enlightened One".

621 BC - Athenian law: Greek's first step towards democracy The tyranny under the Greek ruling elite was so terrible that the Greeks needed changes. These changes carried them towards what we call democracy to day. In 621 BC, the Greek statesman Draco published the Athenian law, which limited the judiciary power of the nobles. In another 105 years, after several more steps, Greeks will achieve democracy.

612 BC - Destruction of Nineveh & end of Assyrian empire By this time, Babylon (of the Neo-Babylonians) and the Nineveh were the greatest cities in the world. Neo-Babylonians and Medes took Nineveh in 612 BC and destroyed the city. That was the end of the Assyrian Empire. Although remaining parts of the city were later inhabited, Nineveh never regained its former importance.

610 BC - World's Largest City - Babylon After destroying the city of Nineveh, Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, enlarged the city of Babylon as the largest city of the known world.

600 BC - Earliest Proof of writing in Lanka At 600-500 BC, the first appearance of writing (in Brahmi letters almost identical to the Asokan script 200 years later) marked the beginning of the Early Historic period. This writing, radiocarbon dated on charcoal and checked by thermoluminescence dating, is inscribed on potsherds signifying the ownership. Among the names, was Anuradha.

600 BC - First "free standing" statues in history, by Greeks. After learning the monumental architecture from the Egyptians, Greek sculptors went on to further develop the art. They carved the first "free standing" statues in history. (Empty spaces separated legs from each other and arms from the body).

600 BC - The Hanging Gardens of Babylon Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, Out of love for his Median wife, built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It became one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient World. The gardens stood on four brick terraces, high above the banks of the River Euphrates. The king wanted the garden to remind his Median wife of her native mountains.

600 BC - Most powerful empire: Neo-Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar After beating the Assyrians, Neo-Babylonians (Chaldeans) under Nebuchadnezzar, became the most powerful in the region. By 600 BC, they governed almost all of the former Assyrian empire, including Egypt. The Chaldeans are best known for the achievements of their most powerful king, Nebuchadnezzar II, who ruled from 604 to 552 BC. He was a great hero to the Chaldeans. He was a brutal villain for the others.

600 BC - Coins as we use today, appear in Lydia (Turkey) The first metallic money had been produced around 2000 BC in Lydia (in Turkey). They were bronze ingots shaped as miniature cattle. Then they made bean-shaped coins by 800 BC. The round and flat coins, with images and a value printed on the surface, also initiated in Lydia, in 600 BC.

598 BC - Greek's Democratic constitution - 1St blow to the elite rule As the first of many blows to the hereditary power of the Greek nobles, Athenians lawmakers developed the democratic constitution. They had been able to limit the judiciary power of the nobles 23 years ago.

594 Greeks Code of Solon - 2nd blow to the elite rule While on the way to democracy from tyranny, as the second step towards limiting the ruling power of the nobles, the Greeks introduced the Code of Solon. The code of the Athenian statesman and legislator Solon reformed the Draconian code. It also gave citizenship to the lower classes.

587 BC - Massacre of the Jews In Jerusalem by Neo-Babylonians Under King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylonians invaded Jerusalem. They destroyed the famous Jew's Temple, the protective wall, and buildings. They massacred many Jews including women, children and old people. They took the king, nobles, and many thousands of other Jews for slavery. They were used as slave workers in many Neo-Babylonian projects. This Babylonian captivity made the Jews very creative. Moved away from their homeland, the Jews developed new skills, such as reading. 48 years later, Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, who conquered Babylonians, allowed them to return to Jerusalem. They rebuilt the temple, while living under the Persian Empire, & then under the empire of Alexander. The Bible said that the Chaldeans, acting for God, punished the Jews for their sins.

