Mirage Theatre Company

300 BC

200 BC

100 BC

100 AD

200 AD

300 AD

400 AD

500 AD

600 AD

700 AD

800 AD

900 AD

1000 AD

1100 AD

1200 AD

1300 AD

1400 AD

1500 AD

1600 AD

Welcome to the Silk Road Timeline

Click on the orange markers below to find out about the history of the Silk Road and prepare yourself for the journey ahead.

221 BC

The King of Qin declares himself Qin Shi Huang Di - The First Emperor of China.

138 BC

Zang Qian leads and expedition to find out if 'Heavenly Horses' really exist.

43 BC

Romans invade Britain.

0 - change from BC to AD

Christianity Begins.

105 AD

Paper-making process developed by a Chinese official called Cai Lun.

220 AD

Han Dynasty ends. China splits in three.

330 AD

Capital of Roman Empire moved to Constantinople.

449 AD

Angles and Saxons start to arrive in Briton.

632 AD

Death of Mohammed.
Muslim expansion begins.

711 AD

Muslims invade Spain.

793 AD

Viking raids on Britain begin.

976 AD

Sung Dynasty comes to power and reunites China.

1066 AD

Norman conquest of Britain.

1196 AD

Ghengis Khan becomes Mongol leader.

1206 AD

Mongol expansion begins.

1260 AD

1260 - 1368
Pax Mongolia.
Silk Route enters its last great age.

1405 AD

Death of Timur.
Mongol Empire collapses. Silk Route trade declines.

1514 AD

Portuguese ships arrive in China for the first time.

1600 AD

Days of the Silk Road are over.