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1st millennium BC

Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience

A historical map showing the Eastern Hemisphere around the year 1000 BC, highlighting ancient civilizations and regions.

The 1st millennium BC was a long time, from the year 1000 BC to 1 BC. During this time, many important changes happened around the world. It was called the Iron Age in many parts of the Old World, when people started using iron for tools and weapons.

This time saw big changes in history, especially from the Ancient Near East to what we call classical antiquity. Many cultures grew and changed.

The world’s population grew a lot during the 1st millennium BC. It doubled from about 100 million people to between 200 and 250 million. This growth happened before the birth of Jesus Christ and during the time when the Julio-Claudian dynasty began under its leader Octavian.

Overview

Further information: Ancient history and Human history

The Neo-Assyrian Empire was a strong power in the Near East in the early years of this time. Later, the Achaemenid Empire took over. Ancient Egypt became weaker and was taken over by the Achaemenids in 525 BC.

In Greece, a new time began with settlements in Magna Graecia. This period became very important when Greece defeated the Achaemenids, leading to a rich Hellenistic civilization from the 4th to the 2nd centuries BC.

The Roman Republic grew stronger, replacing the Etruscans and then the Carthaginians. By the end of this time, the Roman Empire was beginning to rise. Early Celtic culture was strong in Central Europe, while Northern Europe was in the Pre-Roman Iron Age. In East Africa, the Nubian Empire and Aksum appeared.

In South Asia, the Vedic civilization led to the Maurya Empire. The Scythians ruled Central Asia. In China, the Zhou dynasty was in power at the start of this time. As the Zhou dynasty became weaker, new ideas such as Confucianism and Taoism developed. By the end of this time, the Han dynasty expanded China's influence toward Central Asia.

The Olmec civilization declined, while the Maya and Zapotec civilizations began in Mesoamerica. The Chavín culture thrived in Peru.

This time was important for the world's major religions. Early Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Vedic religion, Vedanta, Jainism, and Buddhism all developed. Writing and literature grew in many languages, including Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Chinese. The period from about the 8th to the 2nd centuries BC is called the Axial Age because it was very important in world history.

The world's population grew a lot during this time. Most people lived in the Iron Age civilizations of the Old World, such as the Roman Empire, the Parthian Empire, Graeco-Indo-Scythian and Hindu kingdoms, and Han China. Fewer people lived in the Americas, mainly in Mesoamerica, and in Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania.

Ancient history

Main article: Ancient history

Further information: Iron Age, Classical Antiquity, and Axial Age

Timeline

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

Map of the Eastern Hemisphere in 1000 BC.

Further information: Ancient technology

Map of the world in 1 AD, just after the end of the 1st millennium BC.

Literature

Main article: Ancient literature

Further information: List_of_languages_by_first_written_accounts § First_millennium_BC

Greco-Roman literature

Main articles: Greek literature and Latin literature

Archaic period

Classical period

Hellenistic to Roman period

Chinese literature

Main article: Chinese literature

Sanskrit literature

Main article: Sanskrit literature

Map of the world in 323 BC

Hebrew

Main articles: Ancient Hebrew writings and Hebrew Bible

Avestan

Other (2nd to 1st century BC)

Archaeology

Further information: Iron Age and Pre-Columbian Americas

CultureRegionPeriod
Urnfield cultureEurope, Central1300–750 BC
Atlantic Bronze AgeEurope, Western1300–700 BC
Painted Grey Ware cultureSouth Asia1200–600 BC
Late Nordic Bronze AgeEurope, North1100–550 BC
Villanovan cultureEurope, Italy1100–700 BC
Greek Dark AgesGreece1100–800 BC
Iron Age IINear East1000–586 BC
Sa Huỳnh cultureSoutheast Asia, Vietnam1000 BC–AD 200
Woodland periodNorth America1000 BC – AD 1000
Bantu expansionSub-Saharan Africa1000 BC–AD 500
Middle Nok PeriodSub-Saharan Africa, West900–300 BC
Novocherkassk cultureEurope, Eastern900–650 BC
Chavín de HuántarSouth America, Peru1200–500 BC
Poverty Point earthworksNorth America, Louisiana1650–700 BC
OlmecsMesoamerica1500–400 BC
Adena cultureNorth America, Ohio1000–200 BC
Liaoning bronze dagger cultureEast Asia800–600 BC
Middle MumunEast Asia, Korea800–300 BC
Etruscan civilizationEurope, Italy800–264 BC
Paracas cultureSouth America, Peru800–100 BC
Hallstatt cultureEurope, Central800 BC–500 BC
British Iron AgeEurope, Britain700–50 BC
Zapotec civilizationMesoamerica700 BC – AD 700
Pazyryk cultureCentral Asia600–300 BC
Aldy-Bel cultureCentral Asia600–300 BC
La Tène cultureEurope, Central/Western500–50 BC
Pre-Roman Iron AgeEurope, North500–50 BC
Northern Black Polished WareSouth Asia500–300 BC
Late MumunEast Asia, Korea550–300 BC
UreweSub-Saharan Africa400 BC–AD 500
Late Nok PeriodSub-Saharan Africa, West300–1 BC
Nasca cultureSouth America, Peru100 BC–800 AD
Calima cultureSouth America, Colombia200 BC–400 AD
Hopewell traditionNorth America100 BC–AD 400
TeotihuacanMesoamerica100 BC –AD 550
Ipiutak siteNorth America, Alaska100 BC –AD 800

Astronomy

Further information: List of solar eclipses in antiquity

Historical solar eclipses

The 1st millennium BC was a time when people began to notice and record special events in the sky. One of these events was the solar eclipse. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, making the Sun seem to disappear for a little while.

Some ancient people wrote down when these eclipses happened. These records help us learn about both the sky and how people lived long ago.

Centuries and decades

10th century BC990s BC980s BC970s BC960s BC950s BC940s BC930s BC920s BC910s BC900s BC
9th century BC890s BC880s BC870s BC860s BC850s BC840s BC830s BC820s BC810s BC800s BC
8th century BC790s BC780s BC770s BC760s BC750s BC740s BC730s BC720s BC710s BC700s BC
7th century BC690s BC680s BC670s BC660s BC650s BC640s BC630s BC620s BC610s BC600s BC
6th century BC590s BC580s BC570s BC560s BC550s BC540s BC530s BC520s BC510s BC500s BC
5th century BC490s BC480s BC470s BC460s BC450s BC440s BC430s BC420s BC410s BC400s BC
4th century BC390s BC380s BC370s BC360s BC350s BC340s BC330s BC320s BC310s BC300s BC
3rd century BC290s BC280s BC270s BC260s BC250s BC240s BC230s BC220s BC210s BC200s BC
2nd century BC190s BC180s BC170s BC160s BC150s BC140s BC130s BC120s BC110s BC100s BC
1st century BC90s BC80s BC70s BC60s BC50s BC40s BC30s BC20s BC10s BC0s BC

Images

A famous ancient Roman statue of Emperor Augustus, showcasing detailed classical art and historical significance.
An ancient golden plaque from a Scythian burial site, showcasing intricate metalwork from the Hermitage Museum.
The Parthenon in Athens, Greece, as it appeared in 1978.
A classical Greek statue of a victorious young man, showcasing ancient art and sculpture.

Related articles

Iron Age
Ancient Near East
Old World
Jesus
Augustus
Han dynasty

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on 1st millennium BC, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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