MIDAS son of GORDIUS reigns in the kingdom of Phrygia.

See Leviticus 25.

Assyria invades Egypt using iron technology.

NAHUM prophesies the destruction of Nineveh using the city of No-Amon (Thebes in Egypt) as an example. (It was sacked by ASHURBANIPAL of Assyria in 663).
In Judaea/Judah – King MANASSEH erects a carved idol in the Temple sanctuary (2 Chron.33:7), and is later taken hostage to Babylon by the Assyrians –

In prison he repents toward God and is released back to Jerusalem as its king.
He cleanses and restores the Temple and its service.

MANASSEH dies. AMON, his son, is crowned.

In Judaea/Judah – Ungodly King AMON is murdered.
His son, JOSIAH, becomes king at the age of 8.

In Judaea/Judah – King JOSIAH, aged 16, begins to seek the Lord.
In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbatical Year for the land.

In Judaea/Judah – The prophet ZEPHANIAH prophesies.

In Judaea/Judah – JOSIAH, aged 20, begins to purge Jerusalem and its countryside of paganism.

In Judaea/Judah – JEREMIAH is called to the prophetic ministry, age 20 at most (cf. Jer.25:3).

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbatical Year for the land.
A tribal group, the Chaldeans (who later become the Babylonians) win their independence from the Assyrians.

Israel's Jubilee Year (50-year cycle in Hebrew inclusive-counting, 49-year cycle in modern counting, see Lev.23:15-16), and the eighteenth year of king JOSIAH'S reign.

In Judaea/Judah – HILKIAH, the High Priest, discovers the Covenant scroll in the Temple, initiating a spiritual renewal under King JOSIAH.
The Ark of the Covenant is returned to the Temple (2 Chron.35:3), and the greatest Passover since the prophet SAMUEL is celebrated in Jerusalem (2 Chron. 34:14-33; 35:18).

In Judaea/Judah – Birth of prince JEHOIACHIN (CONIAH).

Nineveh, capital of Assyria, falls as prophesied by NAHUM.

King JOSIAH is killed by Pharaoh NECHO II at Meggido.
In Judaea/Judah – JOSIAH's son JEHOAHAZ (SHALLUM) is crowned king but after three months he is deported to Egypt by Pharaoh NECHO and dies there (Jer.22:11-17).
September 10: In Judaea/Judah – Pharaoh makes his elder brother ELIAKIM king, changes his name to JEHOIAKIM, and imposes tribute to Egypt.
JEREMIAH rebukes the nation for infant sacrifice  –

In Judaea/Judah – HABAKKUK begins to prophesy about a coming invasion by the Chaldeans.
JEHOIAKIM abducts the prophet URIAH son of SHEMAIAH from Egypt and murders him. (Jer.26:21-23).

Crown prince NEBUCHADNEZZAR of Babylon soundly defeats pharaoh NECHO of Egypt.
King JEHOIAKIM becomes a vassal of Babylon, and young DANIEL is deported there with many others.
August 15: NEBUCHADNEZZAR's father dies.
September 7: NEBUCHADNEZZAR is crowned king, and in Jerusalem JEREMIAH prophesies a 70 year Exile of Israel from the Land –

February 2 – March 2: NEBUCHADNEZZAR returns to complete the conquest of the Hittites and exact heavy tribute.
December: In Judaea/Judah – King JEHOIAKIM burns the scroll of JEREMIAH's prophecies while JEREMIAH is under house arrest (Jer.36:22).
In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbatical Year.

In Judaea/Judah – JEHOIAKIM breaks his vassal treaty with NEBUCHADNEZZAR (2 Kg.24:1).

Babylonian armies are temporarily defeated by the Egyptians on Egypt's border after a fierce battle.

In Judaea/Judah – King NEBUCHADNEZZAR takes 3,023 Jewish captives in a preliminary campaign (Jer.52:8). 
December 9: In Judea/Judah – JEHOIAKIM son of JOSIAH dies.
His corpse is discarded in disgrace (as JEREMIAH had prophesied of him) –

March 16 (2 Adar): In Judea/Judah – JEHOIACHIN, who reigned for only three months, is taken captive with his family and all leaders by King NEBUCHADNEZZAR of Babylon.
April 22: JEHOIACHIN and family are deported to Babylon with 10,000 others, including the prophet EZEKIEL and KISH, the great grandfather of MORDECAI (Esther 2:5-6).
In Judaea/Judah – All gold (including all gold furniture such as the Ark of the covenant) is stripped and the gold is shipped to Babylon (2 Kg.24:13).
In Judaea/Judah – NEBUCHADNEZZAR appoints MATTANIAH (JEHOIACHIN's uncle) as king, and changes his name to ZEDEKIAH (Jer.27,28).
In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbatical Year (1 Abib/Nisan = 13th April).