580 BC - Thales : Founder of Greek philosophy was Turkish Thales (625-546 BC), born in Turkey, became the founder of Greek philosophy. He practised around this time and was considered to be one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece. He became famous in the region for his knowledge of astronomy after predicting the eclipse of the Sun on May 28, 585 BC. He introduced geometry to Greece. He said that water is the original component that everything is made of and dissolve into. Until his time, universe was explained in myths and legends. He initiated the scientific thought on basic physical substance of the world. As he left no writtings, his teachings were fortunately noted down by Aristotle later. Thales and next two philosophers Anaximander, and Anaximenes, who were 3 generations of students of the one earlier, and who were all from Turkey, took the radical step from mythology to scientific explanation of the nature. All the following Greek philosophers followed on the guidelines set by these 3 to introduce wider and detailed theories.

575 BC - Babylon - the largest city of the known world Under king Nebuchadnezzar, Neo-Babylonian's capital at Babylon became the largest city of the known world, covering more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres). Using the Jewish slaves, New temples, palace buildings, and paved paths were built. One of the most impressive was the extensive fortification wall, which were 30 m (100 ft) high. A series of watchtowers were built on the wall. The city had eight entrances. The most famous of them was the Ishtar Gate, which was decorated with tiles depicting bulls and monsters. The king's palace included a ziggurat almost 90 m (300 ft) tall, the architectural basis for the biblical Tower of Babel. Nebuchadnezzar boasted that his Babylon was "the navel of the world.”

564 BC - Lanka is known as Sivu-Hela (Simhala) Lankans are divided politically into 4 main tribes, namely Yaksa (from Mahiyanganaya), Naga, Deva, Raksha tribes, thus known as Sivu-Hela. Foreigners pronounced it as SIMHALA.

563 BC - Budda is born in southern Nepal Western scholars believe 563 BC as the year of birth of Buddha (563-483 BC), the founder of Buddhism. He was born in the Lumbini park near Kapilavastu, in present-day Nepal near the Indian border. The name Gautama Buddha by which the historical Buddha is known is a combination of his family name Gautama and the epithet Buddha, meaning "Enlightened One".

563 BC - Controversy on Buddha's Date of Birth Western scholars generally agree on 563 BC as the year of his birth. Buddha (563-483 BC), the founder of Buddhism. Despite all efforts, the dates of the Buddha's birth and death remain uncertain. The various Buddhist sources agree that the Buddha lived for 80 years, but they disagree on the precise dates. Modern Theravada countries place his birth in 623 BC, and his death in 543 BC, but many Western and Indian historians disagree. The ancient sources offer two different chronologies. The long chronology, based on Sinhalese sources in Sri Lanka indicate 571-491, placing Buddha's final nirvana around 218 years before King Asoka's consecration, which took place in 273 BC. The short chronology, attested by all Sanskrit and Chinese sources, places the Buddha's death 100 years before Asoka's consecration.210 years before Asoka's consecration. Though this is 8 years behind Sinhalese records, we followed their version in this compilation.

558 BC - Cyrus the Great: Persia becomes a super power Persians were a minor power in the Middle East, often ruled by the Medes of Iran. In 558 BC, Cyrus the Great ascended the throne in Persia and freed Persia before engaging in an outstanding conquest of the region. Under him, Persia became a super power until Alexander from Macedonia finished the Persian empire.

552 BC - Babylonia begin to weaken after Nebuchadnezzar After the death of Nebuchadnezzar in 552 BC, Babylonia was weakened by internal power struggles. This helped invaders like Persians to finish the Babylonian empire.

546 BC - Persians led by Cyrus conquer Lydians (Turkey) Lydians (People of Turkey) were the most powerful people in the region of Asia Minor. As an ally of the two most powerful Greek states Sparta and Athens, Lydians ruled the Greek states of the region. In 546 BC, Cyrus led his army boldly, deep into Asia Minor where he defeated the Lydians. With that he took over the Greek states, which were under the Lydians.

539 BC - Babylonians vanish under Cyrus who frees the Jews In 539 BC, Neo-Babylonians were so weak that the powerful Persian army entered Babylon without a fight. The new Persian rulers freed the Jewish people from their Babylonian captivity.

