A Short History of the World

Founded in about 753BC, Rome was built on a strategic position at the lowest crossing point on the River Tiber. For most of the sixth century, it was a minor city, ruled by a succession of Etruscan kings. The seventh king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, was a cruel tyrant and, in 509, the Romans overthrew him in a popular uprising. Rather than installing a new king, the Romans decided to abandon monarchic government and establish a new system of annually elected magistrates called consuls. The consuls would be advised by an assembly of prominent citizens called the Senate. The Roman Republic was born.

An image of Zoroaster, or Zarathustra, founder of Zoroastrianism, taken from an ancient carving

Among the most important Greek philosophers were Socrates (c. 470–399) and Plato (428–348)

The Phoenicians worshipped several gods and goddesses, most notably Astarte, goddess of fertility. Astarte was married to Melqart, god of the sun and of death.

By the seventh century, aristocratic rule had grown increasingly unpopular. A merchant class, who had grown rich through trade, was frustrated at being excluded from political power because they lacked aristocratic birth. Another discontented group were ex-farmers who, after failing to repay loans due to poor harvests, had lost their land and been forced into slavery.

6500Farming begins in Greece and Balkans4500Farming reaches western Europe2500Bronze is first used in central Europe. First wheeled vehicles appear2300Chiefdoms established across most of Europe1350Urnfield culture appears in Hungary1200Iron is first used Europe.

The successful transition from a hunter-gatherer to a farming culture in Europe was greatly helped by a number of advances made between 3900 and 2500. The first of these occurred in the late fourth millennium, when people began to use animals for more than just their meat.

European agriculture first arose in Greece and the Balkans in about 6500, possibly influenced by migrants from the Fertile Crescent. They grew cereals and legumes and raised cattle, sheep and goats. It spread around the Mediterranean coast, reaching Spain by 5000.

According to Chinese legend, civilization was established by Emperor Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’, in 2698 and China’s first dynasty was the Xia, founded by Yu the Great in 2205

The religious teacher, Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as Buddha (Enlightened One) founded Buddhism. Another teacher, Mahavira, founded Jainism. Both faiths rejected the authority of the Vedas and the Brahmans.