Maias |
Yucatan Peninsula |
2000 BC - 1500 AD |
Advanced agriculture, mathematics, and astronomy |
Pyramids, writing system |
Spanish conquest, climate change |
Cahokia |
Illinois, USA |
600 AD - 1400 AD |
Mound-building culture, urban planning |
Largest city in pre-Columbian North America |
Resource depletion, political strife |
Atlantis |
Location Unknown |
Approx. 9600 BC |
Advanced technology, immense wealth |
Naval power, architecture |
Natural disaster, hubris |
Indus Valley Civilization |
Modern Pakistan & Northwest India |
2500 BC - 1900 BC |
Urban planning, drainage system |
Standardized weights, grid city layout |
Possible climate change, invasion |
Harappan Civilization |
Modern Pakistan |
2600 BC - 1900 BC |
Agricultural, trade-oriented society |
Urban centers, advanced crafts |
Environmental changes, decline of trade |
Cretan Civilization / Minoans |
Crete, Greece |
3000 BC - 1400 BC |
Maritime culture, art, trade |
Palace of Knossos, frescoes |
Invasion, volcanic eruption |
Etruscans |
Italy |
800 BC - 100 BC |
Metalwork, urbanization, religious customs |
Architecture, sculptures |
Roman expansion, assimilation |
Norse Greenland |
Greenland |
1000 AD - 1500 AD |
Viking culture, agriculture |
Settlements, trade |
Climate change, isolation |
Olmec |
Mexico |
1200 BC - 400 BC |
Colossal heads, ritual ballgames |
Early writing, artistic influence |
Social upheaval, environmental changes |
Ancestral Puebloans |
Southwestern USA |
100 AD - 1300 AD |
Cliff dwellings, kivas |
Architectural innovations, irrigation |
Drought, resource depletion |
Sumerians |
Mesopotamia (Iraq) |
4500 BC - 1900 BC |
Cuneiform writing, city-states |
Wheel, mathematics |
Invasions, environmental factors |
Babylonian Civilization |
Mesopotamia (Iraq) |
1894 BC - 539 BC |
Hammurabi's Code, astronomy |
Legal systems, mathematics |
Conquered by Persians, internal strife |
Phoenicians |
Eastern Mediterranean |
1500 BC - 300 BC |
Maritime trading power, alphabet invention |
Trade networks, red dye |
Conquests by Persians, Romans |
Maya |
Central America |
2000 BC - 1500 AD |
Complex society with city-states |
Astronomy, calendars |
Warfare, environmental changes |
Chavin |
Peru |
900 BC - 200 BC |
Religious site, artworks |
Ceramic, metallurgy |
Social upheaval, environmental factors |
Tibetan Empire |
Tibet |
618 AD - 842 AD |
Buddhism, culture, trade |
Cultural exchanges, military conquests |
Internal conflict, external pressures |
Great Zimbabwe |
Zimbabwe |
1100 AD - 1450 AD |
Stone structures, trade |
Gold trade, architecture |
Economic decline, political instability |
Aksum |
Ethiopia |
100 AD - 940 AD |
Christian kingdom, trade |
Minting coins, architectural achievements |
Trade disruptions, resource depletion |
Songhai Empire |
West Africa |
1430 AD - 1591 AD |
Trade, Islam, urban centers |
Learning centers, military power |
Invasions, internal strife |
City of Petra |
Jordan |
5th century BC - 2nd century AD |
Rock-cut architecture, water conduit system |
Trade hub, architecture |
Destruction, decline of trade |
Byzantine Empire |
Eastern Mediterranean |
330 AD - 1453 AD |
Christianity, art, law |
Justinian code, architecture |
Ottoman conquest, internal strife |
Khmer Empire |
Cambodia |
802 AD - 1431 AD |
Hindu and Buddhist influence, architectural innovation |
Angkor Wat, water management |
Climate changes, invasion |
Incan Empire |
Andes Mountains |
1438 AD - 1533 AD |
Advanced agriculture, road systems |
Architecture, quipu |
Spanish conquest, civil war |
Teotihuacan |
Mexico |
100 BC - 550 AD |
Urbanity, pyramids |
Pyramid of the Sun, trade |
Resource depletion, conflict |
Chaco Canyon Culture |
New Mexico, USA |
