# data[].attributes.body
During this period of time cuneiform was invented in Sumer at Uruk. Cuneiform is a system of writing that is considered the most significant among the many cultural contributions of the Sumerians. The picture above shows what Uruk would have looked like. Uruk was an extremely popular ancient city of Sumer.

# data[].attributes.body
Wealthy women and men begin to utilize gold to show their social status. The value and beauty of gold made it an ideal material for particularly important political and religious objects. The image above shows the White Temple and its Ziggurat (3500-3000 BCE). This was a focal point of the city of Uruk.

# data[].attributes.body
Pharaoh Khasekhemwy lays to rest the violent disputes of the 2nd Dynasty and unites northern and southern Egypt. The image above shows a piece depicting Pharaoh Khasekhemwy.

# data[].attributes.body
Pharaoh Sneferu passes away and Khufu (Cheops) begins his reign. Khufu was the first pharaoh to build a pyramid at Giza. Khufu's son Khafra then becomes Pharaoh. Khafra follows in his father's footsteps and helps to create more important structures such as the Sphinx and the second largest period of Giza. The picture above shows the Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khufu) and Great Sphinx which were created from  2550-2490 BCE.

# data[].attributes.body
The 5th Dynasty begins with Userkaf. He began the custom of building sun temples at Abusir. During his life he also built the Pyramid of Userkaf complex at Saqqara. The image above shows a piece made during this time period called King Menkaura and queen. Menkaure was the son of Khafre, and the smallest pyramid was built in his name. He was king before Userkaf.

# data[].attributes.headline
ANCIENT NEAR EAST - BABYLONIAN 1813-1781 BCE

# data[].attributes.subject
ANCIENT NEAR EAST - BABYLONIAN 1813-1781 BCE

# data[].attributes.body
Shamshi-Adad I had power in Northern Mesopotamia. The empire ranged from the Euphrates River to the Zagros Mountains. The image above shows The Code of Hammurabi (1792- 1750 BCE) which was a law code made in Mesopotamia during the reign of the Babylonians.

# data[].attributes.body
The 18th Dynasty begins with Ahmose I, who rises to power. He built some of the last pyramids in Eygpt and laid the foundation for the New Kingdom Period. The image above shows Ahmose I.

# data[].attributes.body
Hatshepsut declares herself ruler. She ruled alongside Thutmose III even though she was the sole ruler. Her rule is marked by great progress and prosperity. Hatshepsut made Thutmose the general of the Egyptian armies. The image above shows Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BCE). It was a mortuary temple cut into the stone of a cliff-side.

# data[].attributes.body
During this period of time the non-Mesopotamian Kassites took power in Babylonia. They re-established Babylonia as the significant power in the southern Mesopotamian area. Kassite-controlled Babylonia lasted for three centuries long. The picture above shoes the area that the Kassites ruled over.

# data[].attributes.body
Amenhotep III rises to power. He maintained his power over Egypt by reducing the power of the priests of Amun and elevating the sun god Ra. He built the Amun temple at Luxor and the palace at Malkata (close to Thebes). The image above shows the Amun temple at Luxor that he began to build in 1392 BCE. Pharaoh Tutankhamun completed the temple in 1213 BCE.

# data[].attributes.body
Akhenaten (at the time referred as Amenhotep IV), begins his reign, which was to last twenty years. He rose to the throne in Thebes. He was one of ancient Egypt's most influential and controversial Pharaohs of the Eighteenth dynasty. He was the father of Tutankhamun and husband to the heretic Queen Nefertiti. The image above is a piece called Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and three daughters. It depicts King Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti seated on thrones.

# data[].attributes.body
Akhenaten makes worship of all previous gods -- besides Aten and Re-- illegal. This caused social confusion because it was a sudden change in previously long-lasting religious beliefs. This also began to lower perception of the pharaoh as a god/king.

# data[].attributes.body
Meritaten, daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, rises to the throne. She held several titles, performing official roles for her father and becoming the Great Royal Wife to Pharaoh Smenkhkare. The image above shows Meritaten.

# data[].attributes.body
The Treaty of Kadesh  between the Hittites and the Egyptians is made. is the earliest known parity peace-treaty that had been concluded between the Hittite king Hattusilis III and the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II. The treaty was signed to end a long war between the Hittie Empire and the Egyptians.  The image above shows the treaty.

# data[].attributes.body
Ashur-dan II establishes the Neo-Assyrian empire. The Empire unifies the Middle East, from Egypt to the Caspian Sea, under one rule. This lays the foundation for the subsequent rise of the Persians, Hellenism, Christianity, and Islam. The picture above shows Ashur-dan. II

# data[].attributes.body
This is the period of time where the civilization began to develop. Villanovans living on sites began to develop as cities near the Etruscans. The image above shows the where the villanovans settled.

