Power & exchangeOur World

Empires

Trace the states that connected peoples—and the borders they contested.

Origin depth

Official Earth time scaleSelect an eon on the road to reveal its eras.ICS 2026/06 ↗

Cosmic Originsbefore Earth’s geological eons

c. 13.8 billion years agoUniverse

The Big Bang

The universe expands and cools from a hot, dense early state.

Within the first few hundred million yearsEarly Universe

The first stars ignite

Gravity gathers primordial gas and the cosmic dark ages begin to lift.

c. 4.54 billion years agoSolar System

Earth takes shape

Rock and metal gather around the young Sun.

At least 3.5 billion years agoEarth

Microbial life leaves evidence

Ancient rocks preserve traces of a living planet.

c. 2.4 billion years agoAtmosphere & oceans

Oxygen transforms the atmosphere

Microbial photosynthesis changes the chemistry of Earth.

c. 1.8 billion years agoEarth

Complex cells diversify

Cells with internal structures establish a new branch of life.

c. 600 million years agoGlobal oceans

Large multicellular life spreads

Complex bodies become a visible part of the fossil record.

By c. 200 million years agoEarth

Early mammals live alongside dinosaurs

Small mammals and their close relatives are part of Mesozoic ecosystems.

c. 56 million years agoAsia, Europe & North America

Early primates diversify

Small tree-dwelling primates spread through warm forests.

c. 7 million years agoAfrica

The hominin story begins

A lineage of African apes starts following its own evolutionary path.

c. 2.8 million years agoAfrica

Early Homo enters the fossil record

A jaw from Ethiopia preserves evidence attributed to our genus.

c. 300,000 years agoAfrica

Homo sapiens emerge

Our species appears within a diverse human world.

c. 60,000–40,000 years agoGlobal

Humans journey beyond Africa

Later waves of migration expand our species’ global presence.

c. 10,000 BCEGlobal

The agricultural turn

Communities reshape land, food, and settlement.

c. 3,200 BCEMiddle East

Writing records the world

Marks on clay turn memory into administration.

c. 2,350 BCEMiddle East

Akkadian Empire

Sargon unites Mesopotamian city-states.

c. 320 BCESouth Asia

Mauryan Empire

A dynasty begins a major South Asian unification.

27 BCEEurope

Roman Empire

Augustus reshapes the Mediterranean world.

1206 CEAsia

Mongol Empire

Mongol tribes unite under Chinggis Khan.

1526 CESouth Asia

Mughal Empire

A new dynasty reshapes South Asia.

1945–1975 CEGlobal

The imperial age recedes

Independence movements transform the global map.

Branch road complete

You’ve reached the end of Empires

Return to “Writing records the world” and continue along The Human Story, or search for another origin below.