| 50,000–45,000 B.C.E. | Homo sapiens migrate from Africa into southwest Asia and Europe |
| 10,000–8000 B.C.E. | Neolithic Revolution in Fertile Crescent and Sahara |
| 4000–3000 B.C.E. | Mesopotamians invent writing and establish first cities |
| 4000–1000 B.C.E. | Bronze Age in southwestern Asia, Egypt, and Europe |
| 3050 B.C.E. | Narmer (Menes) unites Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom |
| 2687–2190 B.C.E. | Old Kingdom in Egypt |
| 2350 B.C.E. | King Sargon of Akkad establishes world's first empire |
| 2300–2200 B.C.E. | Enheduanna, princess of Akkad, composes poetry |
| 2200 B.C.E. | Minoans build their first palaces |
| 2061–1665 B.C.E. | Middle Kingdom in Egypt |
| 1792–1750 B.C.E. | Hammurabi rules Babylon and issues his law code |
| 1569–1081 B.C.E. | New Kingdom in Egypt |
| 1400 B.C.E. | Mycenaeans build their first palaces in Greece and take over Minoan Crete |
| 1200–1000 B.C.E. | Period of violence ends many kingdoms |