istoryworld
Events relating to turkey
Herodotus, the 'father of history', writes his account of the Greco-Persian Wars from a vantage point in Asia Minor
In the Peace of Kallias the Persians acknowledge the independence of Greek Ionia, and agree not to bring their fleet into the Aegean
The Persians, renewing their interest in the Aegean, fund the Spartans in the building of a fleet to match that of Athens
Artemisia, widow of Mausolus, builds him a tomb at Halicarnassus so spectacular that his name provides a new word - mausoleum
Indulging in a moment of romantic tourism, Alexander visits Troy at the start of his Persian campaign
At the river Granicus, not far from Troy, Alexander defeats a Persian army employing many Greek mercenaries
At Issus, close to the Turkish border with Syria, Alexander defeats the Persian emperor Darius III, captures his family and treats them with courtesy
At Gordium, in central Turkey, Alexander is credited with cutting the mythical Gordian Knot (identifying him as the ruler of Asia)
Cement is in use for construction in Asia Minor, possibly developed first in Pergamum
Hannibal, to avoid falling into Roman hands, commits suicide in the Bithynian town of Libyssa
Parchment is invented by Eumenes II, king of Pergamum, according to traditional accounts
Crasssus is killed at Carrhae, in Turkey, when the Parthians defeat his army, largely thanks to their brilliance as mounted archers
The death of Crassus at Carrhae brings to an end the first triumvirate
Julius Caesar leaves Alexandria to travel with his army by the land route back to Italy, through Turkey
Julius Caesar concludes a campaign in Asia Minor so speedily that he declares, succinctly, Veni, vidi, vici ('I came, I saw, I conquered')
Mark Antony summons Cleopatra to visit him in Tarsus, to answer rumours that she has been disloyal to the empire
Keeping her appointment with Mark Antony in Tarsus, Cleopatra arrives in a golden barge, dressed as the goddess of love – and he proves susceptible
Saul of Tarsus, later known as St Paul, has a Greek-speaking Jewish father who is a Roman citizen
The earliest of the Christian gospels, that of St Mark, is written down - possibly in Asia Minor or Syria
A new doctor, Galen, is appointed to look after the gladiators at Pergamum
Constantine convenes a council of 200 bishops at Nicaea to discuss the beliefs of Arius, which are deemed to be heresy
Constantine's new Christian city on the site of Byzantium is inaugurated, as Constantinople
Constantine is at last baptized a Christian in Nicomedia, just a few days before his death
The first church of Santa Sophia in Constantinople, begun by Constantine himself, is completed
Julian, the new emperor in Constantinople, plans to reinstate the pagan cult of the ancient Roman empire