650 AD - 1150 AD |
Kivas, trade networks |
Astronomical alignments, architecture |
Drought, resource depletion |
Mississippian Culture |
North America |
800 AD - 1600 AD |
Mound-building societies |
Cahokia, extensive trade networks |
Climate change, European contact |
Teotihuacan |
Mexico |
100 BC - 550 AD |
Multi-ethnic urban center |
Pyramids, murals |
Mysterious decline, possibly conflict |
Persian Empire |
Iran |
550 BC - 330 BC |
Largest empire of its time, advanced administration |
Royal Road, architectural feats |
Conquered by Alexander the Great |
Roman Empire |
Mediterranean |
27 BC - 476 AD |
Extensive road systems, law |
Architecture, engineering |
Barbarian invasions, internal corruption |
Babylon |
Iraq |
1894 BC - 539 BC |
Famous for Hanging Gardens, legal systems |
Astronomy, mathematics |
Fall to Persia, geopolitical changes |
Egyptian Civilization |
Egypt |
3100 BC - 30 BC |
Pyramids, hieroglyphics |
Architecture, mathematics |
Roman conquest, economic decline |
Carthage |
Tunisia |
814 BC - 146 BC |
Maritime power, trade |
Punic Wars, trade networks |
Defeated by Rome, destruction |
Malayan Empire |
Southeast Asia |
700 AD - 1500 AD |
Maritime trade, Islam influence |
Trade networks, cultural diffusion |
Colonial pressures, economic changes |
Chola Dynasty |
India |
300 BC - 1279 AD |
Maritime power, temple architecture |
Cultural advancements, trade |
Internal conflicts, invasions |
Urartu |
Armenia |
860 BC - 590 BC |
Fortifications, metallurgy |
Architectural achievements, inscriptions |
Conquered by Medes, geopolitical changes |
Numidia |
North Africa |
Numidian Kingdoms before 46 BC |
Formidble cavalry, agriculture |
Military tactics, alliances |
Roman conquest, internal divisions |
Zhou Dynasty |
China |
1046 BC - 256 BC |
Feudal states, Confucius arose |
Mandate of Heaven, philosophy |
Internal conflict, warfare |
Muisca Confederation |
Colombia |
600 AD - 1600 AD |
Confederation of tribes, agriculture |
El Dorado legend |
Spanish conquest, societal changes |
Nabataean Kingdom |
Jordan |
4th century BC - 106 AD |
Trade routes, rock-cut architecture |
Petra, trading networks |
Roman annexation, changing trade routes |
Mississippian Culture |
Eastern USA |
800 AD - 1600 AD |
Mound builders, agricultural societies |
Cahokia, trade networks |
European arrival, conflict |
Rapa Nui (Easter Island) |
Easter Island |
300 AD - 1868 AD |
Polynesian culture, moai statues |
Stonework, navigation |
Environmental changes, isolation |
Qin Dynasty |
China |
221 BC - 206 BC |
First Imperial dynasty, Great Wall |
Unified China, centralized state |
Internal conflict, succession crisis |
Kirman Empire |
Iran |
600 AD - 800 AD |
Cultural confluence and trade |
Metallurgy, architecture |
Steppe nomadic invasions |
Macronesian Cultures |
Pacific Islands |
1000 BC - ongoing |
Maritime trade |
Navigational prowess, art |
Isolation, European arrival |
Silla Kingdom |
Korea |
57 BC - 935 AD |
Buddhism, gold craftsmanship |
Buddhist art, cultural achievements |
Unification of Korea, invasions |
Phrygian Kingdom |
Turkey |
1200 BC - 700 BC |
Independent kingdom, literacy |
Mythology, architecture |
Conquered by Lydians and Greeks |
Bactria |
Central Asia |
2500 BC - 1200 AD |
Cultural exchange, trade |
Silk Road contributions |
Conquered by various empires |
Alans |
Eurasia |
1 AD - 500 AD |
Nomadic pastoralists |
Military prowess, trade connections |
Conquered by Huns and others |
Parthian Empire |
Iran |
247 BC - 224 AD |
Cultural syncretism, Silk Road trade |
Empire rivaling Rome |
Internal strife, economic decline |
Seljuk Empire |
Middle East |
1037 AD - 1194 AD |
Cultural renaissance, trade |