534 BC - At 29, Budda renounces the world: He leaves the Royal life to find the ultimate peace. At the age of 29, Prince Siddhartha, (later Lord Buddha), in northern India, renounced the world. He went to all famous Brahman teachers searching for knowledge and the ultimate truth. He moved from one teacher to another learning all what they knew. He settled at Uruvela, near present-day BuddhaGaya, with five followers. (One of these followers was a Brahman who had seen the marks of Buddhahood on the newborn Siddhartha's body). For six years he tried to achieve enlightenment through the severest asceticism, and became a living skeleton. Realising that this method was useless, he resumed a normal diet restoring his health. As he turned to a path of moderation, his followers lost faith in him and left him. But he continued to meditate and think. He would discover one of the world's greatest religions, which, without gods or idols to worship, believes in a logical philosophy based on discipline to achieve true peace and happiness.

531 BC - SuppaDevi, is abducted by the outlaw Sinha: Their Grandchildren will start the legend in Sri Lanka SuppaDevi was the only daughter of the king of Bengal and Queen Mayawati. (Mayawati was the daughter of the king of Kalinga). The route from Kalinga kingdom, south of river Ganges, to Bengali kingdom, was on the famous trade path that ran from Persia to China west to east. There were many bands of robbers on this path who lived on stealing the valuable trade goods. While Suppa Devi was returning to the Bengali kingdom, a robber named Singha ambushed her caravan in a jungle within Bengali. Singha is believed to have come from the Singha kingdom in Punjab. The Singha people of Punjab were a very large community who used Lion as their emblem, and who would develop into present day Sieks.

530 BC - Pythagoras begins Pythagoreanism. Were they influenced by Buddhism ? Given that a new unprecedant wave of now great Greek and Chinese philosophers such as Confucius, and Socrates started preaching sections of principles found in Buddhism only after the Buddha started preaching Buddhism, it is quite possible that the message of Buddhism reached these lands through the Silk route inspiring them. Even the 2 year head-start Pythagorus has might be due to the inability to determine the exact dates of Buddha's birth and death which varies in a 60 year gap. Everyone agrees on 80 year lifespan of Buddha. Sinhaleses cronicles (named Long Chronology) give that as 571-491. Many Western and Indian scholars are 8 years behind that with 563-483 BC which we follow in this compilation. Modern Theravada countries believe 623 -543 BC which is 52 years before Sinhalese cronicles. Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras (582-500 BC), studied the teachings of previous philosophers starting with the 3 famous Turkish philosophers Thales ( Founder of Greek Philosophy), Anaximander, and Anaximenes (His puplis). He claimed that in previous life, he was a soldier who fought in the Trojan War. In 530 BC, moving away from the harsh rule in his Greek state, he settled down in a Greek colony in Southern Italy and founded a religious, political, and philosophical movement named Pythagoreanism. Obedience, silence, simplicity in food, wealth and dress, and constant self-examination were the key elements in his teachings. These doctrines strongly influenced Plato later.

530 BC - Importance of Pythagoras He believed in immortality through the transfer of soul after death to a new body. Like in Buddhism he said that the highest purpose of humans should be to keep their souls clean by adopting good principles and avoiding bad thoughts and behaviour. He demanded various religious rituals in order to maintain such disciplined life. He was the first to say that mathematics was the key to understand the world as everything can be explained in numbers and geometry. His discovery of odd and even numbers and of prime and square numbers, laid a scientific foundation for mathematics. They claimed the concept of number was the ultimate principle of all order, and harmony in the universe. His most famous discovery would be Pythagoras theorem in geometry. Pythagoreans were also the first to consider the Earth as a globe revolving with the other planets around a central fireball. They discovered the mathematical laws of musical pitch and introduced "therapy through music" to bring harmony to humans.

