521 - 486 BCE- The Great King of Persia who was able to emerge as king after a year of civil war following the death of Cambyses, son of Cyrus the Great. Darius is regarded to have strengthened the Persian Empire, including building a canal from the Red Sea and the …

559 - 530 BCE- One of the great kings of Persia, Cyrus conquered many kingdoms and ruled them beneficently. Cyrus was responsible for the defeat of the Medes, the Chaldeans , the Lydians, and many other peoples. Cyrus had a reputation for mercy, and even allowed subject states to participate in governance …

605 - 562 BCE- Nebuchadnezzar II was the Chaldean ruler who established their independence from the Assyrians. Nebuchadnezzar sacked Palestine, sending the Hebrew people into exile, and destroying their religious centers, including their temple at Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar is noted for having constructed one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World …

669 - 626 BCE- Ashurbanipal was one of the most notable kings of Assyria. He was ruler when the Babylonians revolted against Assyrian rule. As Ashurbanipal focused on the Babylonian conflict, Egypt was able to free itself from Assyrian rule. Thus the Assyrian empire disintegrated just after the reign of Ashurbanipal …

900- 1000 BCE - See Covenant.

1364- 1347 BCE - The son of Amenhotep the III. Amenhotep IV was preoccupied with the worship of Aton, god of the sun disk. Amenhotep changed his name to Akhenaton, which means "It is well with Aton" and closed temples of other gods, including Atum-Re. Atum-Re was popular in Thebes, so …