# data[].attributes.body
Traditional date for the first Olympic Games. The games were held every four years in Olympia, located in the western Peloponnese peninsula, in honor of the god Zeus. The games included running, long jump, shot put, javelin, boxing, pankration and equestrian events.

# data[].attributes.body
During this time. Romulus and his twin brother, Remus, found Rome on the site where they were suckled by a she-wolf as orphaned infants. Rome was on the edge of Etruscan territory.

# data[].attributes.body
Around this period of time the territorial extent of Etruscan civilization reached its maximum. It was when the first Etruscan cities rose.

# data[].attributes.body
Greek cities began to plant colonies on other Mediterranean coasts. They also adapted the Phoenician alphabet. This is an alphabet known in modern times from the Canaanite and Aramaic inscriptions found across the Mediterranean region. During this time, the Greeks also adopted metal coinage from Lydia, in Asia Minor. The image above shows the Phoenician alphabet.

# data[].attributes.body
During this period of time people in some Greek city-states looked to men who claimed that they wanted to overthrow kings or oligarchs and to make life better for the people. These people were known as tyrants and they took over power by violently removing the previous leader. Cypselus at Corinth was one of the most famous tyrants, and he is pictured above.

# data[].attributes.body
During this period of time the Etruscans expanded from nuclear settlements to areas south of Rome. The Etruscans influenced Rome in many ways. They created square urban planning, drained out the marshes around it, built roads and bridges and they built underground sewers. They also promoted much trade, metallurgy and better agriculture in and around Rome

# data[].attributes.body
During this period of time there was  something created by a tyrant named Draco called Draco’s Code of Law. The laws of Athens had previously been a set of oral laws. Draco introduced a new set of much harsher laws which were written down. For many crimes the punishment was death. The image above shows a statue of Draco.

# data[].attributes.body
During this period of time the first Etruscan named Lucius Tarquinius ascends the Roman throne. He was infamous for his tyrannical rule. Above is a picture of him.

# data[].attributes.body
The Neo-Assyrian empire collapses under an attack by Medes, Scythians and Babylonians tribes. The Royal family escapes to Harran. The picture above shows a piece made from 720-705 BCE. This was shortly before the Neo-Assyrian empire collapsed. The name of the piece is Lamassu from the citadel of Sargon II, Dur Sharrukin. The pieces served as guardian figures at the city and citadel gates.

# data[].attributes.body
A man named Solon was one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece and dominated Athenian politics for several decades. In 594 BCE he gave Athens a new Constitution. This was the start of the rise of democracy in Greece. The image above is a piece called the Athenian agora (600 BCE). This was the central gathering place for all of Athens, where social and commercial dealings took place.

# data[].attributes.body
Philosopher, scientist, and mathematician named Pythagoras was born. He developed the Pythagorean Theory which is the basis for geometry. The theory states that the area of the square built upon the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares upon the remaining sides. The image above shows a visual representation of the theory.

# data[].attributes.body
During this period of time the Etruscans expanded their territory into Po Valley. Etruscan cities began to develop in the sixth century when Etruscan influence pushed eastward from the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

# data[].attributes.body
This is when the Battle of Alalia took place. The battle was fought. among the Greeks, Etruscans, and Carthaginians.  The Etruscans did not fully "win" the battle, but a naval victory by them over the Greeks helped the Etruscans provide dominion over Corsica. The image above shows an Etruscan piece made around this time (520 BCE) called the Sarcophagus of the Spouses. This piece was meant to show the importance of the woman in Etruscan culture by displaying a woman with her husband.

# data[].attributes.body
Cyrus of Persia conquered the city of Babylon. This action ended the Babylonian empire permanently. The empire then became under Persian control. The picture above depicts Cyrus of Persia

# data[].attributes.body
The red-figure technique of vase painting was invented in Athens around this period of time. An image above shows what this type of art looked like.

# data[].attributes.body
Darius I becomes the king of Persia after overthrowing the legitimate Achaemenid monarch Bardiya, whom he later fabricated to be an imposter named Gaumata. He re-establishes and extends the empire, carrying out administrative reorganization. The image above shows the Audience Hall (apadana) of Darius and Xerxes. This was a piece made from520-465 BCE, and it served as the center of the Persian Empire's capital.

# data[].attributes.body
Darius the Great is the ruler of Persia. Upholding the tradition established by Cyrus, Darius valued the rights of all people under his rule and his goal was to be a great law-giver and organizer. Darius died due to poor health. The image above shows Darius the Great.

# data[].attributes.body
This is when Rome officially becomes a republic. The last king is overthrown and Rome is now ruled by elected officials called senators. There is  a constitution and complex republican government. The image above shows the Temple of Minerva which was created in 510 BCE. This was temple dedicated to the goddess Minerva -- also known as Athena.

