2nd millennium BC

(3rd millennium BC – 2nd millennium BC – 1st millennium BC – other millennia)

Events

* Second dynasty of Babylon
* First Bantu migrations from west Africa
* The Cushites drive the original inhabitants from Ethiopia, and establish trade relations with Egypt.
* Middle Kingdom in Egypt (2052–1570 BC)
* Hittites Old Kingdom in Anatolia (1900 BC)
* Civilization in Canaan (1800 BC)
* Egyptian domination over Canaan and Syria (1600–1360 BC)
* Athens founded (1235 BC)
* Conquest of Canaan by the Israelites
* Beginnings of Judaism (1200 BC)
* Fall of Troy (traditional date 1184 BC)

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

* Development of the alphabet
* Horse domesticated
* Indians developed caste system
* Chinese record the earliest known sighting of a comet
* Earliest known use of Chinese ideograms
* Beginning of the Iron Age: discovery of iron smelting and smithing techniques in Anatolia or the Caucasus in the late 2nd millennium BC.

Cultures

* Olmec civilization in Mesoamerica
* Middle Elamite period
* Oxus civilization
* Andronovo culture, Central Asia
* Aegean civilization
* Mycenaean civilization (c. 1600 BC–1200 BC)
* Beaker culture (ca. 2200 to 1800 BC)
* Unetice culture (ca 1800 to 1600 BC)
* Tumulus culture (ca. 1600 to 1200 BC)
* Urnfield culture (ca. 1300 to 750 BC)

Significant people

* Mahabharata - The Great War in India which led to catastrophic destruction. Around circa 3130-3140 BC
* Moses, Israelite Leader of the Exodus. Legendary figure. May have lived between the 18th century BC and the 13th century BC.
* Moses, Israelite Leader of the Exodus. Legendary figure. May have lived between the 18th century BC and the 13th century BC.
* Hammurabi, Babylonian king and law maker(1792–1745 BC)
*Pharaoh Kamose of the Seventeenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1573 BC - 1570 BC).
*Pharaoh Ahmose I of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1570 BC - 1546 BC).
*Pharaoh Amenhotep I of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1546 BC - 1524 BC).
*Pharaoh Thutmose I of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1525 BC - 1518 BC).
*Pharaoh Thutmose II of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1518 BC - 1504 BC).
*Pharaoh Thutmose III of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1503 BC - 1450 BC).
*Pharaoh Hatshepsut of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1498 BC - 1483 BC).
*Pharaoh Amenhotep II of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1453 BC - 1419 BC.
*Pharaoh Thutmose IV of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1453 BC - 1386 BC).
*Pharaoh Amenhotep III of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1386 BC - 1349 BC).
*Pharaoh Akhenaten of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1350 BC - 1334 BC.
*Pharaoh Smenkhkare of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1336 BC - 1334 BC0.
*Pharaoh Tutankhamun of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1334 BC - 1325 BC).
*Pharaoh Ay of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1325 BC - 1321 BC).
*Pharaoh Horemheb of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1321 BC - 1293 BC).
*Pharaoh Ramesses I of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1293 BC - 1291 BC).
*Pharaoh Seti I of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1291 BC - 1278 BC).
*Pharaoh Ramesses II of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1279 BC - 1212 BC).
* Shalmaneser I, King of Assyria (reigned 1274 - 1245 BC).
*Theseus. Legendary King of Athens, credited with the political unification of Attica under Athens (reign estimated to 1234 BC - 1204 BC or 1213 BC).
*Pharaoh Merneptah of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt (reigned 1212 BC - 1202 BC).