Buddha attain enlightenment

528 BC - At 35, Buddha attain enlightenment in Buddagaya in the state of Bihar He sat down under a Bo tree one evening and determined not to rise until he had reached nirvana. Then he was troubled by the demons of Mara, lord of illusion, who tried to distract him. Mara, unable to break his concentration, gave up. Buddha went on meditating. During the night he passed through successively higher levels of awareness, gaining knowledge of his former lives and the "divine eye" which can follow the reincarnation of all beings. Finally he grasped the Four Noble Truth. First, all existence is suffering. Secondly, the suffering is caused by ignorance and attachment. Thirdly, overcoming ignorance and attachment can end the suffering. Fourthly, this overcoming is achieved through the Noble Eightfold Path summarized as morality, samadhi (concentration), and wisdom. At this point, the Buddha experienced the Great Enlightenment, which revealed the way of salvation. With that he detached forever from the cycle of reincarnation and was gifted with superhuman insight. He spent few more weeks, thinking and evaluating various aspects of his realization.

528 BC - Beginning of Buddha Sasanaya The first Buddhist monks were from Sarnath, 250 kms northwest of Buddhagaya, where Buddha gave his first sermon. These inquisitive followers through numerous questions and arguments, understood the teachings of Buddhism and about 60 of them became the first Buddhist monks. Buddha requested them to travel all over the land explaining Buddhism to end the pain and suffering of the world. This they did, and many still do, by addressing the mind and enlightenment, without attracting poor or helpless non-Buddhists with food or other gifts. This was the start of 1728 years of Buddhism in India. (In 1199 AD, Muslim invaders officially ended Buddhism in India after burning Naland university and killing all the monks).

528 BC - Buddhas 3 favourite places Buddha generally based himslef in the two largest Kingdoms in North India ( Magadha and Kosala) and in Vrjji Republic which was unique for their effort to model state rule on Buddhist principles. He spent most of the time in Rajagaha (capital of Magadha Kingdom) ruled by king Bimbisara, 50 kms northeast of Buddhagaya where he was born. Gridhrakuta peak where most of his sermons were delivered from, was close to Rajagaha. Vaisali,(capital of Vrjji republic), 100 kms north of Rajagaha, was one of his favourite places. He had great affection to them for their effort to model state rule on Buddhist principles in their search for ultimate fair and correct governance. (These concepts were later adopted and implemented fully by Sri Lankans after 246 BC). Buddha saw the importance of explaining his knowledge to as many as possible before his death. Since Sravasti was on the Silk route, most of his later life was spent at Sravasti,(capital of Kosala kingdom) 400 kms northwest of Rajagaha.

Budda's first visit to Lanka

528 BC - Budda's 1st visit to Lanka: Mahiyanganaya Three ancient writings, separately written, describes quite similarly how nine months after the enlightenment, Buddha, with 500 Arahath monks, arrived in Sri Lanka to stop a war in Bintenna, Mahiyanganaya. Two fractions of the Yaksa clan were getting ready for a deadly war for power. Buddha created a huge fireball in the sky to get the attention of the fighting men. Buddha stopped the bloodshed by advising them not to kill themselves and advised to find themselves instead. There Buddha held the first Bana in Sri Lanka. Present Mahiyanganaya Dagaba is built on this location.

528 BC - First Buddhist Bana & First Buddhist in Lanka Sumana Saman, a provincial chief from the Deva clan in Sabaragamuwa, attained the state of "Sovan" at this first Bana in Mahiyanganaya. He went back to spend the rest of his days in Samanala mountain. Mani-Akkita Na-raju, of Naga clan in the Western Province, also came to listen to the preaching of Buddha.

528 BC - First Dagaba in Lanka When Sumana Saman requested for a relic, Buddha gave him a fistful of hair. He built Mahiyangana Dagaba enshrining this relic. This Dagaba had a priceless gem at the peak (an Indraneela Manikkaya). This will be the first and the only Dagaba built by a local, before the arrival of Vijaya.

528 BC - Buddhism become more popular than Jainism in India Jainism has been the major religion of India. Suddenly the Buddhism, with its logical thinking and philosophy, became attractive to the north Indians. In 878 years, half of the world population would be Buddhists.

