The ancient world is full of dramatic events and fascinating characters. Here’s a taster of the main events that occurred in Europe in BC (Before Christ) and the first 500 years AD (Anno Domini, or ‘Year of Our Lord’)
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| c3000 BC | Bronze Age in southern Europe |
| c4000 BC | Neolithic culture at its height in northern Europe |
| c2000 BC | Iron Age in northern Europe |
| c1700 BC | Construction of palace of King Minos at Knossos, Crete |
| c1550 BC | Earthquakes destroy Minoan civilisation |
| 509 BC | Roman Republic established |
| 431–404 BC | Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta |
| 336–323 BC | Alexander the Great conquers Persia (modern-day Iran) |
| 216 BC | Hannibal defeats Romans at Battle of Cannae |
| 146 BC | Romans destroy Carthage and conquer Greece |
| 49 BC | Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon: Roman civil war |
| 27 BC | Octavian becomes Roman Emperor Augustus |
| AD 313 | Edict of Milan: Constantine accepts Christianity |
| AD 395 | Roman Empire divides in two |
| AD 410 | Rome sacked by Alaric, king of the Visigoths |
| AD 476 | Last western Roman emperor deposed |