Dates of Epoch-Making Events

Historical events

Event listing

• The Ascendency in Athens of Pericles
• The Fall of the Persian Empire
• The Death of Alexander the Great
• The Reduction of Greece to a Roman province, and the Ruin of Carthage
• The Battle of Actium
• Birth of Christ, 14th year of Augustus
• Commencement of the Middle Ages
• Ruin of the Roman Empire by the Barbarians
• Clovis, ruler of Gaul
• The Flight of Mahomet
• Charlemagne, Emperor of the West
• Treaty of Verdun
• The Crusades
• Employment of Cannon at Crécy
• Invention of Printing
• Taking of Constantinople by Mahomet II
• Discovery of America by Columbus
• Copernican System published
• Accession of Leo X as Pope
• The Reformation of Luther
• Publication of Bacon's Novum Organon
• Publication of Descartes's Discourse on Method
• The Peace of Westphalia
• Reign of Louis XIV at its Height, and Peace of Nimeguen
• Publication of Newton's Theory of Gravitation
• Watt's Invention of the Steam-Engine
• Independence of the United States
• Coup d'état of 10 Brumaire
• Waterloo, and Congress of Vienna
• Introduction of Railroads into England
• First Attempt at Electric Telegraphy in France
• Africa traversed by Livingstone
• Publication of Darwin's Origin of Species
• Opening of the Suez Canal
• Proclamation of the German Empire
• Congress of Berlin