World Timelines - Asia

Asia

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Events

326 BC

Alexander conquers Gandhāra, establishes Bactria as eastern province of his empire

326 BC

Alexander's army mutinies at Hyphasis; he leaves S Asia

323 BC

Death of Alexander the Great

322 BC

Candragupta Maurya defeats the last Nanda king of Bengal, displaces King Porus from Taxila and takes throne of Magadha

316 BC

Mauryan empire occupies north-west India, defeating and conquering Alexander's satraps

312 BC

Babylon captured by Seleucus; beginning of Seleucid Empire

310 BC

Candragupta Maurya establishes an empire with capital at Pātaliputra

304 BC

Seleucus invades India

303 BC

Greek ruler Seleucus cedes all south Asian lands to Candragupta

301 BC

Battle of Ipsus: fought between Diadochi, empire is divided into four states; Seleucus takes western Asia

300 BC

Japanese contact with mainland Asian increases

300 BC

Epic story Ramayana composed by Valmiki

300 BC

Small separate chiefdoms start to form in Korea which later develop into larger states: Koguryo, Paekche, Kaya and Silla

270 BC

Aśoka becomes ruler of Mauryan empire

265 BC

Kalinga War: Aśoka extends Mauryan empire into Kalinga, Orissa

260 BC

Kingdom of Pergamum established

250 BC

Diodotus of Bactria breaks away from Seleucid Empire

250 BC

Theravada Buddhism emerges in southern India

248 BC

Arsaces I of Parthia revolts against Seleucid rule; beginnings of Parthian Empire

230 BC

Simuka declares independence from Mauryan empire; beginning of Satavāhana dynasty

221 BC

China united under Qin Shi Huangdi - the 'First Emperor'

221 BC

Construction of Qin 'Great Wall' begins

210 BC

Seleucids make unsuccessful attempt to retake Bactria and northern India

210 BC

Death of Qin Shi Huangdi; 7000-strong 'Terracotta Army' buried with him

207 BC

Nam Viet becomes independent state

206 BC

Qin Dynasty comes to an end

206 BC

(Western ) Han dynasty establishes power

204 BC

Antiochus III reconquers much of Iran

200 BC

Antiochus III forces Egyptian Ptolemies to cede Palestine

200 BC

Around this time Greek influence in northern S Asia produces Gandhāran style

190 BC

Rome now considers Asia Minor to be a Roman province; consul Lucius Cornelius Scipio is appointed governor

190 BC

Artaxiad I establishes kingdom of Armenia

188 BC

Asia Minor now surrendered to Rome; under control of Roman ally Pergamum

187 BC

Collapse of Mauryan Empire

185 BC

Pushyamitra Śunga takes power in Mauryan empire

180 BC

Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius attacks north-western India and conquers southern Afghanistan; builds a capital at Sirkap

171 BC

Mithradates I of Parthia establishes total independence from Seleucid Empire

171 BC

Eucratides establishes a rival Indo-Greek kingdom in Bactria

167 BC

Jews revolt against Seleucid rule

144 BC

Parthians take Babylonia

141 BC

Parthians conquer Persia and take control of Seleucid territories

140 BC

Confucianism adopted as officially sanctioned ideology in China

113 BC

Mithradates II of Parthia extends Parthian control up to the River Euphrates

111 BC

Nam Viet becomes vassal state of China

109 BC

Chinese Han ruler Wu Ti conquers Chosŏn

100 BC

Arrival of Mahayana Buddhism in S Asia

100 BC

Around this time the Pyu city-states have developed in Burma

100 BC

Rice and iron technology introduced to Japan from mainland Asia

Asia

330-100 BC

At the beginning of this period Alexander III of Macedon (the Great) held power across much of western and central Asia. Greek language, culture and religion were introduced to these lands and developed and flourished. Towards the end of this period however, most of Alexander’s lands had been reclaimed by regional powers or lost to Rome.

South Asia marked the limit of Alexander’s empire when in 326 BC his army mutinied at Hyphasis. Much of the rest of India was controlled by the Mauryan dynasty. By the end of the period the Mauryan Empire had disintegrated and the region was controlled by a number of smaller states.

In 221 BC the state of Qin emerged as the first ruler of a unified China; script and currency were standardised, and a legal code imposed. After a civil war, the Han dynasty took power in 206 BC. The Han developed a civil service, created state factories and opened the ‘Silk Route’ through Central Asia.

In Korea, Southeast Asia and Japan, new ideas and technologies were brought by trade and war. Chinese ideas of statehood were particularly influential and Korea started to form small chiefdoms. In Japan the introduction of rice production brought an end to hunter-gathering, and the knowledge of metal-working enabled the creation of improved weaponry and tools.

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