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The 670s BC

40 sourced entries across 10 years, inside the 7th century BC. Each year below opens its own page; the lines under it are that year’s highest-ranked entries.

679 BCE2 entries

678 BCE14 entries

  • Two solar eclipses occur on the 1st and the 30th over the Penzhina Bay and the South Pacific Ocean respectively.
  • According to Herodotus, Ecbatana was chosen as the Medes' capital by Deioces, the first ruler of the Medes.
  • Deioces united the Median tribes of Media and made the first Iranian Empire.

677 BCE3 entries

  • Esarhaddon leads the Assyrian army against rebellious Arab tribes and advances as far as the Brook of Egypt.
  • From this year to 676 BC, Sennacherib's successor, King Esarhaddon, forced Tyre into tribute after campaigning in Khor and destroying Sidon in 679 BC.

676 BCE3 entries

  • Zhou Hui Wang becomes King of the Zhou Dynasty of China.
  • Callisthenes of Laconia wins the stadion race at the 26th Olympic Games.
  • In 679 BCE, Sennacherib's successor, King Esarhaddon, campaigned in Khor, destroyed Sidon, and forced Tyre into tribute from 677 BCE to this year.

675 BCE5 entries

  • Teispes becomes a king of Anshan.
  • The Elamite king Urtaku comes to power; during his reign, relations between Elam and Babylonia worsen.
  • King Deioces dies after a 53-year reign that has established the kingdom of the Medes and its capital at Ecbatana (later Hamedan) in what will be northwest Persia. He is succeeded by his son Phraortes, who forms an anti-Assyrian alliance with the Cimmerians to subjugate the Persians and other Asian peoples.

674 BCE1 entries

  • Esarhaddon puts down a revolt in Ascalon supported by Taharqa, king of Kush and Egypt. In response, the Assyrians invade Egypt, but Taharqa is able to hold them off.

673 BCE4 entries

  • Tullus Hostilius becomes the third king of Rome.
  • Urartian king Rusa II builds the fortress of Rusahinili Eidurukai (modern Ayanis).

672 BCE3 entries

  • (estimated date) Tullus Hostilius becomes the legendary third king of Rome.

671 BCE1 entries

  • King Esarhaddon of Assyria defeats the Kushite-Egyptian army of Pharaoh Taharqa and captures Memphis, along with a number of the royal family. He sets up a new Assyrian administration in Lower Egypt and withdraws.

670 BCE4 entries

  • Miletus is sieged by Lydia, Priene is annexed by Lydia, and Samos annexes the former Melian territory
  • Miletus begins establishing colonies in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea.
  • King Gyges of Lydia's name is minted on the first Greek coins.