Architecture, administration |
Fragmentation, Mongol invasions |
Ottoman Empire |
Turkey |
1299 AD - 1922 AD |
Multi-ethnic empire, trade |
Architecture, administrative systems |
World War I, rise of nationalism |
Shang Dynasty |
China |
1600 BC - 1046 BC |
Early Chinese writing, bronze casting |
Chinese writing system, agriculture |
Overthrown by Zhou |
Zulu Kingdom |
South Africa |
1816 AD - 1897 AD |
Warrior culture, agricultural society |
Military organization, resistance |
Colonial pressures, warfare |
Viking Age Society |
Scandinavia |
793 AD - 1066 AD |
Seafaring warriors, raiders |
Exploration, trade |
Christianization, settlement |
Manchu Qing Dynasty |
China |
1644 AD - 1912 AD |
Last imperial dynasty, multiethnic |
Cultural exchanges, empire |
Revolutions, colonialism |
Welsh Kings and Princes |
Wales |
5th century AD - 12th century AD |
Celtic culture, local governance |
Local wars, culture preservation |
English conquest, fragmentation |
Chola Dynasty |
India |
300 BC - 1279 AD |
Maritime empire, Tamil culture |
Temple architecture, trade |
Invasions, internal strife |
Rashidun Caliphate |
Middle East |
632 AD - 661 AD |
Islamic expansion, administration |
Rapid territorial expansion |
Succession disputes, internal factions |
Sassanid Empire |
Iran |
224 AD - 651 AD |
Cultural renaissance, trade |
Art, architecture |
Islamic conquest, internal issues |
Inuit Culture |
Arctic regions |
2000 BC to present |
Nomadic lifestyle, sustainable practices |
Hunting technology, art forms |
Climate change, modern pressures |
Kushite Kingdom |
Sudan |
800 BC - 350 AD |
Egyptian influence, pyramids |
Pyramids of Meroe, trade |
Conquered by Aksum, resource depletion |
Norse settlements in Vinland |
North America |
1000 AD - 1500 AD |
Viking culture, agriculture |
Exploration, crafts |
Conflicts with Indigenous populations |
Ancient Israel |
Middle East |
1200 BC - 500 AD |
Cultural and religious influence |
Hebrew Bible, Judaism |
Conquered by empires, diaspora |
Creek Confederacy |
Southern USA |
1700 AD - 1830 AD |
Southeastern Native American culture |
Fur trade, agriculture |
U.S. expansion, forced relocation |
Mesoamerican Cultures |
Central America |
1500 BC - 1500 AD |
Complex societies, pyramids |
Astronomy, calendars |
Conquests and diseases |
Albanian Principalities |
Balkans |
12th century AD - 15th century AD |
Medieval culture |
Resistance against Ottomans |
Ottoman conquests, fragmentation |
Uralic Sami Culture |
Northern Europe |
Prehistoric - ongoing |
Nomadic reindeer herding |
Cultural resilience, music |
Modern pressures, environmental changes |
Bosnian Kingdom |
Bosnia |
Mid 12th century - 1463 AD |
Slavic culture, feudal system |
Local governance, cultural flourishing |
Ottoman conquest, fragmentation |
Muisca Confederation |
Colombia |
Pre-Columbian - 16th century AD |
Confederation of tribes, agriculture |
Goldsmithing, trade |
Spanish conquest, colonial impacts |
Angkor Empire |
Cambodia |
802 AD - 1431 AD |
Hindu and Buddhist influences |
Angkor Wat, advanced irrigation |
Climate changes, invasions |
Sicilian Kingdom |
Italy |
1130 AD - 1194 AD |
Norman influence, cultural mosaic |
Architectural achievements |
Hohenstaufen succession crisis, strife |
Alfonso of Aragon |
Mediterranean |
12th century - 15th century |
Conqueror, cultural integration |
Multiethnic governance |
Internal conflicts, power shifts |
Zapotec Civilization |
Oaxaca, Mexico |
700 BC - 1500 AD |
Agriculture, city-building |
Monte Albán, monumental architecture |
Social upheaval, Spanish conquest |
Frankish Kingdom |
Western Europe |
5th century - 9th century |
Feudalism, integration of tribes |
