The Iron Age is an archaeological age, the last of the three-age system of Old World prehistory.
It follows the Bronze Age , in the Ancient Near East beginning c. 1200 BC, and in Europe beginning in 793
It is taken to end with the beginning of Classical Antiquity , in about the 6th century BC,
although in Northern Europe , the Germanic Iron Age is taken to last until the beginning of the Viking Age , c. AD 800.
Overview map of the world in the mid 1st millennium BC, color-coded by cultural stage: Palaeolithic or Mesolithic hunter-gatherers
nomadic pastoralists
simple farming societies
complex farming societies/chiefdoms
state societies
empires
The term "Iron Age" is mostly limited to Europe , the Near East , and the Indian subcontinent , although
West Africa also had iron metallurgy, beginning with the Nok culture c. 550 BC and spread by the Bantu expansion .
There are also cast iron artefacts in China from about 500 BC,
but use of iron was minimal, and the Bronze Age in China is usually extended to the beginning of the classical period (Qin dynasty ).
State
Capital/s
Type
Existed
Arcadia
Kingdom
1000–743 BC
Argolis
Argos
Kingdom
1200–379 BC
Athens
Athens
Kingdom city state
1556–683 BC
Athens
Athens
Republican city state
683–87 BC
Boeotia
Thebes
Kingdom
1100–750 BC
Corinth
Corinth
City state
700–338 BC
Epirus
Amvrakia, Passaron, Phoenice
Kingdom
1183–168 BC
Locria
Amphissa, Naupactus
Kingdom
1250–386 BC
Macedon
Aigai, Pella
Kingdom
860–146 BC
Messenia
Messene
Kingdom
1300–724 BC
Sparta
Sparta
Kingdom
950–146 BC
State
Capital/s
Type
Existed
Alba Longa
Lavinium
Kingdom
1200 – 753 BC
Daunia
Tribal kingdom
7th century – 89 BC
Epirus
Amvrakia, Passaron, Phoenice
Kingdom
1183–168 BC
Etruscans
Various
Kingdom
900–27 BC
Liburnia
Tribal thalassocracy[ 1]
11th century – 34 BC
Magna Graecia
Various
Kingdom city states
740–89 BC
Messapia
Hyria
Tribal kingdom
8th century – 89 BC
Oenotria
Metabon
Tribal kingdom
1000–325 BC
Oscans
Ausones
Tribal kingdom
1000 – 4th centuries BC
Padanian Etruria
Various
Federated city states
9th century – 5th century BC
Kingdom of Rome
Rome
Kingdom
753–509 BC
Sabinum
Tribal kingdom
c. 760 – 494 BC
Samnium
Bovianum
Tribal confederation
c. 600 – 82 BC
Eurasian Steppe and Central Asia
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Name
Capital
State type
Existed
Bactria
Bactra
Tribal kingdom/client
2140 – 550 BC
Balhara
Balkh
Tribal kingdom
12th century – 7th century BC
Colchis
Phasis
Kingdom
1300 BC – 2nd century AD
Margiana
Tribal kingdom
9th century – 6th century BC
Scythia
Neopolis
Tribal kingdom
690 – 250 BC
Sogdia
Marakanda
Tribal confederation
8th century – 327 BC
Jushi kingdom (Tarim basin)
Tribal kingdom city states
1st millennium BC
Name
Capital
State type
Existed
Âu Lạc
Cổ Loa Citadel
Kingdom
257 – 180 BC
Ba
Yíchéng
Tribal confederation
