CHRONOLOGY FOR ANATOLIA

500,000 BC 

Paleolithic Age. Earliest human (homoerectus) presence in Yarimburgaz (Istanbul), Karain (Antalya), Beldibi (Antalya) Caves, no settled life yet, primitive stone tools, hunting, fishing, collecting edible plants from the nature

7,250 - 6,500 BC

Neolithic Age. First settlements at Cayonu, Hacilar, Catalhoyuk. Catalhoyuk the largest settlement in the near east. Early agriculture (wheat, barley, lentils). Religious shrines and figurines, pottery, mural paintings. Burials inside homes

6,500 - 5,500 BC

Catalhoyuk becomes cultural center and introduces religious shrines. The Mother goddess becomes the main deity in Anatolia. First temples and sanctuaries

5,500 - 3,000 BC

Chalcolithic Age. Use of Copper. Dark ages. Burials in cemeteries

5,000 BC

Alacahoyuk, Alisar, Canhasan and Beycesultan rise as main settlements

3,000 BC

Anatolia enters Bronze Age and reaches a high level of civilization. First settlement at Troy. Fortresses and Feudal Lords. Bronze extensively used to make weapons and ornamentation

2,500 - 2,000 BC

Pre Hittite Hatti people, and Assyrian trading colonies and posts (Kanesh) in Anatolia. Strong commercial ties between Anatolia and Mesopotamia. First written tablets found

1,900 BC

Hittite kingdom founded by Anitta. Hattussas built

1,750 BC

Old Hittite kingdom rising political power

1,450 BC

Hittite Empire main power in the Middle East

1,286 BC

War and earliest international treaty in the world between Hittites and Egyptians

1,200 - 1,100 BC

Anatolian civilizations destroyed by sea peoples. Trojan war, fall and sack of Troy. Hattussas destroyed. Hittite Empire collapses and organized as small city states at Carchemish, Karatepe, Zincirli, Aslantepe. Vacuum of power in Anatolia

1,100 - 1,000 BC

Beginning of Greek migration to Aegean coast of Anatolia. Miletus the first Greek colony and city

900 BC
800 BC

Urartu civilization in the eastern Anatolia. Phrygian becomes main power in central Anatolia. Lydian, Lycian and Carian cultures along the Aegean and Mediterranean. Greek culture rises and founds Pan-Ionic league

750 BC

Miletus active in establishing colonies along the Aegean and Black Sea coasts

717 BC

Assyria captures Carchemish and other Neo-Hittite states and gains control in Anatolia. Phrygia takes over in W Anatolia. 

700 BC 
650 BC

Phrygians and cities of  West Anatolia destroyed by Cimmerians . Lydia main power. Homer born at Smyrna. First coin in the World introduced by Lydians at Sardis.

660 BC

Byzantium founded by Megarians. Miletus continues to establish more colonies.

600 BC

Ionian leading area in Greek science and Philosophy. Tyrants rule Anatolia.

560 BC

Croesus becomes ruler of Lydia. 

546 BC

Croesus defeated by Cyrus of Persia. Persian domination established all over Anatolia and Greece. 

522 BC
512 BC

Darius ruler of Persia. Byzantium captured by Darius.

499 BC

Ionian cities began to revolt against Persian rule.

498 BC

Sardis captured and burned by Ionian cities.

494 BC

Persians crush Ionian revolt at Battle of Lade, and burns down Miletus.

490 BC

Persians defeated at battle of Marathon.

486 BC
480 BC

Darius dies, Xerxes invades Greece. Persians defeated by Greeks at Termoplyae and Salamis

479 BC

Persians defeated again at battles, Platea and Mycale. Ionian cities regain freedom temporarily.

478 BC

Delian League welcomes Ionian cities.

467 BC

Persians defeated once more by Athenians at Termydon.

431 BC
404 BC

Peloponessian war begins between Athens and Sparta.  Rhodes founded. End of Peloponessian war, Sparta victorious against Athens.

401 BC

The ten thousand under Xenophon begins expedition into Persia.

399 BC

Socrates killed at Athens.

395 BC

Sardis besieged by Agesilaus.

394 BC

Battle of Cnidus

386 BC

Anatolia under Persian rule again by King's peace.

356 BC
336 BC

Alexander the great born. His father Philip of Macedon assassinated and son Alexander becomes ruler.

