Archaeology and Biblical History

Compiled by A.D. Riddle.

Archaeological Periods

Early Bronze I

3300 BC - 3000 BC

Early Bronze II

3000 BC - 2750 BC

Early Bronze III

2750 BC - 2200 BC

Recent research suggests moving end of EB III back to 2600-2500 BC, which would extend the Intermediate Bronze Age from ca. 200 years in duration to 600-500 years in duration (Höflmayer 2017).

Intermediate Bronze

2200 BC - 2000 BC

This period is variously called Early Bronze IV or Middle Bronze I because there is disagreement over whether it shares more affinities with Early Bronze or with Middle Bronze. Intermediate Bronze is a neutral designation but it leaves the chronology without a Middle Bronze I period.

Middle Bronze IIA

2000 BC - 1750 BC

Also called simply Middle Bronze II.

Middle Bronze IIB

1750 BC - 1550 BC

Also called Middle Bronze III.

Late Bronze I

1550 BC - 1400 BC

Late Bronze II

1400 BC - 1200 BC

Iron I

1200 BC - 980 BC

Iron IIA

980 BC - 840 BC

Iron IIB

840 BC - 720 BC

Iron IIC

720 BC - 586 BC

Babylonian Period

586 BC - 539 BC

Persian Period

539 BC - 332 BC

Hellenistic Period

332 BC - 37 BC

Early Roman Period

37 BC - 132 AD

Late Roman Period

132 AD - 324 AD

Byzantine Period

324 AD - 638 AD

Early Islamic Period

638 AD - 1099 AD

Crusader Period

1099 AD - 1187 AD

Late Islamic Period

1187 AD - 1516 AD

Historical Periods in the Holy Land

Canaanite Period

3300 BC - 1400 BC

Israelite Conquest, Settlement, and Judges Period

1400 BC - 1050 BC

This assumes an early date for the exodus from Egypt in 1446 BC.

United Monarchy

1050 BC - 930 BC

Saul, David, and Solomon.

Northern Kingdom of Israel

930 BC - 722 BC

Southern Kingdom of Judah

930 BC - 586 BC

Assyrian Empire

722 BC - 605 BC

Babylonian Empire

586 BC - 539 BC

Persian Empire

539 BC - 332 BC

Alexander the Great's Empire

332 BC - 323 BC

Ptolemaic Kingdom

323 BC - 201 BC

Until 301 BC, control of southern Levant passed between the Ptolemies and Seleucids 5 times.

Seleucid Kingdom

201 BC - 167 BC

Hasmonean Kingdom

167 BC - 37 BC

Roman Empire

37 BC - 324 AD

Byzantine Empire

324 AD - 638 AD

Corresponds to Constantine the Great's reunification of the eastern and western halves of the Roman empire.

Rashidun Caliphate

638 AD - 661 AD

Umayyad Caliphate (Damascus)

661 AD - 750 AD

Abbasid Caliphate (Baghdad)

750 AD - 969 AD

The Abbasids maintain control except for two brief periods: Tulunids (Cairo) control Palestine 878-904 AD and the Ikhshidids (Cairo) control Palestine 938-968 AD.

Fatimid Caliphate (Cairo)

969 AD - 1099 AD

Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem

1099 AD - 1187 AD

Crusaders defeated by Saladin (Ayyubid sultan) at Battle of Hattin in 1187 AD. Last Crusader stronghold of Acre fell in 1291 AD.

Ayyubid Caliphate (Damascus)

1187 AD - 1250 AD

Mameluke Caliphate (Cairo)

1250 AD - 1516 AD

Ottoman Empire

1516 AD - 1917 AD

British Mandate

1917 AD - 1948 AD

State of Israel

1948 AD - present

Major Events

Abraham departs for Canaan

2091 BC

For the Late Date of the Exodus, Abraham leaves for Canaan ca. 1875 BC.

Hebrew Sojourn in Egypt

1877 BC - 1446 BC

For the Late Date of the Exodus, the Hebrew Sojourn in Egypt lasts ca. 1660-1270 BC.

Exodus from Egypt

1446 BC

The Late Date for the Exodus is ca. 1270 BC.

Joshua begins Israelite conquest of Canaan

1400 BC

For the Late Date of the Exodus, the Israelite Conquest begins ca. 1225 BC.

