Ancient Coin Stories

Foundation of the First Dynasty of Babylon under Sumu-abum, establishing Babylon as a city-state in southern Mesopotamia.

Hammurabi becomes king of Babylon, initiating a period of expansion and codification of laws.

Code of Hammurabi is established in Babylon, one of the earliest and most complete written legal codes.

Hittite King Mursili I sacks Babylon, marking the end of the First Babylonian Dynasty.

Kassite Dynasty ends with Babylon’s conquest by Elam.

Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, destroys Babylon in retaliation for its rebellion.

Babylon revolts under Shamash-shum-ukin against Assyrian control, leading to a brutal siege by Ashurbanipal.

Nabopolassar establishes the Neo-Babylonian Empire and declares independence from Assyria.

Nebuchadnezzar II becomes king of Babylon, overseeing its peak and monumental building projects, including the Ishtar Gate.

Nebuchadnezzar II captures Jerusalem, leading to the Babylonian Captivity of the Jews.

Baktria becomes part of the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great, existing as a key eastern satrapy.

Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, establishing Persian control over the former Babylonian Empire, which includes the Phoenician cities of Arados, Byblos, Tyre, Edom, and Sidon.

Cyrus the Great of Persia captures Babylon, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire; the city becomes part of the Achaemenid Empire.

Babylon revolts against Darius I but is subdued by the Persians.

Peace of Antalkidas signed in Susa, ending the Corinthian War. Abydos, Aigai, and Adramytteion become part of the Persian Empire.

Alexander the Great enters Babylon after defeating Darius III at the Battle of Gaugamela.

Alexander the Great stops at Hekatompylos.

Alexandria Eschate founded by Alexander the Great as his furthest outpost.

Alexander the Great invades Baktria, defeating Bessus (the satrap of Bactria who declared himself king after Darius III’s death) and taking control of the region.

Alexander marries Roxana, a Baktrian noblewoman, consolidating his control over the local elite and fortifying his hold on Baktria.

Amastris married to Krateros by Alexander the Great at the Susa Weddings.

Alexander the Great dies in Babylon, sparking the Wars of the Diadochi among his generals.

Kynane of Macedon hatches a plan to marry her daughter, Adea Eurydike, to Philip III. She is killed by Alketas, the brother of Perdikkas, in the process, but soldiers are so disgusted at the murder that they escort Adea to Babylon.

Adea Eurydike is married to Philip III, most likely in Babylon.

Alexander IV is born to Roxana in Babylon.

Partition of Babylon. Abydos and Adramytteion come under control of Leonnatos. Egypt with Alexandria and Gaza are under Ptolemy. Baktria comes under Seleukos I Nikator.

Partition of Triparadisos. Abydos is given to Arrhidaios. Susa goes to Antigenes. Antipater is left in charge of Macedonia and is entrusted with Alexander IV and Philip III.

Antigenes conveys treasure from Susa to Kyinda.

Antigenes accompanies Eumenes to Susa.

Seleukos I Nikator gains control of Babylon, founding the Seleukid Empire and beginning Babylon’s decline as a center of power as Seleukos establishes Seleukeia on the Tigris.

Diodotos I, the Seleukid satrap of Baktria, declares independence from the Seleukid Empire, establishing the Greco-Baktrian Kingdom.

The Parhi tribe takes Hekatompylos and makes it a capital of the Parthian Empire.

Antiochos III of the Seleukid Empire campaigns in Baktria but eventually agrees to a peace with Euthydemos I, the Greco-Baktrian king, recognizing the kingdom’s independence.

Hekatompylos is the capital of the Arsakid Dynasty.

Menander I succeeds in expanding Greco-Baktrian control into northwestern India, reaching the peak of Greco-Baktrian influence.

Adiabene conquered by the Parthian king Mithridates I.

The Parthians capture Babylon, further diminishing its prominence as they establish their own empire.

Yuezhi tribes (future Kushans) conquer Baktria, ending the Greco-Baktrian Kingdom and beginning the era of Kushan dominance in the region.

King from Adiabene participated in the Battle of Tigranocerta on the side of Tigranes the Great.

The Battle of Carrhae, in which the Parthians defeated the Romans. solidifies Parthian influence in Mesopatamia, including Adiabene.

Queen Helena and her son Monobaz of Adiabene convert to Judaism.

Queen Helena and King Izates of Adiabene send aid to Jerusalem, as noted by the Talmud and Josephus Flavius.

Izates bar Monobaz dies, and his brother Monobaz II becomes the king of Adiabene.

Roman Emperor Trajan briefly occupies Babylon during his campaign against the Parthian Empire.

During Emperor Trajan‘s Parthian campaign, Adiabene is briefly occupied by Roman forces as part of their conquest of Mesopotamia.

The Sasanian Empire, led by Ardashir I, defeats the Parthian Empire. Adiabene becomes part of the Sasanian Empire, losing its autonomy as a client state.

Carus achieves victories over the Qadi and Sarmatians. He takes Seleukeia and the Sassanian capital Ktesiphon.