istoryworld
Events relating to asia
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)
Moving northeast into Mesopotamia, Alexander again defeats Darius III (at Gaugamela), leaving Persia open to his advances
Alexander takes a major new step, leaving Persian territory and moving through the mountain passes into India
Alexander, still only 33, dies in Babylon following a banquet
The spread of Greek rule by Alexander introduces the Hellenistic age, which will last for three centuries
Chandragupta Maurya seizes the throne of Magadha, in India, and establishes the Mauryan dynasty
Seleucia is founded as a new capital on the Tigris, eclipsing Babylon and recycling much of the older city as building material
Some 20 years after the death of Alexander the Great one of his generals, Ptolemy, extends his rule from Egypt to include Jerusalem
Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma emerge as India's trio of main gods, with the Vedic religion of the Aryans evolving into Hinduism
The Indian epic of romance and adventure, the Ramayana, is probably the work of a single author at about this time
Seleucus founds Antioch as a Greek city on the trade route between Mesopotamia and Europe
Asoka, a devotee of Buddhism, wins the Mauryan throne and establishes India's first empire
Asoka, extending his rule over much of India, proclaims his Buddhist faith on pillars and in rock inscriptions
The Chinese develop the crossbow, many centuries before its use in Europe
The digits known now as Arabic numerals make their first tentative appearance in India
Buddhism reaches Sri Lanka as a result of the missionary efforts of the Indian ruler, Asoka
After 800 years the Zhou dynasty is brought to an end by the ruler of the Qin kingdom
The ruthless Qin dynasty establishes control over the whole of central China
The Qin emperor joins up earlier fortifications to create the Great Wall of China
In the Qin dictatorship, all Confucian books are burnt (except those of any practical use) and 460 Confucian scholars are executed
A delegate from imperial China establishes the kingdom of Nam-Viet with himself as king
The Qin emperor, Shi Huangdi, is buried at Xi'an with a vast army of terracotta soldiers
The Han, the first of the great Chinese dynasties, is established
Cement is in use for construction in Asia Minor, possibly developed first in Pergamum
