13th century BC
This bronze ritual wine vessel, dating from the Shang Dynasty in the 13th century BC, is housed at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution.
The 13th century BC was the period from 1300 to 1201 BC.
Events
- 1300 BC — Cemetery H culture comes to an end.
- 1292 BC — End of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, start of the Nineteenth Dynasty.
- 1282 BC — Pandion II, legendary King of Athens, dies after a nominal reign of 25 years. He reportedly only reigned in Megara while Athens and the rest of Attica were under the control of an alliance of Nobles led by his uncle Metion (son of Erechtheus of Athens) and his sons (including in some accounts Daedalus). His four sons lead a successful military campaign to regain the throne. Aegeus becomes King of Athens, Nisos reigns in Megara, Lykos in Euboea and Pallas in southern Attica.
- 1279 BC, (May 31) — Ramesses II becomes leader of Ancient Egypt.
- 1278 BC — Seti I dies, 1 year after his son, Ramesses II is crowned.
- 1274 BC — The Battle of Kadesh in Syria. Egyptians and Hittites sign the earliest known peace treaty at the end of the Battle of Kadesh.
- 1269 BC — Ramses II, king of ancient Egypt, and Hattusilis III, king of the Hittites, sign the earliest known peace treaty.
- 1251 BC, (September 7) — A solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes, Greece.
- 1250 BC — Wu Ding king of Shang Dynasty to 1192 BC.
- 1250 BC - The Lion gate at Mycene is constructed (comparable with Hittite architecture).
- 1230s BC — Aegeus, legendary King of Athens, receives a false message that his designated heir Theseus, his son by Aethra of Troezena, is dead. Theseus had been sent to his overlord Minos of Crete as an offering to the Minotaur. Medus, Aegeus' only other son (by Medea of Colchis), had been exiled in Asia and would become legendary ancestor to the Medes. Believing himself without heirs the King commits suicide after a reign of 48 years. He is succeeded by Theseus, who actually still lives. The Aegean Sea is reportedly named in his honor.
- 1210 BC — Pharaoh Merneptah defeats a Libyan invasion.
- 1213 BC — Theseus, legendary King of Athens, is deposed and succeeded by Menestheus, great-grandson of Erechtheus and second cousin of Theseus' father Aegeus. Menestheus is reportedly assisted by Castor and Polydeuces of Sparta, who want to reclaim their sister Helen from her first husband Theseus. The latter seeks refuge in Skyros, whose King Lycomedes is an old friend and ally. Lycomedes, however, considers his visitor a threat to the throne and proceeds to assassinate him (though other accounts place these events a decade later, in the 1200s BC).
- 1212 BC — Death of Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses the Great.
- 1207 BC Pharaoh Merneptah claims a victory over the people of Israel.
- 1204 BC — Theseus, legendary King of Athens, is deposed after a reign of 30 years and succeeded by Menestheus, great-grandson of Erichthonius II of Athens and second cousin of Theseus' father Aegeus. Menestheus is reportedly assisted by Castor and Polydeuces of Sparta, who want to reclaim their sister Helen from her first husband Theseus. Theseus seeks refuge in Skyros, whose King Lycomedes is an old friend and ally. Lycomedes, however, considers his visitor a threat to the throne and proceeds assassinates him. (Other accounts place these events a decade earlier. See 1210s BC.)
- c. 1200 BC — The Cimmerians start settling the steppes of southern Russia? (Undocumented conjecture).
- 1200 BC — Ancient Pueblo Peoples civilization in North America. (approximate date)
- 1200 BC — Collapse of Hittite power in Anatolia with the destruction of their capital Hattusa.
- 1200 BC - Migration and expansion of Dorian Greeks. Destruction of Mycenaean city Pylos.
Significant persons
Although many human societies were literate in this period, some individual persons mentioned in this article ought to be considered legendary rather than historical.
