Overview map of the world in the mid 1st millennium BC, color-coded by cultural stage: Palaeolithic or Mesolithic hunter-gatherers
nomadic pastoralists
simple farming societies
complex farming societies/chiefdoms
state societies
empires
The Iron Age is an archaeological age, the last of the three-age system of Old World prehistory. It follows the Bronze Age , in the Ancient Near East beginning c. 1200 BC, and in Europe beginning in 793. It is taken to end with the beginning of Classical Antiquity , in about the 6th century BC, although in Northern Europe , the Germanic Iron Age is taken to last until the beginning of the Viking Age , c. AD 800.
The term "Iron Age" is mostly limited to Europe , the Near East , and the Indian subcontinent , although West Africa also had iron metallurgy, beginning with the Nok culture c. 550 BC and spread by the Bantu expansion . There are also cast iron artefacts in China from about 500 BC, but use of iron was minimal, and the Bronze Age in China is usually extended to the beginning of the classical period (Qin dynasty ).
Africa
Americas
Europe
Greece State Capital/s Type Existed Arcadia Kingdom 1000–743 BC Argolis Argos Kingdom 1200–379 BC Athens Athens Kingdom city state 1556–683 BC Athens Athens Republican city state 683–87 BC Boeotia Thebes Kingdom 1100–750 BC Corinth Corinth City state 700–338 BC Epirus Amvrakia, Passaron, Phoenice Kingdom 1183–168 BC Locria Amphissa, Naupactus Kingdom 1250–386 BC Macedon Aigai, Pella Kingdom 860–146 BC Messenia Messene Kingdom 1300–724 BC Sparta Sparta Kingdom 950–146 BC
Italian peninsula State Capital/s Type Existed Alba Longa Lavinium Kingdom 1200 – 753 BC Daunia Tribal kingdom 7th century – 89 BC Epirus Amvrakia, Passaron, Phoenice Kingdom 1183–168 BC Etruscans Various Kingdom 900–27 BC Liburnia Tribal thalassocracy[ 1] 11th century – 34 BC Magna Graecia Various Kingdom city states 740–89 BC Messapia Hyria Tribal kingdom 8th century – 89 BC Oenotria Metabon Tribal kingdom 1000–325 BC Oscans Ausones Tribal kingdom 1000 – 4th centuries BC Padanian Etruria Various Federated city states 9th century – 5th century BC Kingdom of Rome Rome Kingdom 753–509 BC Sabinum Tribal kingdom c. 760 – 494 BC Samnium Bovianum Tribal confederation c. 600 – 82 BC
Eurasian Steppe and Central Asia Name Capital State type Existed Bactria Bactra Tribal kingdom/client 2140 – 550 BC Balhara Balkh Tribal kingdom 12th century – 7th century BC Colchis Phasis Kingdom 1300 BC – 2nd century AD Margiana Tribal kingdom 9th century – 6th century BC Scythia Neopolis Tribal kingdom 690 – 250 BC Sogdia Marakanda Tribal confederation 8th century – 327 BC Jushi kingdom (Tarim basin) Tribal kingdom city states 1st millennium BC
