640s BC - Definition and Overview

Centuries: 8th century BC - 7th century BC - 6th century BC

Decades: 690s BC 680s BC 670s BC 660s BC 650s BC - 640s BC - 630s BC 620s BC 610s BC 600s BC 590s BC

Events and Trends

• Assyrian king Ashurbanipal founds library, which includes our earliest complete copy of the Epic of Gilgamesh.
• 649 BC - Indabigash succeeds Tammaritu as a king of the Elamite Empire
• 649 BC - Babylonian revolt under Shamash-shuma-ukin is crushed by the Assyrians
• 648 BC - Pankration becomes an Olympic event
• 648 BC - Earliest Greek-chronicled solar eclipse.
• 647 BC - King Assurbanipal of Assyria sacks Susa
• 642 BC - Ancus Marcius becomes king of Rome (traditional date)
• 640 BC - Great victory of Assyria over Elamite Empire

Significant People

• 645 BC - Death of Archilochos, Greek poet (approximate date)
• 643 BC - Death of Manasseh, king of Judah
• 641 BC - Josiah becomes king of Judah
• 640 BC - Birth of Stesichorus, Greek poet (approximate date)