ZARATHUSTRA (ZOROASTER) of Bactria (Northern Afghanistan) begins his ministry among the Achaemenid/Persian tribes.

July 31: In Babylonia – EZEKIEL sees the vision of the Cherubim and Chariot (Merkavah) of God (Ez.1:1-3). His prophetic ministry begins.

September 17: EZEKIEL sees the vision of abominations in the Temple and the departure of God's presence from it (Ez.8-11), because of the cruel human-sacrifice perpetrated by Israel to obtain prosperity through their idols –

January 15: In Judaea/Judah – NEBUCHADNEZZAR's siege of Jerusalem begins. God says to JEREMIAH (See Ezek.24:1):

January 7: EZEKIEL prophesies against Pharaoh of Egypt concerning its overthrow because they failed to keep their word to Israel. (Ez.29:1-).
April 23: EZEKIEL prophesies against the city-state of Tyre of its destruction, which had seen advantage for itself in the destruction of Jerusalem (Ez.26:1-).
April 29: EZEKIEL prophesies the complete destruction of Egypt and the exile of its population (Ez.30:20-).
June 21: EZEKIEL prophesies against Pharaoh of Egypt (Ez.31:1-).
July 18: In Judaea/Judah – Jerusalem falls to the Babylonian army.
EZEKIEL's wife dies in their house at Tel-abib on the Chebar canal south-east of Babylon, near the city of Nippur (Ez.24:18).
(This year-date of 587 assumes a Judean regnal year that began in Spring [c.March].
The alternate year-date 586 assumes that the regnal years of Judean kings began in Autumn [c.October].)
August 15 to 18: In Judaea/Judah – NEBUCHADNEZZAR's captain of the guard, NEBUZARADAN, burns Jerusalem and the Temple (including the Ark of the Covenant, Jer.3:16) – and carries off remaining Temple treasures.

NEBUZARADAN brings SERAIAH the High Priest and other leaders to NEBUCHADNEZZAR at Riblah for execution (2Kg.25:8-21).

He appoints GEDALIAH as governor of the land, with whom JEREMIAH chooses to stay at Mizpah, the new capital (Jer.40:1-12).
In Judaea/Judah – Governor GEDALIAH, a supporter of JEREMIAH, is murdered by ISHMAEL a member of the Jewish royal family (2 Kg.25:22-26; Jer.40-44). (His murder is still mourned today by Jews at the fast of Tishri 3).
OBADIAH the prophet prophesies the annihilation of Edom for their bloody plundering of the refugees fleeing from Jerusalem.

In Judaea/Judah – The remaining Jews under leadership of JOHANAN, fearing a Babylonian reprisal, force the prophet JEREMIAH to flee with them to Egypt where they found Jewish military colonies, such as at Yeb (Elephantine) in southern Egypt.
JEREMIAH continues to prophesy in Egypt (Jer.43:8; 44:30).

March 3: In Babylonia – EZEKIEL prophesies against Pharaoh of Egypt of their slaughter by NEBUCHADNEZZAR's Babylonians (Ez.32:1-16).
March 17: In Babylonia – EZEKIEL prophesies of the terrible slaughter of Egypt's armies by the Babylonians (Ez.32:17-32).

Encyclopedia Britannica reports a further deportation by NEBUCHADNEZZAR in this year.
Josephus reports a conquest of northern Egypt by NEBUCHADNEZZAR and further deportation of Jews from there to Babylon (Ant.10.9:5-7).
This fulfils JEREMIAH's prophecy that none of those who fled to Egypt with JOHANAN would survive. (Jer.42:19-22).

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

Tishri: A Jubilee יובל year for Israel's release of slaves and return of all property to its original owners or their heirs, except the houses of laymen within walled cities. (Remember: in terms of Israel's Covenant, ownership of land cannot be sold, in perpetuity. Only its use can be sold: in effect a lease-system).

