Silk Road 7-12 Dates

7th c. BCE

Founding of Afrasiab by Persian settlers

6th c. BCE

Incorporated into the Achaemenid Empire

329 BCE

Alexander the Great conquers Maracanda

3rd–1st c. BCE

Hellenistic and Kushan control

5th–8th c. CE

Sogdian “Golden Age” under Tang rule

710 CE

Umayyad conquest

722 CE

Arab conquest of Penjikent

1220 CE

Mongol destruction under Genghis Khan

1370 CE

Timur made Samarkand the Timurid capital

c. 830 CE

Belitung Shipwreck: An Arabic dhow carrying thousands of Chinese ceramics sinks

622 CE

Hijrah: Muhammad migrates from Mecca to Medina; start of the Islamic calendar; unification of tribes under Constitution of Medina.

632 CE

Death of Muhammad

7th - 8th century

Umayyad Caliphate period (established by Muawiya I; major expansion into Byzantine territories

750 CE

Abbasid Revolution: Abbasids overthrow Umayyads and come to power.

762 CE

Caliph Al-Mansur founds Baghdad; construction of the Round City begins.

786–809 CE

Reign of Harun al-Rashid

1258 CE

Mongol destruction of Baghdad

1206 CE

Genghis Khan unifies Mongolia and recognised as universal leader

1215 CE

Siege of Zhongdu against the Jin Dynasty; Mongols used archers and siege tactics.

1240 CE

Mongols devastate Russia

1258 CE

Hulagu Khan captures Baghdad

1250–1368 CE

Pax Mongolica: unification of Eurasian territories facilitates Silk Road trade and technological/cultural exchange.

1271 CE

Kublai Khan becomes Great Khan and establishes the Yuan Dynasty in China.

1279 CE

Mongols overthrow the Song Dynasty

1st century CE

Three Kingdoms period begins in Korea: Goguryeo

372 CE

Buddhism introduced to Korea when monk Sundo arrives in Goguryeo from Eastern Jin.

527 CE

Silla adopts Buddhism as state religion after martyrdom of Ichadon.

610–710 CE (Yamato Period)

Documented active embassies between Korea and Japan (39 Silla missions to Japan

668 CE

Silla unifies the Korean peninsula.

668 CE

Unified Silla gains access to maritime routes via the Yellow Sea

668–751 CE (Silla Golden Age)

Confucian-based reforms

736 CE

Tang dynasty formally recognises Silla sovereignty.

1271–1368 CE

Mongol Yuan Dynasty period; Goryeo becomes tributary