This list was developed by Van Sloan in consultation with James Sheehan, chairman of Stanford's history department.

Click for descriptions of these Civilizations: Ancient. Middle Ages. or Modern

Appendix A

World Leadership Civilizations

approximate dates

years in leadership

Civilization (location)

Leading City

Ancient ( BC)

4300

2700

1600

Sumerian (Iraq)

Uruk

2700

1075

1625

Egyptian

Memphis (Cairo)

1075

745

330

Phoenician (Lebanon)

Tyre

745

612

133

Assyrian (Iraq)

Nineveh

612

539

73

Babylonian (Iraq)

Babylon

539

478

61

Persian (Iran)

Susa

478

323

155

Greek

Athens

323

197

126

Hellenistic (Mediterranean, Egypt)

Alexandria

197BC

378AD

575

Roman

Rome

Middle Ages (AD)

378

467

85

Hindu - Gupta (India)

Pataliputra (Patna)

467

589

122

Byzantine (Turkey)*

Constantinople (Istanbul)

589

756

167

Chinese-T'ang

Ch'ang-an

756

945

189

Islamic (Mediterranean)

Baghdad

945

1071

126

Byzantine (Turkey)*

Constantinople (Istanbul)

1071

1294

223

Sung & Mongol (China)

Beijing

Modern (AD)

1294

1434

140

Italian Renaissance

1. Venice

1434

1508

74

2. Florence

1508

1527

19

3. Rome

1527

1588

61

Spanish

Madrid

1588

1609

21

English

London

1609

1672

63

Dutch

Amsterdam

1672

1814

142

French

Paris

1814

1830

16

Austrian

Vienna

1830

1918

88

British

London

1918

present

87+

American

New York

* Comment from a Greek viewer: I really wonder WHY Byzantines are TURKS. Sloan responds: Turkey is listed just as the current location. The Byzantines spoke Greek.

The years above often relate to a decisive military result, such as Napoleon's 1814 abdication. But such exact dates may not reveal the full extent of a civilization in its prime. Mozart died 23 years before 1814, but his music is certainly part of the golden age of Vienna.

Go to: Influential persons and contributions of above civilizations

Go to: Events marking start & end dates above

Go to: Important civilizations not reaching top influence

Go to: outline of this World Civilizations section of the website

Comments to: VanSloan@yahoo.com