Charlemagne's empire, legal codes |
Fragmentation, invasions |
Alanic Society |
Eurasia |
1st century - 5th century |
Nomadic lifestyle, warrior culture |
Cultured horsemen |
Conquests by competing tribes |
Bermudian Civilizations |
Bermuda |
1300 AD - 16th century AD |
Colonial settlements, agriculture |
Developed agriculture |
Loss to European powers, dispossession |
Hutt River Province |
Australia |
1970 - 2020 |
Micro-nation, anti-centrism |
Self-declared independence |
Legal disputes, dissolution efforts |
Ming Dynasty |
China |
1368 AD - 1644 AD |
Cultural flourishing, trade |
Great Wall reconstruction, voyages of Zheng He |
Manchu invasions, internal strife |
Tang Dynasty |
China |
618 AD - 907 AD |
Cultural renaissance, Silk Road trade |
Expansion, cosmopolitan culture |
Revolts, provincial fragmentation |
Achaeans |
Greece |
1600 BC - 1100 BC |
Mycenaean culture, trade |
Linear B writing, early Greek civilization |
Dorian invasion, internal strife |
Mauryan Empire |
India |
322 BC - 185 BC |
First large empire in India |
Ashoka's edicts, trade |
Weak successors, internal conflict |
Gothic Kingdoms |
Europe |
300 AD - 700 AD |
Warlike tribes, migration |
Fall of Western Roman Empire |
Fragmentation, invasions |
Skara Brae |
Orkney, Scotland |
3100 BC - 2500 BC |
Neolithic village, stone structures |
Advanced architecture |
Climate change, abandonment |
Sumer |
Mesopotamia (Iraq) |
4500 BC - 1900 BC |
City-states, cuneiform writing |
First cities, inventions |
Invasions, trade decline |
Celtic Tribes |
Europe |
1200 BC - Roman Conquest |
Druidic culture, tribal societies |
Iron Age, complex societies |
Roman conquest, cultural assimilation |
Iberian Peninsula Cultures |
Spain/Portugal |
Prehistoric - Roman conquest |
Diverse tribal cultures |
Trade networks with Mediterranean |
Roman expansion, internal conflicts |
Timurid Empire |
Central Asia |
1370 AD - 1506 AD |
Cultural revival, architecture |
Timur's conquests, arts |
Fragmentation after Timur's death |
Armada of Exploration |
Various |
16th century - 18th century |
Maritime exploration, colonization |
Mapping of new regions |
Resource depletion, conflicts |
Denmark Vikings |
Scandinavia |
800 AD - 1100 AD |
Seafaring raiders and traders |
Exploration, settlements |
Christianization, cultural change |
Huns |
Eurasia |
4th century - 5th century |
Nomadic conquerors |
Militarism, migration |
Defeated by Germanic tribes |
Slavic Principalities |
Eastern Europe |
700 AD - 1200 AD |
Cultural blending, feudalism |
Cultural diversity, literature |
Rise of neighboring powers |
Mississippian Culture |
North America |
800 AD - 1600 AD |
Mound-building society |
Trade networks, monumental architecture |
Resource depletion, contact with Europeans |
Lombard Kingdom |
Italy |
568 AD - 774 AD |
Germanic kingdoms, feudal culture |
Integration of Roman and Germanic elements |
Conquered by Franks, assimilation |
Turkic Khanates |
Eurasia |
600 AD - 1200 AD |
Nomadic lifestyle, military structure |
Cultural exchanges along Silk Road |
Mongol invasions, fragmentation |
Yaqui Tribe |
Mexico |
Pre-Columbian - present |
Agricultural societies, resistance |
Strong spiritual beliefs, customs |
Colonial impacts, modern pressures |
Brahmin Estates |
India |
Ancient times - ongoing |
Hindu traditions, priestly roles |
Religious and cultural preservation |
Modern challenges, reforms |
Unknown West African Kingdoms |
West Africa |
Pre-colonial times |
Diverse tribal cultures, rich traditions |
Trade, artistic contributions |
Colonial disruptions, resource exploitation |
Peaceful Utterlike Society |
Eurasia |
2500 BC - 2000 BC |
Largely social structures, self-sufficiency |