525 BC - Persians invade Egypt Cambyses II, son of Cyrus the great, invaded Egypt in 525 BC.

525 BC - Confucius Starts preaching in China : He stressed on the importance of classics of Chinese literature and music and the power of good example by everyone including the rulers. Entire teaching of Confucius was practical and ethical, rather than religious. He claimed the humans duty was to practice five virtues of kindness, uprightness, decorum, wisdom, and faithfulness.His teachings continued to be a powerful influence on Chinese philosophy and the history of China. Confucius(551-479 BC), the most famous Chinese philosopher, was born in a noble family only to be poor at 3 when his father who was a commander in the state army, died. Confucius received a very good education thanks to the influence the Zhou dynasty had on his state. Four years after his marriage at 19, with 3 chidren to feed, he became a labourer. Around 525 BC, he started his career as a teacher, travelling and instructing students who gathered around him. Soon he obtained a reputation as a man of learning and character with great respect for traditional ideals and customs. As Zhou dynasty's central government weakened and corruption and vice engulfed China, believed that the only solution is to convert people back to principles necessary. At 50, he became a magistrate and at 51 the minister of crime in his state. His administration was so successful that his reforms almost eliminated crime. In 496 BC, his enemies got him sacked. Having failed to find a ruler who would employ him he retired in 484 BC.

525 BC - Was Confucius influenced by Buddhism ? Given that a new unprecedant wave of now great Greek and Chinese philosophers such as Confucius, and Socrates started preaching sections of principles found in Buddhism only after the Buddha started preaching Buddhism, it is quite possible that the message of Buddhism reached these lands through the Silk route inspiring them. Even the 2 year head-start Pythagorus has might be due to the inability to determine the exact dates of Buddha's birth and death which varies in a 60 year gap. Everyone agrees on 80 year lifespan of Buddha. Sinhaleses cronicles (named Long Chronology) give that as 571-491. Many Western and Indian scholars are 8 years behind that with 563-483 BC which we follow in this compilation. Modern Theravada countries believe 623 -543 BC which is 52 years before Sinhalese cronicles.

523 BC - Budda's 2nd visit to Lanka: Nagadeepaya Five years after the enlightenment, Buddha arrived to stop a war between Naga king Mahodara & his sisters son, Chulodara (who refused to hand over a gem studded golden throne that belonged to Chulodara's maternal grandfather, to Naga king Mahodara)

521 BC - Persians expand to Indus river Darius I, who became king in 521 BC, would push the Persian border eastwards as far as the Indus River.

520 BC - Kelaniya- Budda's 3rd visit 8 years after the enlightenment, Buddha arrived on invitation by the Naga king of Kelaniya. It was on this visit he touched down on Samanala mountain.

518 BC - Persians under Darius I, take Egypt Darius I extended the borders of the Persian Empire even further, by completing conquest of Egypt in 518 BC.

518 War By Terror China took the lead in unconventional warfare as the two state armies of Wu and Chu provinces met in battle. The sub-king of Wu province lined up all the convicted criminals who had received the death penalty, in full view of the enemy forces. Then he ordered the throats of all of these criminals to be slashed. The enemy force was horrified and was unable to understand what was going on. Demoralised enemy troops fled in fear.

515 Sinhabahu escapes with the mother & sister When he was 16, Sinhabahu escaped with his mother Suppa Devi and the sister Sinha Seevali. They went to the king of Bengal, who was a cousin of his mother. The king of Bengal married her.

515 BC - Sinha is killed by Sinhabahu Ferocious Sinha started to terrorize the villages, asking for his wife and the children. The king of Bengal offered a reward of 3000 pieces for his capture. Twice the mother stopped Sinhabahu. Third time he went without telling the mother. He managed to kill the father, who became reluctant and hesitated to attack the son. Only after killing the father, the hot-blooded young son realised the gravity of what he had done.

