Ancient Syria

Definition

Syria is a country located in the Middle East on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and bordered, from the north down to the west, by Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and Lebanon. It is one of the oldest inhabited regions in the world with archaeological finds dating the first human habitation at c. 700,000 years ago. The Dederiyeh Cave near Aleppo has produced a number of significant finds, such as bones, placing Neanderthal habitation in the region at that time and shows continual occupation of the site over a substantial period.

More about: Ancient Syria

Timeline

  • c. 6000 BCE
    Settlement of Tell Brak founded in Syria.
  • c. 3000 BCE - c. 2300 BCE
    The Semitic Kish culture is dominant in the area of modern-day Syria. This culure is exemplified by Ebla and the Cities I and II of Mari.
  • c. 3000 BCE
    Trade already established between Syria and Egypt.
  • c. 3000 BCE
    City of Ebla founded in Syria.
  • c. 3000 BCE - c. 2900 BCE
    Mari, the earliest known planned city, is built near the eastern bank of the Euphrates.
  • 2334 BCE - 2279 BCE
    Reign of Sargon the Great of Akkad who conquers Syria.
  • c. 2240 BCE
    Naram-Sin of Akkad campaigns against the Amorites in northern Syria.
  • 1344 BCE - 1322 BCE
    Reign of the Hittite king Suppiluliuma I. Hittites conquer Syria.
  • 1274 BCE
    Battle of Kadesh between Pharaoh Ramesses II of Egypt and King Muwatalli II of the Hittites.
  • c. 1245 BCE
    Assyrian king Tukulti-Ninurta I defeats Hittites at Nihriya. Assyrians rule Syria.
  • c. 1200 BCE
    Region of Syria invaded by Sea Peoples.
  • 912 BCE - 612 BCE
    Syria is part of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
  • 605 BCE - 549 BCE
    Babyon rules over Syria.
  • 549 BCE - 300 BCE
    The Persian Achaemenid Empire rules Syria.
  • 332 BCE
    Alexander the Great conquers Phoenicia and turns toward Egypt.
  • 312 BCE - 83 BCE
    Syria under the rule of Seleucid Empire.
  • 274 BCE - 271 BCE
    The first Syrian war, marking the beginning of the contest between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids for Phoenicia and Coele-Syria.
  • 83 BCE
    Tigranes the Great of Armenia liberates Syria and rules the region.
  • 64 BCE
    Pompey the Great claims Syria for Rome.
  • 63 BCE
    Jerash in Jordan becomes part of the Roman province of Syria.
  • 66 CE - 73 CE
    Syrian troops participate in the First Jewish-Roman War.
  • c. 115 CE - c. 116 CE
    Roman Empire annexes Syria.
  • c. 125 CE - c. 180 CE
    Life of the Rhetorician and Satirist Lucian of Samosata, an Hellenized Syrian writing in Attic Greek during the Second Sophistic.
  • 132 CE - 136 CE
    Syrian troops under Rome suppress the Bar Kokhba Revolt.
  • 476 CE
    Fall of the Western Roman Empire. Syria continues under Eastern (Byzantine)Empire.
  • 637 CE
    Muslim forces defeat the Byzantine army. Syria becomes part of Rashidun Caliphate.
  • 970 CE
    The Treaty of Safar makes Aleppo a client state of the Byzantine Empire.
  • 975 CE
    John I Tzimiskes invades Syria, conquering several cities and forcing neighboring Muslim states such as Damascus to pay tribute to the Byzantines.
  • c. 1141 CE
    The Assassins occupy Masyaf castle in Syria.
  • Dec 1259 CE
    The Mongols besiege and capture Aleppo in Syria.
Membership