The 13th century BC
20 sourced entries across 6 documented years, grouped into 1 decade. A century here runs 1900–1999 rather than 1901–2000, so its decades sit inside it exactly.
Decades
- The 1200s BC — 3 years, 16 entries
By subject
- Exploration & Expansion in the 13th century BC — 8 entries
A few of the years
- 1263 BCEc. 1263 BC—Ramses II, king of ancient Egypt, and Hattusilis III, king of the Hittites, sign the earliest known peace treaty.
- 1234 BCE1234 BC – Theseus of Athens begins his 30-year reign (if the end of his reign is agreed to have ended in 1204 BC).
- 1221 BCE1221 BC—Pharaoh Merneptah defeats a Libyan invasion.
- 1206 BCE1206 BC: Approximate starting date of Late Bronze Age collapse, a period of migration, unrest and destruction in the eastern Mediterranean and Ancient Near East, and beginning of the Iron Age in the Near East.
- 1204 BCE1204 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 to assassinate him. (Other accounts place these events a decade earlier. See 1210s BC.)
- 1200 BCEc. 1200 BC: Migration and expansion of Dorian Greeks. Destruction of Mycenaean city Pylos.