Cultural resilience, innovation |
Displacement, environmental changes |
Lapita Culture |
Oceania |
1600 BC - 500 BC |
Maritime voyaging, pottery |
Cultural foundation of Polynesia |
Climate effects, cultural shifts |
Mi'kmaq Nation |
Canada |
Precolonial - ongoing |
Indigenous governance, sustainable practices |
Ecological knowledge, adaptability |
Colonial impact, demographic changes |
Cossack Hetmanate |
Ukraine |
17th century - 18th century |
Military culture, autonomy |
Anti-imperialism, cultural legacy |
Russian expansion, integration |
Carolingian Empire |
Western Europe |
800 AD - 888 AD |
Cultural renaissance, feudalism |
Cultural unification under Charlemagne |
Fragmentation after Charlemagne |
Viking Greenlands |
Greenland |
800 AD - 1300 AD |
Norse cultural heritage, farming |
Settlements, seafaring |
Climate change, isolation |
Quechua Culture |
Peru |
Prehistoric - present |
Andean civilization, agriculture |
Textile arts, agricultural practices |
Modern economic challenges |
Scythian Culture |
Eurasia |
800 BC - 200 AD |
Nomadic warrior society, horseback riding |
Art, trade networks |
Pressure from invasions, assimilation |
Ottoman Empire |
Turkey |
1299 AD - 1922 AD |
Cultural diversity, imperial governance |
Architecture, trade |
Nationalism, World War I |
Maori Culture |
New Zealand |
Polynesian settlement - present |
Agricultural and maritime societies |
Oral traditions, language preservation |
Colonial impact, modern challenges |
Babylonian Civilization |
Mesopotamia (Iraq) |
1894 BC - 539 BC |
Significant in early civilization, trade |
Hammurabi's Code, ziggurats |
Conquered, trade disruptions |
Fremantle Society |
Australia |
1840 - 1900 |
Colonial settlement culture |
Architectural developments, maritime trade |
Displacement, modern shifts |
Persian Empire |
Iran |
550 BC - 330 BC |
Largest empire, cultural achievements |
Royal Road, Persepolis |
Conquests, administrative difficulties |
Chaco Culture |
North America |
850 AD - 1150 AD |
Pueblo culture, advanced astronomy |
Cultural and trade networks |
Climate factors, resource depletion |
Three Kingdoms of Korea |
Korea |
1st century BC - 7th century AD |
Cultural exchange, rivalry |
Buddhism, military conflict |
Unification, external pressures |
Sevran-Villes |
France |
Late 20th century |
Post-colonial settlements |
Diversified communities |
Economic pressures, local conflicts |
Late Neolithic Society |
Southeast Asia |
4500 BC - 3000 BC |
Gathering and agriculture |
Cultural foundations, trade |
Rural to urban shifts |
Fraudulent Decadent Society |
Pacific Islands |
19th century |
Cultural encounters, colonization |
Assimilation of outside cultures |
Split identities in modernity |
Mayapan |
Yucatan, Mexico |
1200-1450 AD |
Maya city-state |
Cultural and trade hub |
Political strife, environmental changes |
Teotihuacan |
Mexico |
150 BC - 650 AD |
Cosmopolitan society, cultural center |
Pyramid of the Sun, urban planning |
Internal conflict, resource depletion |
Ammonite Civilization |
Jordan |
Prehistoric - 5th century BC |
Ancient tribal societies, nomadic |
Resistance against empires, trade |
Decline through conquest, assimilation |
Gallienus Feudal Kingdoms |
Europe |
Post Roman Empire - ongoing |
Tribal governance, feudalism |
Local powers resisted centralization |
Fragmentation, conquest |
Manchu Qing Dynasty |
China |
1644 AD - 1912 AD |
Multi-ethnic empire, trade |
Silk and porcelain trade, administrative systems |
Decline due to revolutions and modernization |
Sidama Kingdom |
Ethiopia |
Pre-20th century |
Traditional culture, agriculture |
Cultural practices and systems |
Colonial pressures, modern influences |