0 (before)=. A patesi (priest-ruler), by name En-shag-kush-anna, is
King of Kengi, Southern Babylonia; Sungir, which later gave the name
Sumer to the whole district, is his capital.

=4400.= Shirpurla, Mesopotamia, subjugated by Mesilim, King of Kish.

=4200.= The hero of Shirpurla, E-anna-tum, throws off the Kish yoke and
takes the title of king. He is successful in conflicts with Erech, Ur,
and Larsa. Walls are erected and canals dug by him.

=3700.= The great Pyramid of Gizeh erected. This was during the IV or
Pyramid dynasty; so called because its chief monarchs built the three
great pyramids.

Beautiful Queen Nitocris, of the VI dynasty, reigned about this time.
She is said to have avenged the killing of her brother, King of Egypt,
by inviting his murderers to a banquet held in a subterranean chamber.
Into this the river was turned, and they all miserably perished.

=3000.= Nineveh, colonized from Babylonia, ruled by subject princes of
that country.

=2800.= Probable date of the foundation of the Chinese empire.

=2500.= Rise of the kingdom of Elam. Asshurbanipal (Sardanapalus), King
of Nineveh, records an invasion of Chaldaea, or Babylonia, by the
Elamites, B.C. 2300. The records of clay recently unearthed show that
Cyrus was originally king of Elam. See "CONQUESTS OF CYRUS THE GREAT,"
i, 250.

=2458=. Zoroaster (Zarathushtra) founds the religion known by his name.
Ancient tradition has it that he was a Median king who conquered Babylon
about B.C. 2458. M. Haug assigns the date as not later than B.C. 2300.
Be the time when he lived what it may, it is certain that, as the
Persian national religion, it dates little further back than B.C. 559
and up to A.D. 641. The four elements--fire, air, earth, and water,
especially the first--were recognized as the only proper objects of
human reverence.

=2300.= A chart of the heavens in China.

=2250.= Commencement of the reign of Hammurabi, King of Babylonia: the
earliest compilation of a code of laws was made in this reign. See
"COMPILATION OF THE EARLIEST CODE," i, 14.

=2200-1700.= Dominion of the Hyksos, or Shepherd kings, in Egypt. It is
not improbable that Abraham made his well-known journey to Egypt during
the early reign of these kings. Joseph's visit occurred near the close
of their power.

=2200.= Hereditary monarchy founded in China.

=1700-1250.= The new empire of Egypt attains the period of its greatest
splendor and power. Meneptah, about 1320 (13