515 BC - Regretting Sinhabahu creates SinhaPura in the memory of his father. When Sinha returned, the King had died. People invited him to be the king. Saddened and broken-hearted, he refused to be the king. Regretting the death of his father, he went back to the jungle in Lala. He knew that all what his father had ever wanted and dreamt of, were a kingdom of his own, and a family of his own. He built a city named Sinhapura, and dedicated that in his father's name. This Singhapura is in the eastern forests of Bengali, and is known as Mekala today. River Narmada flows through this area. Singha's son, Vijaya will take this river out of the kingdom soon. Chinese monk Hsuan Tsang said that the western border of the Singhapura was on the river Indus and that it was 117 miles to the south east of Taxila.

514 BC - Persians use international Spies From their capital at Persepolis, near the Persian Gulf, they sent out "listeners" (called "the king's ears") to check on regional situations. This is the first record of an organised, very well planned international spy network.

513 BC - Persians become the greatest empire todate In 513 BC, King Darius took the Indus valley region. In 512, King Darius took the region of Macedonia. Then they turned their attention on the two biggest Greek states, Athens and Sparta. Even without Athens and Sparta, Persian empire was the greatest the world had seen so far.

510 BC - Greek rebellion for democracy During the wise rule of the tyrant Pisistratus (560-527 BC), the Greek government began to absorb elements of democracy. Hippias and Hipparchus, sons of Pisistratus, inherited their father's power, and refused to implement the democratic changes his father had done. Hippias, who survived Hipparchus, was thrown out by a popular uprising in 510 BC. Democracy was introduced in 502BC.

502 BC - Artistic and Intellectual culture goes from Asia Minor to Athens Through out the human history so far, the cities of the Asia Minor (Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran and the middle east) had been the centre of artistic and intellectual culture. Athens, with the rich economy and open, freethinking and artistic talents, soon took over that culture.

502 BC - Were they influenced by Buddhism ? Given that a new unprecedant wave of now great Greek and Chinese philosophers such as Confucius, and Socrates started preaching sections of principles found in Buddhism only after the Buddha started preaching Buddhism, it is quite possible that the message of Buddhism reached these lands through the Silk route inspiring them. Even the 2 year head-start Pythagorus has might be due to the inability to determine the exact dates of Buddha's birth and death which varies in a 60 year gap. Everyone agrees on 80 year lifespan of Buddha. Sinhaleses cronicles (named Long Chronology) give that as 571-491. Many Western and Indian scholars are 8 years behind that with 563-483 BC which we follow in this compilation. Modern Theravada countries believe 623 -543 BC which is 52 years before Sinhalese cronicles.

502 BC - First Democracy in Athens: Greek's Golden Era begins After the uprising in 510 BC, the supporters of democracy, under the great Greek statesman Cleisthenes, gained strength in the internal power struggles. In 502 BC, they won a complete victory, and formed a new constitution based on democratic principles. The beginning of this democratic rule was the dawn of the greatest period of Athenian history. Agriculture and commerce flourished as never before, leading to prosperity.

500 BC - Sparta develops their unique National Philosophy to defend itself In order to survive the might of Persia, the superpower of the region and also the powerful Greek state Athens, the Spartans decided to search for what it takes to defend the nation. Their answer was a solution like no other in history. They turned the entire naton to defend itself. Due to relatively smaller population, instead of a paid army, entire nation became the military and one armed camp. Their cities were protected by exclusive young men instead of bricks of walls. Because of the relatively smaller population in Sparta, a Spartan warrior knew that there was no one else behind him to fight the enemy. Because of that they stood until unmovable rocks until the enemy cut down all of them to get through.

500 BC - Unique training of a Spartan Soldier Babies were selected at early stages to become future soldiers. They were not cuddled so that they didn’t expect any. They were left in the dark so that they developed resistance to fear. They were given only basic simple food so that they could live on anything. At the age of seven they left their homes to dedicated Military academies where they learnt political studies, and the art of war. They didn't learn any other professions like farming or trade. Due to the relatively smaller population in Sparta, a soldier was trained to fight or to match the strength of 100 enemies. At 30, the soldier completed his training to left for home. He was, at this stage, called an "equal". He had special privileges in the society. He had Warrior Clubs where they had opportunity for fun. They made Spartan Army the Most Powerful Greek Army. Their advantage was shown in many a battles against large superior armies where a few hundred Spartans fought thousands to death defending Sparta.