April 27: In Babylonia – EZEKIEL prophesies God's reward to NEBUCHADNEZZAR from Egypt for destroying Tyre. (Ez.29:17).
April 28: In Babylonia – EZEKIEL sees his vision of the Messianic Temple.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR attacks Egypt again in his 37th year.

April 8: In India – Birth of Prince SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA, later known as Buddha (the enlightened one) and the founder of Buddhism.

Early October: NEBUCHADNEZZAR dies, his son EVIL-MERODACH (AWIL-MARDUK) rules.
In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbatical Year.

JEHOIACHIN is released from prison by EVIL-MERODACH (2 Kg.25:27).

ZOROASTER (ZARATHUSTRA) begins his prophetic work in Persia.

In Babylon –DANIEL sees the vision of the rule of empires over Palestine from his time onward ('Four Animals', Dan.7:1) in the first year of BELSHAZZAR.

In Babylon – DANIEL sees, in the third year of BELASHAZZAR (Dan.8:1), the 'Ram and Goat' vision of transition from the rule of the Persian empire to ALEXANDER and then the four Hellenistic kingdoms, with Syrian oppression of Israel.
(See: Ellen G. White's misinterpretation of this prophecy)

CYRUS II (The Great) of Persia defeats his overlord ASTYAGES of Media and founds the Persian Empire.
Zoroastrianism becomes the official religion of Persia.

CYRUS captures the capital of the Median empire (Ecbatana).

CYRUS conquers the kingdom of Lydia, which was ruled by king Croesus brother-in-law of the Median king Astyages, and occupies its capital Sardis.

540

The four-winged guardian figure of Cyrus,
a bas-relief found at Pasargadae
on top of which was inscribed
in three languages the sentence
"I am Cyrus the king an Achaemenian"

October 7: In Babylon – DANIEL interprets the angelic writing on the wall to King BELSHAZZAR (son of Nabonidas), and that same night he is killed as the Medo-Persians of CYRUS (II) under GUBARU conquer Babylon (Dan.5:30) without any resistance from the Babylonian armies.

DANIEL would have been in possession of the scroll of Isaiah (as he was of Jeremiah; see Dan.9:2) which prophesied the name of 'Cyrus' below, as God's liberator of Israel and the restorer of the Jerusalem Temple –

The existence of this prophecy may explain why Daniel is immediately appointed to such a position of influence in the new administration.

October 29: CYRUS the Great enters Babylon and 'DARIUS the Mede' (lesser horn of Daniel's 'Ram' vision), aged 62, becomes ruler of Babylon (under CYRUS).
History knows him as GUBARU or GOBRYAS; darius is probably an old royal title. He appoints DANIEL to his three-man executive council and rules the province of Babylon and region beyond the River until c.524 BC (Dan.5:31; 6:1-3).

SHESHBAZZAR (probably SHENAZZAR, the fourth son of JEHOIACHIN) receives the return of some of the Temple treasure and leads the Exiles home to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:8).
CYRUS's dominions now comprises the largest empire the world has ever seen.

DANIEL's receives Gabriel's message of the period before God will answer his prayer for the full restoration, which he had based on the 70 year exile-prophecy of Jeremiah (Dan.9:2) –

Exiles (42,360, Ez.2:64) return under ZERUBABBEL (nephew of SHESHBAZZAR).

Returnee Clans to Jerusalem and Judah

• JOSHUA is High Priest (son of JOSADEK and grandson of the grandson of HILKIAH). But the High Priest's guidance-stones in the sacred breast-piece have been lost (the Urim and Thummim, Ezra 2:63).

See: Core Concept

October 5: In Judaea/Judah – The returned Exiles set up an altar to God in Jerusalem (Ezra 3:6).
JOSHUA (JESHUA) is High Priest (Ez.3:2).

In Judaea/Judah – The foundation of ZERUBBABEL's Temple ('Second Temple' in Jewish tradition) is laid with great celebration (Ezra 3:8-13).
DANIEL's final vision (Dan.10:1-12:13) which gives detail of Israel's future suffering under Hellenistic rulers as a preview of Antichrist's rule.

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

February 15: The young prophet  ZECHARIAH sees the eight vision prophecy for Israel (Zec.1:7-6:8), and he crowns High Priest JOSHUA to symbolize the future combination of the political and religious leadership in one man, the future messiah, the 'Branch' (Zec.6:9-14).

