Fertile Crescent: A Modern Term For An Ancient Region

Joshua J. Mark

Definition

The Fertile Crescent, often called the 'cradle of civilization', is the region in the Middle East that curves like a quarter-moon shape from the Persian Gulf through modern-day southern Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and northern Egypt.

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Timeline

9000 BCE
Cultivation of wild cereals in the Fertile Crescent.
9000 BCE
Wild sheep flocks are managed in the Zagros mountains.
7700 BCE
First domesticated wheats in the Fertile Crescent.
c. 6500 BCE
Cultivation of peas in the Eastern Mediterranean.
4300 BCE
The rise of the cities by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
3500 BCE
Image of the breed of dog, the Saluki, appears on ceramics as household pet.
2334 BCE - 2279 BCE
Sargon of Akkad (the Great) reigns over Mesopotamia and creates the world's first empire.
c. 2300 BCE
Wide spread production and use of soap.
2000 BCE
Domesticated horses introduced in Mesopotamia.
c. 2000 BCE
Babylon controls Fertile Crescent.
c. 1900 BCE
Ashur, future capital of the Assyrian Empire, is founded.
c. 1900 BCE - c. 1400 BCE
Trade flourishes between Mesopotamia and other regions.
1894 BCE
Amorite dynasty established in Babylon.
1795 BCE - 1750 BCE
Reign of Hammurabi, king of Babylon.
1787 BCE
Hammurabi of Babylon conquers Uruk and Isin.
c. 1772 BCE
The Code of Hammurabi: One of the earliest codes of law in the world.
c. 1760 BCE - c. 1757 BCE
Hammurabi of Babylon destroys the city of Mari. The people of Mari are spared according to Hammurabi.
1680 BCE
Hurrians occupy Assyria.
1595 BCE
King Mursilis of the Hittites sacks Babylon. Begin of Babylonian "dark ages."
1550 BCE
The Hurrian kingdom of Mitanni is founded.
1500 BCE
Egyptian empire extends to the Euphrates.
1472 BCE
Mittani annexes Assyria.
1400 BCE
Assyria regains its independence.
1350 BCE - 1250 BCE
The Hittite Empire is at its peak.
c. 1321 BCE
Western Mittani is conquered by the Hittites.
1285 BCE
Peak of Hittite power.
1220 BCE
Babylon is under Assyrian control.
1200 BCE
Phrygians invade Anatolia and destroy the Hittite Empire.
1080 BCE
Aramaeans invade Mesopotamia.
1000 BCE
Chaldeans occupy Ur.
853 BCE
Babylonian kings depend on Assyrian military support.
734 BCE
Babylon is captured by Chaldeans.
729 BCE
Babylon is occupied by Assyrians.
722 BCE - 705 BCE
Peak of the Assyrian Empire under the reign of Sargon II.
c. 600 BCE
Assyrians control the Fertile Crescent.
c. 539 BCE
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon; the Fertile Crescent is controlled by the Achaemenid Empire (The First Persian Empire).
334 BCE
Alexander the Great invades and conquers the Fertile Crescent.
116 CE
Invasion and annexation of the Fertile Crescent region by Rome under Trajan.