13th century – 311 BC
Cai
Shàngcài), Xīncài, Xiàcài
Marquisate/client
980 – 447 BC
Cao
Táoqiū
Dukedom/client
1053 – 487 BC
Chen
Wǎnqiū
Dukedom/client
1046 – 479 BC
Chu
Danyang, JiangYing, JiYing, Shouchun,
Viscountcy/kingdom/client
1030 – 223 BC
Deng
Dengzhou
Marquisate/client
1200 – 678 BC
Donghu
Nomadic tribal confederation
1400 – 150 BC
Eastern Guo
Dengzhou
Marquisate/client
1046 – 767 BC
Gojoseon
Asadal, Wanggeom-seong
Kingdom
2333 – 108 BC
Guan
Guan
Kingdom city state
1046 – 1040 BC
Gumie
Gumie
Kingdom
1046 – 480 BC
Han
Hancheng
Marquisate/client
1046 – 764 BC
Huang
Can'hu, Yicheng, Hubei
Marquisate/client
891 – 648 BC
Jin
Tang, Quwo, Jiang, Xintian
Dukedom/client
1042 – 376 BC
Kỷ line
Not specified
Kingdom
853 – 755 BC
Lu
Qufu
Marquisate/dukedom/client
1042 – 249 BC
Pi
Xuecheng
Earldom/client
1046 – 418 BC
Qi
Qi
Dukedom
1600 – 445 BC
Qi
Linzi
Dukedom/client
1046 – 221 BC
Qin
Qin, Quanqiu, Qian, Pingyang
Marquisate/dukedom/client
858 – 221 BC
Quan
Dukedom/client
1250 – 704 BC
Quanrong
Nomadic Tribal Confedracy
954 – 301 BC
Shěn
Shěn
Earldom/marquisate
1050 – 500 BC
Shu
Kingdom
1046 – 316 BC
Song
Shangqiu
Dukedom and vassal
1058 – 286 BC
Sui
Suizhou
Marquisate and client
771 – 221 BC
Sumpa
Tribal chiefdom/client
1600 BC – 7th century AD
Tan
Mingshui
Viscountcy and vassal
1046 – 684 BC
Teng
Tengzhou
Viscountcy
1046 – 414 BC
Văn Lang
Anyang
Confederation/kingdom
2879 – 258 BC
Western Guo
Yongdi, Shangyang, Xiayang
Countship/dukedom
1046 – 687 BC
Wey
Shangqiu
Dukedom and vassal
1046 – 687 BC
Wu
Gusu
Dukedom and vassal
1046 – 473 BC
Xing
Xingtai
Marquisate/client
1046 – 632 BC
Xu
Gusu
Viscountacy/client
2000 – 512 BC
Yan
Ji
Kingdom/principality
1046 – 222 BC
Zheng
Zheng, Xinzheng
Kingdom
806 – 375 BC
Zhou
Haojing, Luoyi
Kingdom
1046 – 256 BC
Zou
Viscountacy/dukedom
1012 – 350 BC
Name
Capital
State type
Existed
Anga
Champa or Campā
Kingdom
1100 – 530 BC
Asmaka
Potana
Kingdom
700 – 425/345 BC
Avanti
Mahissati, Ujjaini
Kingdom
700 – 300 BC
Āryāvarta
Multiple
Confederated tribal kingdoms
1750 – 600 BC
Chedi
Suktimati
Kingdom
1200 – 300 BC
Chola
Uraiyur/Kaveripoompattinam
Kingdom
600 – 110 BC
Himalaya
Kingdom
600 – 322 BC
Kalinga
Dantapura/Rajapura[ 2]
Kingdom
1376 – 285 BC
Kamboja
Rajapura
Kingdom
1450 – 195 BC
Kuru
Āsandīvat, Indraprastha
Kingdom
1200 – 500 BC
Magadha
Rajagriha or Rajgir
Kingdom
1100 – 28 BC
Malla
Kusavati, Pava
Republic
c. 7th century BCE –c. 4th century BCE
Matsya
Viratanagara
Kingdom
1400 – 350 BC
Panchala
Ahichatra, Kampilya
Kingdom, later republic
1100 – 400 BC
Pandya
Madurai
Kingdom
600 BC – 1600 AD
Pundra
Pundravardhana
Kingdom
1300 BC – 550 AD
Saurashtra
Kingdom
950 – 355 BC
Shakya
Kapilavatthu
Monarchical Republic
7th–5th century BC
Sindhu-Sauvīra
Vrsadarbhpura
Kingdom
1000 – 518 BC
Suhma
not specified
Kingdom
c. 8th century – 4th century BC
