Period Dates Features
Neolithic 7500-4000 BC

Neolithic tower - Jericho

Called "Prehistory" due to lack of known documentation. Material remains at Jericho evidence developing urban socialization. Evidence of grain cultivation, domestication of sheep, goats & pigs, pottery production, fertility cult.
Chalcolithic 4000-3150 BC

Chalcolithic temple at Ein Gedi

"Prehistory" due to lack of known documentation. Copper is used & traded. Houses built in both square and round styles, and in some agricultural settlements are built underground.

 
Early Bronze 3150-2200 BC

Sumerian mathematical text

 Flourishing urban culture, especially on coastal plain (e.g. Gezer), Jordan Valley (e.g. Beth Yerah) and the Negev (e.g. Arad). Culture blossoms: writing (religious, historical, mathematical, literary & dramatic, legal texts) found in Egypt & Mesopotamia. International trade routes established including across the "land bridge" of Canaan.

EB I

 3150-2850 BC  

EB II

 2850-2650 BC

Sumerian Lyre

EB III

 2650-2350 BC  

EB IV

 2350-2200 BC  
Middle Bronze 2200-1550 BC

Asiatics in Egypt
Tomb of Khnumhotep, dyn. 12

 "Patriarchal Age" Western Semites establish small city-states. Hyksos invade Egypt & Canaan. Metals are used for tools & weapons. War-chariots introduced by the Hyksos. First alphabetic script found in Sinai & Canaan. Hittites, Amorites & other Semitic nomads migrate into Canaan.
MB I
 2200-2000 BC   Ur III Period (2100-2000) -- Neo-Sumerian renaissance. King Ur-Nammu published the first known "law code."
MB IIA
 2000-1750 BC

Hammurabi's Law Code

Hammurabi's educational system fostered classical Sumerian learning as well as cultivating indigenous literature in Akkadian. The Enuma Elish and the Atrahasis Epic come from this period. Hammurabi published an extensive law code. Mathematics was highly developed. The Babylonians published algebra tables and geometry calculations including calculations for a right triangle (Pythagorean theorem). Zimri-Lim's royal archives at Mari had holdings of c. 20,000 cuneiform texts.

In Canaan, kings who threatened Egyptian regional interests were cursed by means of Execration Texts.

MB IIB
 1750-1630 BC

Egyptian Mathematical Text
15-16th Dyn.

The 2nd Intermediate Period in Egypt was dominated by Asiatics living in the Delta. Egyptians referred to them as "Hyksos" -- foreign rulers.

In the "Land Between" a number of cities are being refurbished and fortified.

MB IIC
 1630-1550 BC  
Late Bronze 1550-1200 BC

Hazor palace (A. Ben-Tor)

Period of Exodus. Hyksos are expelled from Egypt & Ahmose est. 18th dynasty. Canaan is again under Egyptian domination. Large fortified city-states established in Canaan. Material evidence of international trade flourishes with Cyprus, Mycenae, Syria & Egypt. Israelite invasion & birth of Hebrew nation. Amarna letters.

 
LB I
 1550-1400 BC

Amarna Letter

 Amarna Letters include mention of danger from attacking Habiru & semi-nomad plunders.
LB IIA
 1400-1300 BC  
LB IIB
 1300-1200 BC

Merneptah stele (c.1220) cites Israel

 Rameses II was succeeded by Merneptah who led a military campaign into Canaan.
Iron  

 

 

 
Iron I
 1200-1000 BC

Sea People, Medinet Habu

 Israelite period. Iron widely used. Israel conquers Canaan. Philistines ("Sea Peoples") also invade & settle along coast setting the stage for protracted conflict between the two. Period of Judges. Alphabetic writing continues to spread.
Iron IIA
 1000-900 BC

City of David

 David captures Jebus & expands national control. Solomon builds temple c.960. Period of economic prosperity & political expansion. Civil war results is secession of northern tribes & formation of two kingdoms: Israel & Judah c. 928.
Iron IIB
 900-586 BC

Black Obelisk
Jehu prostrate before Sennacherib

 Prophetic period. Hebrew culture develops. Phoenician & Aramean influence grows. Assyrian expansion reaches the Levant. Samaria falls to Assyria c.722. Babylonia supercedes Assyria & destroys Jerusalem c.586 & exiles Judeans to Babylonia.
Persian 586-330 BC

Cyrus' triumphal entry to Babylon

 Persian Cyrus overcomes Median domination & forges an empire that extended from the Indus river in the E. (including what is now Afghanistan & the western half of Pakistan) to Macedonia & Thrace in the W. (what is now eastern Greece), and N. Africa (what is now Egypt & Lybia). Cyrus permitted exiles to be repatriated c.538. Yehud (Judah) is a Persian Province. The Second Temple was constructed in Jersualem. Local rule is exercised by the High Priest & the "Great Synagogue" at Jerusalem.
Hellenistic 330-150 BC

Alexander the Great

 Alexander the Great conquers the Persian Empire. He does not touch Jerusalem but Hellenizes Judea. Hellensitic cities develop across the empire. Hebrew Bible is translated into Greek Septuagint. Seleucid king Antiochus IV persecutes Jews, defiles & plunders the Temple. Maccabbees revolt, retake city, purify & rededicate Temple c.164
Hasmonean 150-37 BC

Pompey

 Judea governed by Hasmonean dynasty (143-63). In 63 Pompey introduces Roman control in Jerusalem. Strong influence of Roman culture. Period of material prosperity but spiritual turmoil.
Roman 37 BC - 330 AD  
Roman-Herodian
 37 BC-70 AD

Model of Herod's Temple (Avi Yonah)

 Herod the Great appointed King of the Jews by Rome c.40. Second Temple is refurbished and expanded c.20. Period of fomenting revolt against Rome, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus c.70 and the fall of Masada c.73.
Roman
 70-330 AD

Spoils of Jerusalem, Titus' Arch

 Mishanic & Talmudic period. Bar Kochba leads revolt & retakes Jerusalem, reinstating it as the Jewish capital c.132. Hadrian retaliates, destroying Jerusalem and rebuilding a new Roman city named Aelia Capitolina that includes a temple to Jupiter c. 135, and renaming the province Palestina after the Philistines. Judaism flourishes in Galilee.
Byzantine 330-640 AD

Emporer Constantine

 Constantine conquers Jerusalem, establishing Christian rule over the city c.326. Persians invade in c.614 then Moslems c.630 marking the end of Byzantine rule and the beginning of Muslim/Arab dominance.