East Asia Name Capital State type Existed Âu Lạc Cổ Loa Citadel Kingdom 257 – 180 BC Ba Yíchéng Tribal confederation 13th century – 311 BC Cai Shàngcài), Xīncài, Xiàcài Marquisate/client 980 – 447 BC Cao Táoqiū Dukedom/client 1053 – 487 BC Chen Wǎnqiū Dukedom/client 1046 – 479 BC Chu Danyang, JiangYing, JiYing, Shouchun, Viscountcy/kingdom/client 1030 – 223 BC Deng Dengzhou Marquisate/client 1200 – 678 BC Donghu Nomadic tribal confederation 1400 – 150 BC Eastern Guo Dengzhou Marquisate/client 1046 – 767 BC Gojoseon Asadal, Wanggeom-seong Kingdom 2333 – 108 BC Guan Guan Kingdom city state 1046 – 1040 BC Gumie Gumie Kingdom 1046 – 480 BC Han Hancheng Marquisate/client 1046 – 764 BC Huang Can'hu, Yicheng, Hubei Marquisate/client 891 – 648 BC Jin Tang, Quwo, Jiang, Xintian Dukedom/client 1042 – 376 BC Kỷ line Not specified Kingdom 853 – 755 BC Lu Qufu Marquisate/dukedom/client 1042 – 249 BC Pi Xuecheng Earldom/client 1046 – 418 BC Qi Qi Dukedom 1600 – 445 BC Qi Linzi Dukedom/client 1046 – 221 BC Qin Qin, Quanqiu, Qian, Pingyang Marquisate/dukedom/client 858 – 221 BC Quan Dukedom/client 1250 – 704 BC Quanrong Nomadic Tribal Confedracy 954 – 301 BC Shěn Shěn Earldom/marquisate 1050 – 500 BC Shu Kingdom 1046 – 316 BC Song Shangqiu Dukedom and vassal 1058 – 286 BC Sui Suizhou Marquisate and client 771 – 221 BC Sumpa Tribal chiefdom/client 1600 BC – 7th century AD Tan Mingshui Viscountcy and vassal 1046 – 684 BC Teng Tengzhou Viscountcy 1046 – 414 BC Văn Lang Anyang Confederation/kingdom 2879 – 258 BC Western Guo Yongdi, Shangyang, Xiayang Countship/dukedom 1046 – 687 BC Wey Shangqiu Dukedom and vassal 1046 – 687 BC Wu Gusu Dukedom and vassal 1046 – 473 BC Xing Xingtai Marquisate/client 1046 – 632 BC Xu Gusu Viscountacy/client 2000 – 512 BC Yan Ji Kingdom/principality 1046 – 222 BC Zheng Zheng, Xinzheng Kingdom 806 – 375 BC Zhou Haojing, Luoyi Kingdom 1046 – 256 BC Zou Viscountacy/dukedom 1012 – 350 BC
South Asia Name Capital State type Existed Anga Champa or Campā Kingdom 1100 – 530 BC Asmaka Potana Kingdom 700 – 425/345 BC Avanti Mahissati, Ujjaini Kingdom 700 – 300 BC Āryāvarta Multiple Confederated tribal kingdoms 1750 – 600 BC Chedi Suktimati Kingdom 1200 – 300 BC Chola Uraiyur/Kaveripoompattinam Kingdom 600 – 110 BC Himalaya Kingdom 600 – 322 BC Kalinga Dantapura/Rajapura[ 2] Kingdom 1376 – 285 BC Kamboja Rajapura Kingdom 1450 – 195 BC Kuru Āsandīvat, Indraprastha Kingdom 1200 – 500 BC Magadha Rajagriha or Rajgir Kingdom 1100 – 28 BC Malla Kusavati, Pava Republic c. 7th century BCE –c. 4th century BCE Matsya Viratanagara Kingdom 1400 – 350 BC Panchala Ahichatra, Kampilya Kingdom, later republic 1100 – 400 BC Pandya Madurai Kingdom 600 BC – 1600 AD Pundra Pundravardhana Kingdom 1300 BC – 550 AD Saurashtra Kingdom 950 – 355 BC Shakya Kapilavatthu Monarchical Republic 7th–5th century BC Sindhu-Sauvīra Vrsadarbhpura Kingdom 1000 – 518 BC Suhma not specified Kingdom c. 8th century – 4th century BC Surasena Methora Kingdom 700 – 300 BC Trigarta Prasthala Kingdom 1100 – 322 BC Vanga Gange Kingdom 700 – 300 BC Vatsa Kauśāmbī Kingdom 1100 – 323 BC Vidarbha Kundinapuri Kingdom 1200 – 322 BC Vajjika League Vaishali Confederacy c. 6th century BCE – c. 468 BCE