# data[].attributes.body
A new government system called Democracy along with a constitution is introduced in Athens. The person who introduced this system was called Cleisthenes, also known as the Father of Athenian Democracy. The image above shows Cleisthenes.

# data[].attributes.body
Xerxes, Darius’s son, invades. The Spartan king, Leonidas, fails to hold back the Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae. After this, Athens is captured. However, in a surprise attack, Greek boats sink the Persian fleet off Salamis. Above is a picture of Xerxes.

# data[].attributes.body
This was when the Battle of Cumae occurred. This battle was fought between combined navies of Syracuse and Cumae against the Etruscans. The Greeks won this battle, and the hold Etruscans lost their control of some western Mediterranean territory. A picture showing the battle is provided above.

# data[].attributes.body
The Niobides Krater was believed to be made during this period of time. This piece was a vase that showed the story of a woman named Niobe. Niobe was a mortal woman with 14 kids. There are also various Greek gods depicted on the vase.

# data[].attributes.body
The Peloponnesian Wars occurred during this period of time. These were fought by  Sparta and Athens which were the two most powerful city-states in ancient Greece at the time. The main protagonists. Athens capitulates; Sparta takes control of much of Greece. The image above shows a graphic of the wars.

# data[].attributes.body
During this period of time the Battle of Chaeronea happened. This was the final battle of this campaign, where Philip II and his son Alexander claimed a decisive victory, effectively uniting Greece under their control. This represented the end of independent Greek city-states, and led to the formation of the Macedonian Empire. The image above is a visual of the battle.

# data[].attributes.body
The death of Alexander leads to the division of the empire among generals. A series of civil wars tore his empire apart. The image above shows Alexander the Great in battle.

# data[].attributes.body
During this period of time, some of the larger Etruscan cities made alliances with Rome. During this time the Etruscans were assimilated into Roman culture.

# data[].attributes.body
Hannibal -- who was a general of the Carthaginian army -- invades Italy. Hannibal leads the Carthage army in his famous crossing of the Alps to attack Rome. This is part of the Second Punic war. The image above depicts the Second Punic War.

# data[].attributes.body
The Winged Victory of Samothrace, also called the Nike of Samothrace, is a 2nd-century BC marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike. The statue was an ex-voto (votive offering to a deity) most likely given by the people of Rhodes to commemorate a naval victory

# data[].attributes.body
The Romans defeated the Greeks at the Battle of Corinth and Greece became part of the Roman Empire. The image above shows the battle.

# data[].attributes.body
This was the period of time where the Etruscans officially became Roman citizens. Under a law called the Lex Julia. This law helped to provide Etruscans with privileges and obligations of full Roman citizenship.

# data[].attributes.body
Spartacus the gladiator leads the slaves in an uprising. He led this revolt with an army numbering in the tens of thousands. He defeated Roman forces over half a dozen times, marching his people up and down the Italian peninsula until he was killed in battle in April 71 B.C. The image above shows the revolt.

# data[].attributes.body
The Roman Empire begins as Caesar Augustus becomes the first Roman Emperor. Augustus came to power after the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE. The image above shows Augustus.

# data[].attributes.body
On the night of July 19, a fire broke out among the shops lining the Circus Maximus, Rome's mammoth chariot stadium. It was believed that the Roman emperor named Nero caused the disaster. It was believed that he started the fire so that he could bypass the senate and rebuild Rome to his liking. The image shows Rome burning.

# data[].attributes.body
The Colosseum is built from 70-80 CE. One of the great examples of Roman engineering is finished. It can seat 50,000 spectators. An. image of the work is shown above.

# data[].attributes.body
The First Roman-Dacian War took. place from 101 to 102 CE. The kingdom of Dacia had become a threat to the Roman Empire. Rome won the battle. The image above shows the Forum of Trajan which was created between 106 and 112 CE. This piece was was devoted to Trajan's career and, in particular, his great military successes in his wars against Dacia

# data[].attributes.body
The Hadrian Wall is built. The purpose of the wall was to keep out the barbarians. It was a long wall that was built across northern England. It was the north-west frontier of the Roman empire for nearly 300 years. The image above shows the wall.

# data[].attributes.body
The Bar Kokhba revolt was a rebellion of the Jews of the Roman province of Judea. The Jews wanted independence from the Roman Empire, but the Romans put down the revolt. The image above depicts the revolt.

# data[].attributes.body
Constantine becomes Emperor He was the first emperor to adhere to Christianity and eventually Rome would become a Christian empire because of it. Prior to this Rome persecuted the Christians. The image above shows Constantine.

# data[].attributes.body
Constantine moved the capital of the Roman empire which was originally in Rome to Byzantium. It was eventually renamed Constantinople.