334 BC

Alexander crosses Dardanelles   into Asia Minor. Persians defeated at Granicus battle. Ionian cities liberated. Miletus and Halicarnassus besieged by Alexander.

334 BC

Alexander conquers Lycia, Pamphylia and Pisidia. Cities of Sillyum and Termessus gives Alexander hard times.

333 BC

Alexander's conquests in Cilicia, decisive defeat of Persians at Issus battle. 

323 BC

Alexander dies at Babylon at the age 32. Diadochi, Alexander's successors begin war.

318 BC

Antigonus takes over Asia Minor.

301 BC

Antigonus defeated and killed at the battle of Ipsus. Lysimachus rules Anatolia. 

300 BC

Seleucid dynasty gains control in Syria. Antioch on the Orontes founded.

295 BC

Seleucid occupies Cilicia. Lysimachus conquers Ionia. 

281 BC

Seleucid defeated Lysimachus at the battle of Corupedium and becomes main power in Anatolia, Lysimachus dies at the battlefield.

278 BC

Gauls at Anatolian stage.

263 BC 
241 BC

Rise of Pergamum kingdom under Attalid dynasty. 

230 BC

Rome and Pergamum strong allies. Gauls crushed by Pergamum.

188 BC

Treaty of Apamea puts a end to Seleucid rule in Anatolia.

133 BC

Attalus III the last king of Pergamum dies and leaves his kingdom to Rome. 

130 BC 

Roman province of Asia Minor established. Pergamum becomes capital. Aristonicus defeated.

88 BC

Mithridates the king of Pontus destroys cities and massacres number of Roman citizens. 

83 BC

End of Seleucid kingdom. Mediterranean coast center of Piracy.

80 BC

Commagene kingdom in the remote east Anatolia founded, after the death of Antiochus, monumental tomb built on the top of Mt. Nemrut.

78 BC

Pompeii the general campaigns against Pirates in Pamphlyia, Cilicia and Isauria.

74 BC

Nicomedes IV the king of Bithynia dies and leaves his kingdom to Rome.

66 BC

After defeated by Romans, Mithridates kills himself. Rome controls much of Anatolia

41 BC

Anthony and Cleopatra come together at Tarsus.

40 BC 

Anthony and Cleopatra marry at Antioch

31 BC 

Defeat of Anthony by Octavius at the battle of Actium.

30 BC

Anthony and Cleopatra commit suicide. Octavius (Augustus) visits Antioch. End of Hellenistic period and beginning of Roman Imperial Period.

29 BC

Ephesus replaces Pergamum as capital of the Roman Province of Asia.

14 AD

Augustus dies and Tiberius takes over.

40 AD
56 AD

St. Paul's missionary journeys. First Christian community at Antioch. Lycia becomes province of Roman Empire.

117 AD

Trajan dies at Selinus, Cilicia, Hadrian becomes Imperator

124 AD

Hadrian's visits in Asia Minor.

129 AD

Galen the famous physician at Pergamum

165 AD

Plaque dangers Asia Minor cities.

215 AD

Caracalla at Antioch

303 AD

Christians severely persecuted at Nicomedia. Constantine the great emperor. 

325 AD

First of Ecumenical council meetings at Nicea under Constantine the great.

381 AD

Second council meeting at Constantinople.

392 AD

Christianity state religion by Theodisius.

395 AD

Roman Empire divided as Eastern and Western roman empire.

431 AD

Third of council meetings at Ephesus

527 AD
565 AD

Justinian the Great at  throne and Byzantine Empire at Zenith. Church of St. Sophia built.

626 AD

Avars and Slavic People besiege Constantinople.

636 AD
677 AD

Arabs defeat Byzantines. Arab fleet attack Constantinople.

717 AD

Arab siege of Constantinople

726 AD

Iconoclastic Period, representation of human figures banned in churches

813 AD 

Bulgars besiege Constantinople

842 AD

End of Iconoclastic period, churches began to be adorned with mosaics and frescoes

923 AD

Bulgars capture Hadrianople and besiege Constantinople

963 AD
969 AD

Nicephorus Phocas defeats Arabs and regains Cilicia.

1054 AD

Split of Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches

1071 AD

Turks on Anatolian stage first time. Defeat of Byzantine Army by Selcuks at Manzikert

1071 - 1283 AD

The Selcuk Sultanate main power in Anatolia.

1096 AD

First Crusade. Crusaders in Anatolia first time.

