Homer composes epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey
Homer is the earliest poet in Western culture whose works have survived intact.
Good News Links
The Saka peoples thrive in the Eurasian Steppe
The Saka were a group of nomadic Iranian peoples who historically inhabited the northern and eastern Eurasian Steppe and the Tarim Basin. The Saka are attested in historical and archaeological records dating to around the 8th century B.C.E.
The Thamud civilization emerges on the Arabian peninsula
The Thamūd is an ancient civilization in the Hejaz known from the 8th century B.C.E. to near the time of Muhammad.
Iranian nomads build irrigation channels in Central Asia
In the first millennium B.C.E., Iranian nomads established irrigation systems along the rivers of Central Asia and built towns at Bukhara and Samarqand.
Rome is founded on the banks of the Tiber
Originally a small town on the banks of the Tiber, Rome grew in size and strength, early on, through trade.
The first Olympic games begin in Greece
They continued for nearly 12 centuries, until Emperor Theodosius decreed in 393 C.E. that all such “pagan cults” be banned.
City-states rise to power in ancient Greece
The city-states emerged from the Dark Ages which followed the fall of the Mycenaean civilization in Greece and by the 8th century B.C.E. a significant process of urbanisation had begun.
The Phoenicians found the city of Carthage in modern-day Tunisia
Originally a small port on the coast, established only as a stop for Phoenician traders to re-supply or repair their ships, Carthage grew to become the most powerful city in the Mediterranean before the rise of Rome.
The Assyrians build the world’s first long-distance canal systems
The first sophisticated long-distance canal systems were constructed in the Assyrian empire in the 9th century B.C.E. and incorporated tunnels several kilometres in length.
The ancient Mayan city of Altun Ha is founded in modern-day Belize
Altun Ha was occupied for many centuries, from about 900 B.C.E to C.E. 1000. Most of the information on Altun Ha comes from the Classic Period from about C.E. 400 to C.E. 900, when the city was at its largest.