David anointed king

1011 BC

United Kingdom divides into Kingdom of Israel and Kingdom of Judah

931 BC

Israel falls to the Assyrians

722 BC

Assyrian empire falls to Babylonians

605 BC

Judah falls to the Babylonians

586 BC

Babylon falls to Medes and Persians

539 BC

Jerusalem temple rebuilt

515 BC

Battle of Issus: Alexander the Great defeats Persians

333 BC

Maccabean Revolt

166 BC

Pompey conquers Judea

63 BC

Herod the Great

37 BC - 4 BC

Jesus' birth

5 BC

First Jewish Revolt — temple destroyed by Romans

66 AD - 70 AD

Bar Kokhba Revolt

132 AD - 135 AD

Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, visits holy places in Palestine and builds churches

324 AD

Roman Empire splits into East and West

395 AD

Council of Chalcedon: Split between Catholic (Western) and Orthodox (Eastern) Churches

451 AD

Muhammad begins to receive revelations from Gabriel in cave

610 AD

Dome of the Rock constructed

691 AD

Protestant Reformation: Split between Catholic and Protestant Churches

1517 AD

Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilds Dome of the Rock and Jerusalem's walls

1541 AD

Israel War of Independence

1948 AD

Six-Day War

1967 AD

Israel captures Golan Heights, West Bank, and Sinai Peninsula.

Yom Kippur War

1973 AD

Egyptian Historical Periods

Dates based on Ian Shaw, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000).

Predynastic/Archaic Period

4500 BC - 3100 BC

Early Dynastic Period

3100 BC - 2700 BC

Old Kingdom

2700 BC - 2200 BC

First Intermediate Period

2200 BC - 2040 BC

Middle Kingdom

2040 BC - 1650 BC

Second Intermediate Period

1773 BC - 1550 BC

New Kingdom

1550 BC - 1069 BC

Third Intermediate Period

1069 BC - 664 BC

Late Period

664 BC - 332 BC

Ptolemaic Period

332 BC - 30 BC

Roman Period

30 BC - 395 AD

Egyptian Dynasties

Dates based on Ian Shaw, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000).

0th Dynasty

3200 BC - 3000 BC

1st Dynasty

3000 BC - 2890 BC

2nd Dynasty

2890 BC - 2686 BC

3rd Dynasty

2686 BC - 2613 BC

4th Dynasty

2613 BC - 2494 BC

5th Dynasty

2494 BC - 2345 BC

6th Dynasty

2345 BC - 2181 BC

7th Dynasty

2181 BC - 2181 BC

Dynasty rules for 70 days.

8th Dynasty

2181 BC - 2160 BC

9th Dynasty

2160 BC - 2130 BC

10th Dynasty

2130 BC - 2025 BC

11th Dynasty

2125 BC - 1985 BC

12th Dynasty

1985 BC - 1773 BC

13th Dynasty

1773 BC - 1650 BC

Egyptian dynasty.

14th Dynasty

1773 BC - 1650 BC

Canaanite/Asiatic/Semitic rulers.

15th Dynasty

1650 BC - 1550 BC

Hyksos rulers.

16th Dynasty

1650 BC - 1580 BC

Egyptian dynasty.

17th Dynasty

1580 BC - 1550 BC

Egyptian dynasty. Drives the Hyksos out of Egypt and continues as Egypt's 18th Dynasty.

18th Dynasty

1550 BC - 1295 BC

19th Dynasty

1295 BC - 1186 BC

20th Dynasty

1186 BC - 1069 BC

Theban Priest-Kings/Generals

1080 BC - 969 BC

From about the last decade of the 20th Dynasty (reign of Ramesses XI) until perhaps near the end of the 21st Dynasty (uncertain), the High Priests of Amun acted as effective rulers in Thebes, later all of Southern (Upper) Egypt. They were Libyans related by blood to rulers of the 21st Dynasty.

21st Dynasty

1069 BC - 945 BC

Libyan rulers based in Tanis.

22nd Dynasty

945 BC - 715 BC

Libyan rulers based in Bubastis and Tanis.

23rd Dynasty

818 BC - 715 BC

Libyan rulers based in Leontopolis.

25th Dynasty

747 BC - 656 BC

Nubian/Kushite rulers based in Napata and Memphis.

24th Dynasty

727 BC - 715 BC

Libyan rulers based in Sais.

26th Dynasty

664 BC - 525 BC

Libyan rulers based in Sais.

27th Dynasty

525 BC - 404 BC

Also called First Persian Period or First Egyptian Satrapy. Part of Achaemenid/Persian Empire.

28th Dynasty

404 BC - 399 BC

29th Dynasty

399 BC - 380 BC

30th Dynasty

380 BC - 343 BC

31st Dynasty

343 BC - 332 BC

Also called Second Persian Period or Second Egyptian Satrapy. Part of Achaemenid/Persian Empire.