1176 AD

Selcuks defeat Greeks at Myriocephalon. Byzantines lose last chance to drive Turks out of Anatolia.

1203 AD

Fourth Crusade.

1204 AD

Latin army attacks Constantinople and burns it down. Latin Empire at Constantinople. Byzantine Emperors( Lascarid dynasty) took refuge  at Nicea. Comneni dynasty found empire of Trebizond on the Black Sea Coast.

1240 AD

Turks in W Anatolia. Mongolian invasion of Anatolia.

1243 AD

Mongols defeat Selcuks at Kosedag. End of Selcuk power.

1261 AD

Paleologus dynasty takes back Constantinople and restores Byzantine Empire.

1299 AD

Ottoman state by Osman at the Town Sogut W Anatolia.

1326 AD

Bursa first capital of Ottomans

1351 AD

Turks cross Dardanelles to Europe first time.

1389 AD

War between Serbians and Turks. Serbs defeated

1396 AD

Beyazit the thunderbolt defeats Crusader army at Nicopolis

1397 AD

Constantinople besieged by Turks first time

1402 AD

Tamerlane defeats Turks at Ankara and captures Beyazit. Interregnum in Anatolia.

1422 AD 

Constantinople besieged second time.

1439 AD

Council meeting at Florence.   Last attempt to unite Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches failed.

1444 AD

Crusaders defeated by Turks at Varna

1448 AD 

Hungarians defeated by Turks at Kosova

1453 AD

A turning point with the conquest of Constantinople by Turks under Mehmet II the Conqueror. Constantinople renamed Istanbul and became capital of Ottoman Empire. Last emperor Constantine XI dies in battle. Church of St. Sophia converted to Mosque to be the first in the city.

1517 AD

Selim I captures Cairo and took the title of Caliph from Mameluk dynasty.

1520 AD
1566 AD

Suleiman the magnificent's long reign. Ottoman empire at its peak. Now, the empire covers Greece, North Africa, Syria, Palestine, Balkans and Anatolia.

1571 AD

Capture of Cyprus by Turks. Ottoman fleet defeated at Lepanto by Christian forces.

1578 AD
1666 AD

Ineffective Sultans leave control to their Women and Grand Viziers. 

1666 AD
1812 AD

War between Ottoman Empire and European powers. Ottoman empire loses territories in S Europe.

1821 AD

Greek War of Independence

1826 AD

Janisssary corps abolished by Mahmut II

1830 AD

Greece becomes independent state. Anatolia invaded by Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt.

1839 AD

The Tanzimat Period. Reforms and reorganization in Ottoman Empire

1877 AD

First Turkish Parliament, later dissolved by Sultan Abdül Hamit II.

1908 AD

Constitution and parliament restored

1909 AD

Abdül Hamit overthrown

1912 AD
1913 AD

Balkan Wars. Ottomans lose Macedonia and some part of Thrace.

1914 AD

Turkey in the World War I, on the side of Germany.

1915 AD

Gallipoli campaign. Allied ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corps) troops defeated by Turks. 

1918 AD 

Ottoman surrenders to Allied forces. Istanbul invaded by Anglo-French armies. Anatolia invaded by French, Italian, Greek, Russian.

1919 AD

Beginning of War of Independence under Ataturk. Greeks at Smyrna (Izmir).

1920 AD

Grand National Assembly at Ankara, and Ataturk first president of Turkey.

1922 AD

Greek army defeated and driven out of the Country. Sultanate abolished. Last sultan escaped to Malta.

1923 AD 

Treaty of Lausanne recognizes sovereignty and borders of Turkey. Turkey reorganized as Republic of Turkey with Ataturk as first president. Exchange of Turkish and Greek populations.

1924 AD

Caliphate abolished

1925 AD
1938 AD

Ataturk's reforms and modernization programs. Ataturk dies Nov 10 1938. Inonu second president of Turkey.

1946 AD

Turkey member of United Nations

1950 AD

Turkish troops at Korea.

1960 AD
1961 AD

Revolution by Turkish army. Adnan Menderes Prime minister and three state secretaries executed.

1963 AD

Turkish and Greek conflict on Cyprus.

1971 AD

First bridge built on the Bosphorus

1980 AD

Turkish Army once more in Power

1983 AD

Democracy restored, and Mr. Turgut Ozal prime minister

1999 AD

A devastating earthquake (7,4 Richter) hit the northwest of Turkey, killed approximately 30,000 people.