Surasena
Methora
Kingdom
700 – 300 BC
Trigarta
Prasthala
Kingdom
1100 – 322 BC
Vanga
Gange
Kingdom
700 – 300 BC
Vatsa
Kauśāmbī
Kingdom
1100 – 323 BC
Vidarbha
Kundinapuri
Kingdom
1200 – 322 BC
Vajjika League
Vaishali
Confederacy
c. 6th century BCE – c. 468 BCE
Name
Capital
State type
Existed
Arzawa
Apasa
Federation
15th – 12th century BC
Arme-Shupria
Van
Kingdom
1290 – 1190 BC
Caria
Apasa
Kingdom
11th–6th century BC
Diauehi
Zua, Ultu
Kingdom
1118 – 760 BC
Doris
Doris
Kingdom
1200 – 580 BC
Hittite Empire
Hattussa
Empire
1600 – 1178 BC
Ionia
Delos
Kingdom city states
1070 – 545 BC
Lukka
Tribal kingdom
2000 – 1183 BC
Lycia
Xanthos, Patara
Kingdom
1183 – 546 BC
Lydia
Sardis
Kingdom
1200 – 680 BC
Lydian Empire
Sardis
Empire
680 – 546 BC
Mysia
Pergamene
Kingdom
1320 – 301 BC[ 3]
Paphlagonia
Gangra
Kingdom
1480 – 183 BC[ 4]
Phrygia
Kingdom
1200 – 700 BC
Sam'al
Samal
Principality/kingdom
1200 – 680 BC
Syro-Hittite states
Various
Kingdoms
1200–800 BC
Tabal
Kanesh
Kingdom
1180 – 609 BC
Tarhuntassa
Tarhuntassa
Kingdom
1350 – 1200 BC
Troas
Troy
Kingdom
3000 – 700 BC
Tuwanuwa
Tuwanuwa
Kingdom city state
1000 – 700 BC
Zabdicene
Principality/client
780 BC – 5th century AD
Name
Capital
State type
Existed
Dilmun
Qal'at
Kingdom
2600 – 675 BC
Magan
Kingdom
2200 – 550 BC
Qedar
Adumattu
Tribal confederation/client
870 BC – 250 AD
Thamud
Hegea
Kingdom
8th century – 500 BC
Name
Capital
State type
Existed
Nairi
Multiple
Tribal confederation
1190 – 890 BC
Saparda
Kingdom
720 – 670 BC
Urartu
Arzashkun, Tushpa
Kingdom
860 – 590 BC
Name
Capital
State type
Existed
Elamite Empire
Susa
Empire
1210 – 535 BC
Ellipi
Kingdom
850 – 609 BC
Ḫubuškia
Kingdom
10th/9th century–??? BC
Mannai
Izirtu
Kingdom
1110 – 616 BC
Media
Ecbatana
Kingdom
750 – 678 BC
Median Empire
Ecbatana
Empire
678 – 549 BC
Namar
Namar
Kingdom
2350 – 750 BC
Parsua
Tribal chiefdom/kingdom[ 5]
860 – 600 BC
Persis
Tribal kingdom
10th century – 550 BC
Zikirti
Kingdom
750 – 521 BC
Name
Capital
State type
Existed
Ammon
Rabbath Ammon
Kingdom
1000 – 332 BC
Amurru kingdom
Sumur
Kingdom
2000–1200 BC
Aram-Damascus
Damascus
Kingdom
1184 – 732 BC
Aramea
Tribal chiefdom's/kingdom
2300 – 700 BC
Bashan
Bashan
Confederation
1330 – 928 BC
Edom
Rabbath Ammon
Kingdom
1200 – 125 BC
Twelve Tribes of Israel
Tribal confederation
1440 – 1050 BC
United Monarchy of Israel
Jerusalem
United Kingdom
1050 – 930 BC
Israel
Samaria
Kingdom
930 – 720 BC
Judah
Jerusalem
Kingdom
930 – 586 BC
Moab
Dibon
Kingdom
13th century – 400 BC
Philistia
Ashdod, Ekron, Gaza
Kingdom city states
1175 – 732 BC
Phoenicia
Byblos, Tyre, Berytus, Sidon
Kingdom city states
1800 – 539 BC
Name
Capital
State type
Existed
Awsan
Ḥajar Yaḥirr
Kingdom
7th century BC – 100 AD
Hadhramaut
Kingdom
700 BC – 320 AD
Haram
Haram
Kingdom city state
600 – 175 BC
Sabaea
Ma'rib
Kingdom
1100 – 275 BC