West Asia
Anatolia Name Capital State type Existed Arzawa Apasa Federation 15th – 12th century BC Arme-Shupria Van Kingdom 1290 – 1190 BC Caria Apasa Kingdom 11th–6th century BC Diauehi Zua, Ultu Kingdom 1118 – 760 BC Doris Doris Kingdom 1200 – 580 BC Hittite Empire Hattussa Empire 1600 – 1178 BC Ionia Delos Kingdom city states 1070 – 545 BC Lukka Tribal kingdom 2000 – 1183 BC Lycia Xanthos, Patara Kingdom 1183 – 546 BC Lydia Sardis Kingdom 1200 – 680 BC Lydian Empire Sardis Empire 680 – 546 BC Mysia Pergamene Kingdom 1320 – 301 BC[ 3] Paphlagonia Gangra Kingdom 1480 – 183 BC[ 4] Phrygia Kingdom 1200 – 700 BC Sam'al Samal Principality/kingdom 1200 – 680 BC Syro-Hittite states Various Kingdoms 1200–800 BC Tabal Kanesh Kingdom 1180 – 609 BC Tarhuntassa Tarhuntassa Kingdom 1350 – 1200 BC Troas Troy Kingdom 3000 – 700 BC Tuwanuwa Tuwanuwa Kingdom city state 1000 – 700 BC Zabdicene Principality/client 780 BC – 5th century AD
Arabia Name Capital State type Existed Dilmun Qal'at Kingdom 2600 – 675 BC Magan Kingdom 2200 – 550 BC Qedar Adumattu Tribal confederation/client 870 BC – 250 AD Thamud Hegea Kingdom 8th century – 500 BC
Armenian plateau Name Capital State type Existed Nairi Multiple Tribal confederation 1190 – 890 BC Saparda Kingdom 720 – 670 BC Urartu Arzashkun, Tushpa Kingdom 860 – 590 BC
Iranian plateau Name Capital State type Existed Elamite Empire Susa Empire 1210 – 535 BC Ellipi Kingdom 850 – 609 BC Ḫubuškia Kingdom 10th/9th century–??? BC Mannai Izirtu Kingdom 1110 – 616 BC Media Ecbatana Kingdom 750 – 678 BC Median Empire Ecbatana Empire 678 – 549 BC Namar Namar Kingdom 2350 – 750 BC Parsua Tribal chiefdom/kingdom[ 5] 860 – 600 BC Persis Tribal kingdom 10th century – 550 BC Zikirti Kingdom 750 – 521 BC
Levant Name Capital State type Existed Ammon Rabbath Ammon Kingdom 1000 – 332 BC Amurru kingdom Sumur Kingdom 2000–1200 BC Aram-Damascus Damascus Kingdom 1184 – 732 BC Aramea Tribal chiefdom's/kingdom 2300 – 700 BC Bashan Bashan Confederation 1330 – 928 BC Edom Rabbath Ammon Kingdom 1200 – 125 BC Twelve Tribes of Israel Tribal confederation 1440 – 1050 BC United Monarchy of Israel Jerusalem United Kingdom 1050 – 930 BC Israel Samaria Kingdom 930 – 720 BC Judah Jerusalem Kingdom 930 – 586 BC Moab Dibon Kingdom 13th century – 400 BC Philistia Ashdod, Ekron, Gaza Kingdom city states 1175 – 732 BC Phoenicia Byblos, Tyre, Berytus, Sidon Kingdom city states 1800 – 539 BC
Mesopotamia
Yemen Name Capital State type Existed Awsan Ḥajar Yaḥirr Kingdom 7th century BC – 100 AD Hadhramaut Kingdom 700 BC – 320 AD Haram Haram Kingdom city state 600 – 175 BC Sabaea Ma'rib Kingdom 1100 – 275 BC
See also
References
External links
