istoryworld
Events relating to asia
Hockey, like polo, is a team game in the Persian empire
The Greek cities of Ionia rebel against Persian rule, with the partial support of Athens
After six years the Persians recover control of Ionia, but Athens is now identified as a target for invasion
Darius sends a fleet across the Aegean, carrying a large army of infantry and cavalry for an attack on Athens
The Persian fleet moves south towards Athens, but then heads home across the Aegean without attempting an assault on the city
Xerxes I, renewing the campaign of his father Darius against the Greeks, leads a large army round the Aegean and through Thrace
The Delian League is formed for mutual defence, but also to liberate the Greek cities of Ionia from Persian rule
Vardhamana, an Indian prince, leaves home to live as a beggar - at the start of the Jain religion
The Athenian general Cimon wins a spectacular victory over the Persians at the mouth of the Eurymedon River, in southwest 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
Siddartha Gautama, a prince in Nepal, leaves home to become a wandering ascetic
Gautama Buddha preaches his first sermon, at Sarnath, setting out the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path
Gautama, after a night of meditation under a pipal tree at Buddh Gaya, is 'enlightened' and becomes the Buddha
Buddha introduces a vigorous tradition of monasticism, in the order of Buddhist monks known as Sangha
The Persians, renewing their interest in the Aegean, fund the Spartans in the building of a fleet to match that of Athens
Daodejing ('The Way and the Power') is the book of Daoism
The kingdom of Magadha, with its capital at Rajgir (near modern Patna), emerges as the dominant power in north India
Artemisia, widow of Mausolus, builds him a tomb at Halicarnassus so spectacular that his name provides a new word - mausoleum
Daoism, attributed to the mythical sage Lao Tzu, becomes a popular alternative to the solemnity of Confucianism
Tea, now well established as a drink, features in a Chinese dictionary
The brutal philosophy of Legalism contributes to the decline of the Zhou dynasty
The Mahabharata, India's great national epic, begins to take shape
Indulging in a moment of romantic tourism, Alexander visits Troy at the start of his Persian campaign
