Religion Timeline

Earliest Egyptian Myths Recorded.

First written evidence of religion in the world recorded on Sumerian tablets.

First written evidence of religion in Sumerian cuneiform.

Hathor, known as Mistress of Dendera, cult center flourishes in the city of Dendera.

Osiris as Dying and Reviving God and God of the Dead appears in Pyramid Texts.

First ziggurats in Ur, Eridu, Uruk, and Nippur.

Indian scholars of the so-called Vedic Period commit the Vedas to written form; basic tenets of Hinduism are established.

The Vedic Period in India after a greater migration of the Indo-Aryans from Central Asia

The Rig Veda written, mentioning the god Rudra (Shiva) and goddess Tara (among others) for the first time.

Extant copy of the Sumerian Enuma Elish (creation story) is made from much older text.

Emergence of Yahwism.

Greek poet Hesiod writes his Theogony and Works and Days.

Development of the Charvaka school of philosophy in India.

Traditional dating of the life of Vardhamana, according to Jain tradition.

The life of Siddhartha Gautama according to the Corrected long chronology.

The life of Siddhartha Gautama according to modern scholarly consensus.

Siddhartha Gautama is born in Lumbini (present day Nepal).

The Second Temple Period; Judaism is revised, scriptures canonized, Yahweh becomes sole deity, monotheism established.

Life of Jesus Christ.

Mithraism spreads in the Roman empire.

The Mahayana movement begins in India with its belief in bodhisattva - saintly souls who helped the living.

Paul the Apostle goes on missionary journeys across Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome.

Unofficial persecution of Christians in Rome.

The tales of the life and work of Jesus (gospels) composed.

Septuagint (Greek translation of the Bible) composed at Alexandria.

Zoroastrianism becomes Persian state religion under the Sassanian Empire.

Roman emperor Constantine I tolerates Christianity.

Armenia adopts Christianity as the state religion.

In India the Tantric expands the number of deities to include helpful demons, contactable through ritual.

Clovis converts to Christianity.

Muhammad is born in Mecca.

Babylonian Talmud is compiled.

Muhammad receives his first revelation on Mount Hira.

Muhammad undertakes the Hegira (Hijra), the migration from Mecca to Medina, establishing the start of the Islamic calendar.

Battle of Badr: Muhammad's forces win, resulting in a turning point for Islam against the ruling Quraysh tribe.

Battle of Uhud: Quraysh tribe defeats the Muslims.

Battle of the Trench: Quraysh troops attempt to siege Medina (then called Yathrib), but lose to the Muslim force.

Siege of Bani Qurayzah: Muslims capture the Jewish stronghold.

Treaty of Hudaybiyyah: A peace agreement is signed between Muhammad's Muslims and the people of Mecca.

Conquest of Khaybar oasis: Jews barricade themselves in a fort at Khaybar oasis and are allowed to remain living there if they pay the Muslims one third of their produce.

First Pilgrimage ("lesser" pilgrimage or "umrah") made by Muhammad and his Muslims to Mecca after migrating to Medina.

Battle of Mu'tah: Muslims attempt to capture the village east of the Jordan River from the Byzantine Empire to show their expanding dominance, resulting in a Muslim defeat.

Non-violent conquest of Mecca: The Quraysh realize that the Muslims now greatly outnumber them and allow the Muslims to capture their city, Mecca, and rule it as they please.

Battle of Hunayn: Ending in a decisive victory for the Muslims over the Bedouin tribe of Hawazin.

Attempted Siege of Ta'if: Muhammad's forces are initially unable to siege Ta'if and convert its people to Islam.

"Farewell Hajj Pilgrimage": This is the only Hajj pilgrimage in which Muhammad participates.

Muhammad dies in Medina, not clearly naming a successor to lead the Muslim people.

Abu Bakr becomes the first caliph (successor to Muhammad) of the Rashidun Caliphate.

Umar ibn al-Khattab succeeds Abu Bakr, becoming the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate.

Uthman ibn 'Affan succeeds Umar to become the third caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate.

Ali ibn Abi Talib succeeds Uthman to become the fourth and final caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate.

The Kojiki is written, a collection of oral myths forming the basis of the Shinto religion.

The Nihon Shoki is written, a collection of oral myths forming the basis of the Shinto religion.

Imibe-no-Hironari writes the Kogoshui, a collection of oral myths forming the basis of the Shinto religion.

Construction begins of the Hindu temple at Angkor Wat.