December 7: ZECHARIAH prophesies regarding the fasting traditions (Zec.7:1).

In Judaea/Judah – ZERUBBABEL completes and dedicates the second Temple (or March 516 or 515?) (Ez.6:14-22).
490 years of neglected Sabbath Years for the land (1 in 7) = 70 years Exile (586 BC – 70 years Exile = 516 BC)

Persian Emperor DARIUS invades northward into Scythia.
In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

In Rome – The foundation of the Roman republic by LUCIUS JUNIUS BRUTUS, in overthrowing Etruscan LUCIUS TARQUINIUS SUPERBUS, 7th king of Rome, in enraged reaction to the rape and suicide of relative and noblewoman LUCRETIA by the king's son (Sextus).
BRUTUS and Lucretia's widowed husband, LUCIUS TARQUINIUS COLLATINUS, are elected as the city's first consuls (chief officers). BRUTUS is reputed to have had the Romans swear an oath never let any man again be king in Rome. The oath, as reported by Livy, reads –

(Whether this actually happened or not, subsequent generations of Romans believe it had and it therefore affects the politics of this young republic in the centuries that follow).

In Athens, Greece – A democratic constitution is proclaimed.
(This democratic ideal becomes the seed which, many years later, affects the Macedonian empire's new cities administrative structure).

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

Nabatean Arabs drive Edomites (descendants of Esau, son of Isaac, son of Abraham) out of their ancestral territory in southern Jordan into the deserted regions of southern Judea, as OBADIAH the prophet had prophesied the ending of their nationhood.
Achaemenid (Hakhâmanišiya) Persians transmit food plants, such as rice, peach, apricot, to western Asia.
The injustice of the caste system becomes established in India.

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

In Rome – with the city's security under threat from invading forces, the ordinary (Plebeian) citizens lay down their weapons, refused to fight and take up a position on the Aventine Hill (one of the seven on which Rome was built) because of their lack of political rights, which rights are held only by the Patricians (nobility).
The striking Plebeians elect their own magistrates ('tribunes of the people').
Only when their office of Tribune is formally recognized by the Patricians does the conflict (known as the 'Conflict of Orders') end.
The Plebian voting 'Assembly of the Centuries' ('century'=military unit), dominated by the wealthy (50% of their electoral college vote), is also changed to 'Assembly of the Tribes' ('tribes'=regional districts) thereby increasing democracy as each vote now represents a district mixed of rich and poor. (See: 451 BC).
This victory of the Plebeians results in the subsequent famous Roman logo on all military standards SPQR ('Senatus Populusque Romanus').

In Italy – the city of Rome joins the Latin League of other Latin communities to defend the Latium region from the invasion of central Italian hill tribes (the Volsci, Sabines, and Aequi).

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

XERXES outrages the Babylonians by melting down the golden statue of Bel (Marduk, Merodach), the hands of which the rightful king of Babylon had to clasp each New Year's Day. This sacrilege leads the Babylonians to rebel and again 482 BC.

Month 10: In Susa – ESTHER, niece of MORDECAI, is installed as queen of Persian emperor XERXES.

Spring: XERXES sets out from Sardis with a fleet and army of more than two million with at least 10,000 elite warriors named Persian Immortals (Herodotus). XERXES is victorious during the initial battles.

Month 12, 14th 15th Adar (February-March): A planned empire-wide massacre of Jews (by HAMAN son of Hammedatha the Agagite) is prevented by Queen ESTHER obtaining their right to self-defence.
(This is celebrated today in the annual Jewish feast of Purim).

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

In Judea/Judah – MALACHI prophesies during a famine caused by drought and locust plague (Mal.3:10,11).

In Judea/Judah – EZRA (עֶזְרָא) the priest arrives in Jerusalem with a company of about 5,000 Jewish returnees.

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.

In Rome – Another Plebeian secession (see 494 BC) leads to the appointment of the Decemvirate (commission of ten men), which eventually results in the adoption of the bronze engraved Laws of the Twelve Tables, and raises the number of Plebeian Tribunes to ten.
(The Twelve Tables are the first attempt to make a legal code and remained also the only attempt for near one thousand years, until the legislation of Justinian).

In Palestine – A Jewish Sabbath Year for the land.
Celtic/Gallic culture spreads across Europe.