Historical Timeline
Sumerian Civilization
The world's first known civilization emerges in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), with the development of writing, the wheel, and complex urban societies.
Akkadian Empire
Sargon of Akkad creates the world's first multi-ethnic empire, uniting Mesopotamian city-states under Akkadian rule.
Babylonian Empire
The rise of Babylon as a major power in Mesopotamia, later famous for Hammurabi's Code of Laws.
Persian Empire Founded
Cyrus the Great establishes the Achaemenid Persian Empire, which becomes the largest empire in ancient history, stretching from India to Greece.
Cyrus Conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, freeing the Jewish exiles and earning the title "Messiah" in the Hebrew Bible.
Scythian Confederation
Turkic and Iranian nomadic tribes form powerful confederations across the Central Asian steppes, establishing the foundations of Turanian culture.
Alexander Conquers Persia
Alexander the Great defeats the Persian Empire at the Battle of Gaugamela, ending Achaemenid rule and beginning Hellenistic influence.
Parthian Empire
The Parthians establish control over Iran and Mesopotamia, becoming Rome's greatest rival in the East.
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid dynasty rises to power, reviving Persian culture and Zoroastrianism, ruling until the Arab conquest.
Arab Conquest of Iraq
Arab Muslim armies conquer Mesopotamia, bringing Islam to the region and ending Sassanid rule.
Arab Conquest of Iran
The Sassanid Empire falls to Arab forces at the Battle of Nahavand, beginning the Islamization of Persia.
Abbasid Caliphate
Baghdad becomes the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, ushering in the Islamic Golden Age with advances in science, philosophy, and arts.
Seljuk Empire
The Seljuk Turks establish a vast empire stretching from Central Asia to Anatolia, spreading Turkic culture and Sunni Islam.
Mongol Invasion
Genghis Khan's Mongol armies devastate Iran and Central Asia, destroying cities and irrigation systems.
Fall of Baghdad
Mongol forces under Hulagu Khan capture and destroy Baghdad, ending the Abbasid Caliphate and the Islamic Golden Age.
Timurid Empire
Timur (Tamerlane) establishes a vast empire from his capital in Samarkand, promoting Persian culture and Islamic scholarship.
Safavid Dynasty
Shah Ismail I establishes the Safavid Empire, making Shia Islam the state religion and creating modern Iran's borders.
Ottoman Conquest
The Ottoman Empire conquers Baghdad and most of Iraq, incorporating it into their vast empire for nearly 400 years.
Afsharid Dynasty
Nader Shah establishes the Afsharid dynasty and briefly restores Iranian power, conquering parts of India and Central Asia.
Qajar Dynasty
The Qajar dynasty comes to power in Iran, ruling during a period of increasing European influence and territorial losses.
British Mandate
Iraq becomes a British mandate after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, leading to the establishment of the modern Iraqi state.
Pahlavi Dynasty
Reza Khan establishes the Pahlavi dynasty, beginning Iran's modernization and secularization efforts.
Iraqi Independence
Iraq gains independence from Britain and joins the League of Nations as a sovereign state.
Islamic Revolution
The Iranian Revolution overthrows the Shah and establishes the Islamic Republic of Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini.
Iran-Iraq War Begins
Iraq under Saddam Hussein invades Iran, beginning an eight-year war that devastates both countries.
Central Asian Independence
The collapse of the Soviet Union leads to the independence of Turkic republics in Central Asia, reviving Turanian identity.
US Invasion of Iraq
The United States invades Iraq, toppling Saddam Hussein's government and beginning a new chapter in Iraqi history.