- 1251 BC — A lunar eclipse might mark the birth of Hercules
- c. 1225 BC — Birth of legendary Helen to King Tyndareus of Sparta and his wife Leda
- 1224 BC — Death of Ramesses II of Egypt
- Merneptah, Pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt (1212 BC–1202 BC)
- Amenmesse, Pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt (1202 BC–1199 BC)
- Moses led Hebrew Exodus (may have been earlier)
- Pangeng of China
Decades and years
13th century BC
15th century BC←14th century BC← ↔ →12th century BC→11th century BC 1309–1300 BC 1309 BC 1308 BC 1307 BC 1306 BC 1305 BC 1304 BC 1303 BC 1302 BC 1301 BC 1300 BC
1290s BC 1299 BC 1298 BC 1297 BC 1296 BC 1295 BC 1294 BC 1293 BC 1292 BC 1291 BC 1290 BC
1280s BC 1289 BC 1288 BC 1287 BC 1286 BC 1285 BC 1284 BC 1283 BC 1282 BC 1281 BC 1280 BC
1270s BC 1279 BC 1278 BC 1277 BC 1276 BC 1275 BC 1274 BC 1273 BC 1272 BC 1271 BC 1270 BC
1260s BC 1269 BC 1268 BC 1267 BC 1266 BC 1265 BC 1264 BC 1263 BC 1262 BC 1261 BC 1260 BC
1250s BC 1259 BC 1258 BC 1257 BC 1256 BC 1255 BC 1254 BC 1253 BC 1252 BC 1251 BC 1250 BC
1240s BC 1249 BC 1248 BC 1247 BC 1246 BC 1245 BC 1244 BC 1243 BC 1242 BC 1241 BC 1240 BC
1230s BC 1239 BC 1238 BC 1237 BC 1236 BC 1235 BC 1234 BC 1233 BC 1232 BC 1231 BC 1230 BC
1220s BC 1229 BC 1228 BC 1227 BC 1226 BC 1225 BC 1224 BC 1223 BC 1222 BC 1221 BC 1220 BC
1210s BC 1219 BC 1218 BC 1217 BC 1216 BC 1215 BC 1214 BC 1213 BC 1212 BC 1211 BC 1210 BC
1209–1200 BC 1209 BC 1208 BC 1207 BC 1206 BC 1205 BC 1204 BC 1203 BC 1202 BC 1201 BC 1200 BC
1190s BC 1199 BC 1198 BC 1197 BC 1196 BC 1195 BC 1194 BC 1193 BC 1192 BC 1191 BC 1190 BC
15th century BC←14th century BC← ↔ →12th century BC→11th century BC 1309–1300 BC 1309 BC 1308 BC 1307 BC 1306 BC 1305 BC 1304 BC 1303 BC 1302 BC 1301 BC 1300 BC
1290s BC 1299 BC 1298 BC 1297 BC 1296 BC 1295 BC 1294 BC 1293 BC 1292 BC 1291 BC 1290 BC
1280s BC 1289 BC 1288 BC 1287 BC 1286 BC 1285 BC 1284 BC 1283 BC 1282 BC 1281 BC 1280 BC
1270s BC 1279 BC 1278 BC 1277 BC 1276 BC 1275 BC 1274 BC 1273 BC 1272 BC 1271 BC 1270 BC
1260s BC 1269 BC 1268 BC 1267 BC 1266 BC 1265 BC 1264 BC 1263 BC 1262 BC 1261 BC 1260 BC
1250s BC 1259 BC 1258 BC 1257 BC 1256 BC 1255 BC 1254 BC 1253 BC 1252 BC 1251 BC 1250 BC
1240s BC 1249 BC 1248 BC 1247 BC 1246 BC 1245 BC 1244 BC 1243 BC 1242 BC 1241 BC 1240 BC
1230s BC 1239 BC 1238 BC 1237 BC 1236 BC 1235 BC 1234 BC 1233 BC 1232 BC 1231 BC 1230 BC
1220s BC 1229 BC 1228 BC 1227 BC 1226 BC 1225 BC 1224 BC 1223 BC 1222 BC 1221 BC 1220 BC
1210s BC 1219 BC 1218 BC 1217 BC 1216 BC 1215 BC 1214 BC 1213 BC 1212 BC 1211 BC 1210 BC
1209–1200 BC 1209 BC 1208 BC 1207 BC 1206 BC 1205 BC 1204 BC 1203 BC 1202 BC 1201 BC 1200 BC
1190s BC 1199 BC 1198 BC 1197 BC 1196 BC 1195 BC 1194 BC 1193 BC 1192 BC 1191 BC 1190 BC