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The
lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea contain some
of the oldest cultures on Earth. Italy and the other
countries of Europe and North Africa have played
a central role in various expanding empires -and also in shrinking
fortunes. This presentation explores the broad sweep of history
in one of the cradles of civilization
ca
3000 BC-Egyptian civilization emerges along the Mediterranean
Sea and Nile River. Phoencians establish sea trade and
alphabet.
ca 2000 BC-Hebrew and Greek civilizations
develop.
ca 1200 BC-Trojan War (Greece vs. Troy).
753 BC-Rome established (according to legend) by Romulus
and Remus.
490 BC-Greece defeats Persia
at Battle of Marathon.
ca 326 BC-Alexander creates empire spanning from
Greece to India.
3rd Cent. BC-Rome takes Sicily, defeats Carthage
in three Punic Wars.
31 BC-Caesar Augustus crowns himself emperor,
creates the Roman Empire.
5 BC - 30 AD-Life of Jesus begins the religion
of Christianity.
135-Jerusalem falls to Rome; Diaspora (Jewish
dispersion) begins.
313-Edict of Milan brings Islamic
faith in Arabia; followers conquer the southern Mediterranean,
the Middle East and Spain.
1095-1270-The Crusades (Constantinople sacked,
1204).
1271-Marco Polo travels overland to China.
15th-16th Centuries-The Renaissance
of arts and sciences in the Italian city states.
1492-Italy's Christopher
Columbus discovers America.
1498-Portugal's Vasco de Gama rounds the tip of
Africa for the Orient.
1517-Martin Luther begins the Protestant
Reformation; the Council of Trent(1545-62) instigates
the Counter-Reformation.
1527-Rome is sacked for the third time (also in 410 and
846).
1565-Italy defeats Turkish fleet at Lepanto, turning
back invasions of the Ottoman Empire.
18th Century-The
Enlightenment.
1789-The
French Revolution. Napoleon's rule ends (1815)
with defeat at Waterloo. Congress of Vienna (1814-20) ends Napoleonic
Wars.
1861-Italy is founded through conquest by Garibaldi
and Cavour.
1915-1918-World
War I. France and Britain dominate new states
in and around Palestine, leaving out Arabs and Italians.
ca 1921-Mussolini founds Fascist Party in chaotic
post-war Italy.
1939-1945-World
War II.
1948-Israel is established as a Jewish
state.
1956-Suez Crisis; Arab nationalism surges.
1957-European Common Market begins an ear of European
cooperation.
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