500 BC - Spartan Soldier in the battlefield : "Solid as a Rock" Spartan soldiers were deployed in platoons of 24 men. They would serve in the same platoon until they die or retire at the age of 55. They wore a full-face steel helmet that frightened the enemy. This helmet only had two eye holes and a nose guard allowing no easy blow to the head. They carried a spear and a unique sword that had a wider blade at the tip so that it could cut more flesh. In another unique way, they were trained to cover the soldier on their left with their shield. Yet the most important aspect of the Spartan warrior was their acceptance of the fight until death if necessary. Because of the relatively smaller population in Sparta, a Spartan warrior knew that there was no one behind him to fight the enemy. In the ensuing battles with the Persian invaders and in the following power-struggles between Athens and Sparta, the enemy had to cut down all Spartan warriors to get through their formations.

500 BC - Germans appear The German tribes began to expand from southern Scandinavia and the Baltic. They will develop into the only European Barbarian tribe that the Roman couldn't conquer.

500 BC - Training of Chinese Commandos Chinese began to train elite troops, equal to the commandos and the special forces of today. They were handpicked for courage, skill, discipline, and loyalty. They were trained for full seven years. They were trained to march 160 kilometers without a rest, carrying armour and steel helmets, arrows, swords, and rice enough to last them for 3 days.

500 BC - Rome gets freedom after Etruscan power in Italy declines At the very beginning, the town of Rome was conquered by the Etruscans. The Etruscans had migrated to Italy from Asia Minor (Turkey), around 1100 BC. Etruscans were the civilization in Italy before Rome's rise to power. Their language was unique to them. Their Italian colony was named Etruria. It consisted of a confederation of Italian city-states. They were known for their metalworking and their fine pottery. The Etruscans reached the height of their power during the 6th century BC. By 500 BC their civilization was in decline. About that time the Romans rose up and claimed power in their city, establishing a republic. As late as 390 BC, when Greece and Persia were great powers in the world, Rome was still so weak that the Gauls sacked it. Romans continued to improve on the legacy of the Etruscans civilisation. However, by 215 BC, Romans would become masters of Italy and will conquer Greece to absorb the Greek culture, fine art and literature.

500 BC - Indo-Aryan evidence in Lanka: Archaeological evidence supports Mahavansa The earliest (600-500 BC) inscriptions on pottery found in Anuradhapura, are in Indo-Aryan Prakrit. This situation is repeated in the earliest inscriptions found in Megalithic Kodumanal, and possibly in the lowermost levels of Arikamedu as well, in South India. So far none of them are in Dravidian. It appears to corroborate the view that Indo-Aryan was pre-dominant from at least as early as 500 BC in Sri Lanka, as affirmed in the chronicles concerning an Aryan impulse associated with Vijaya. The legends speak of North Indian migrants like Ravana, who mixed into the Sinhalese civilisation even before the arrival of Vijaya.

499 BC - Biggest Greeks states Sparta & Athens, revolt against Persian rule 55 years after paying taxes to the Persian rule, some Greek kingdoms like Athens and Sparta, decided to rebel against Persian rule. By 493 BC, after 6 years, Darius, king of Persia, crushed the revolt.

