Here you will find a selection of lessons that help with getting the most out of TimeMaps.
The origins and expansion of the Inca state Historical Background to Inca origins The Inca (sometimes written Inka) civilization was heir to a long line of cultures which had thrived in Peru for at least two millennia. On the coast, the Moche and Chimor had been built...
Timeline 31 BCE - the Battle of Actium leaves Octavian as the master of the Roman world 27 BCE - Augustus establishes himself as the first of the Roman emperors 6 CE - a Roman army is destroyed at the Battle of the Teutenborg Forest 14 - Tiberius succeeds Augustus as...
The origins and early growth of the Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire emerged in Anatolia (Asia Minor, in modern Turkey) during the 13th and 14th centuries, and spread throughout south-western Europe, much of the Middle East and North Africa during the 14th, 15th and...
Historical outline of the Tang dynasty The Foundation of the Tang dynasty China had been reunited by the Sui dynasty in 589 CE, after centuries of division. However, the second emperor of the Sui dynasty, emperor Yang, seems to have been a megalomaniac. His grandiose...
An outline history of the Song dynasty The Song dynasty is divided into two halves. The “Northern Song” dynasty (969-1127) ruled most of China; the “Southern Song” dynasty (1127-1279) ruled only southern China. The rise of the Song In 960 China had been divided...
Mongol Empire circa 1207 By Kiruge. Partially based on "Mongolian National Atlas", 2009 Reproduced under Creative Commons 4.0 Introduction In the 13th century an awesome episode in world history unfolded. For millennia, the nomadic societies of central Asia...
The declining quality of Mongol rule led to massive revolts in China and neighboring lands. Finally, in 1368, the Mongol court was driven out of China, back into central Asia. The leader of the revolt against the Mongols founded the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). This...
The Manchu people were a non-Chinese people closely related to the Mongols. At some point in the 16th century they migrated to the east, to what is today the region of Manchuria, in northern China. There, they settled down and organized a state modeled along Chinese...
Islam comes to South Asia The first major incursion of Islam into the Indian subcontinent came in the early 8th century, when armies of the Muslim Caliphate occupied Makhran, Sindh and Multan, all in what is now Pakistan. Islam thus established a firm foothold in...
Their origins are disputed. Many scholars think that they came from outside India. The preferred theory is that their ancestors were Hun chieftains who settled in India in the 6th century CE in the wake of the fall of the Gupta. It is possible, however, that they were...
Assyria History Timeline and Map Introduction In the first millennium BCE, ancient Mesopotamian civilization pioneered the first true multinational empires in world history. The Assyrian empire was the first of these. The kingdom of Assyria emerged as a major...
Early Iran The heartland of ancient Persian civilization - as is true for its Islamic successor - is the modern country of Iran. In ancient times, Iran bordered the land of Mesopotamia (in modern Iraq), and was deeply influenced by Ancient Mesopotamian civilization....
History Atlas: Ancient Israel Maps Timeline of Ancient Israel c. 1300-1200 BCE: The Israelites enter the land of Canaan: the age of the Judges starts c. 1050-1010: The Israelites establish a kingdom, first under Saul (c.1050-1010) and then under David...
Introduction The word "Byzantine" comes from the name of the ancient Greek city of Byzantium; it was this that the Roman emperor Constantine (reigned 324-37) expanded and remodeled as his new capital. Constantinople. The great city of Constantinople stood at the heart...
Indus Valley Civilization Map (click to see in atlas) Geography The Indus Valley civilization covered most of what is today Pakistan and the Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab. Settlements which were closely related to the core...
View The Zhou Period of Chinese History in the World History Atlas Introduction These and other elements would have a deep influence throughout eastern Asia, and much further afield. The Zhou period of China's history therefore marked a chapter of prime importance in...
View maps and timeline of The Han Dynasty of Ancient China in the History Atlas Introduction The period of the Han dynasty formed the final phase of Ancient China. During it, key developments which had roots in previous dynasties - most notably the rise of the...
History Time Map of the Etruscans Overview Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy. Its homeland was in the area of central Italy, just north of Rome, which is today called Tuscany. In ancient times there was a...
Period of division and invasion in China, 220 to 589 CE In the later 2nd century CE, the Han empire began to experience decline. The government increasingly served the interests of the great landowners, and for the majority of the population standards of government...
Maps of the Vedic Age and Indian History Overview of the Vedic Age of Ancient India The Vedic Age of Ancient India is the "heroic age" of ancient Indian civilization. It is also the formative period when the basic foundations of Indian civilization were laid...