496 BC - Confucius is fired by corrupt elements in China : He stressed on the importance of classics of Chinese literature and music and the power of good example by everyone including the rulers. Entire teaching of Confucius was practical and ethical, rather than religious. He claimed the humans duty was to practice five virtues of kindness, uprightness, decorum, wisdom, and faithfulness.His teachings continued to be a powerful influence on Chinese philosophy and the history of China. Confucius(551-479 BC), the most famous Chinese philosopher, was born in a noble family only to be poor at 3 when his father who was a commander in the state army, died. Confucius received a very good education thanks to the influence the Zhou dynasty had on his state. Four years after his marriage at 19, with 3 chidren to feed, he became a labourer. Around 525 BC, he started his career as a teacher, travelling and instructing students who gathered around him. Soon he obtained a reputation as a man of learning and character with great respect for traditional ideals and customs. As Zhou dynasty's central government weakened and corruption and vice engulfed China, believed that the only solution is to convert people back to principles necessary. At 50, he became a magistrate and at 51 the minister of crime in his state. His administration was so successful that his reforms almost eliminated crime. In 496 BC, his selfish and corrupt enemies got him sacked. Having failed to find a ruler who would employ him he retired in 484 BC.

493 BC - Darius, Persian king crushed the Greek revolt By 493 BC, Darius, king of Persia crushed the 6-year revolt by the largest Greek states. He decided to demand total submission from all Greek states in order to stop further uprisings. That was the beginning of the war between the Persians and the Greeks.

492 BC - Athens & Sparta declare War on Persia Darius sent envoys to all Greek states, asking for the submission to Persian rule. Most of the smaller states agreed. Sparta and Athens refused and murdered the Persian envoys. Meanwhile, the first Persian fleet sent to invade Greek states, was wrecked by storm.

491 BC - Devadatta suggests Budda retire, leaving leadership to him Devadatta was a cousin of the Buddha. Devadatta joined the Sangha, 20 years after the Buddha had begun his teaching. Eight years before the Buddha's death, Devadatta suggested that his master should retire and pass the leadership of the Sangha to him. Buddha, who wished no leader for the community, refused. Devadatta, helped by Ajasatta, prince of the kingdom of Magadha, made three attempts on the Buddha's life through assassins, a falling boulder, and a runaway elephant. Devadatta then created a new corrupt sect of Buddhism. He enrolled about 500 monks into the new sect. Devadatta's followers soon returned to the Buddha. Devadatta, full of hatred and envy, fell ill and died.

490 BC - 2nd Persian Invasion in Greece: " Battle of Marathon" In 490 BC, a 25,000 strong Persian force was sent to invade Greek states for the second time. They met the 11,000 strong army of the Athens state at Marathon, a town northeast of Athens. Athenians defeated the Persians, losing only 192 men compared with the Persian losses of 6,400.

490 BC - Tactics in the Battle of Marathon To avoid being outflanked by the Persians, the Athenians concentrated their strength at both ends of their line of defence. They then began the battle by making a charge against the Persian lines. On the wings the Athenians and Plataeans were victorious. They then turned on those Persian forces that had broken through the centre of the Greek alignment. Some of the fiercest fighting occurred as the Persians tried to make their way back to their ships.

490 BC - Birth of the "Marathon" A Greek runner (believed to be Pheidippides) carried the good news about the victory in the battle of Marathon to Athens, a distance of about 40 km (25 mi). At the revival of the Olympic Games in AD 1896 at Athens, a long-distance foot race was held, called a marathon in honour of this ancient Greek runner's feat. The distance for the race has now been standardized at 42.2 km.

483 BC - Vijaya lands in Sri Lanka & Buddha expires in North India Vijaya, the eldest son of Sinhabahu, became a notorious character. His activities brought shame to the king. On advice given by the wise people, king ordered his son Vijaya and his 700 friends and the families, out from Sinhapura. It is believed the ships carrying mainly the women and the children got separated and landed in Maldives while Vijaya landed in Mannar in Sri Lanka.

483 BC - Girihadu Seya is built in Thiriyaya. Buddha's relics are enshrined in Mahiyanganaya Dagaba Sarabu Maharahatan Vahanse picked Budda relics from the burning cortege using his Irdi Force, and arrived in Mahiyanganaya. He enshrined them in the Dagaba in Mahiyanganaya and raised the Dagaba to 12 riyans. This is the only Dagaba in Lanka rebuilt by a Maharahatan Vahanse. By this time, the two merchants Thapassu and Balluka had built the Girihadu Seya Dagaba in Thiriyaya in Sri Lanka.

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