660s BC
Events and trends
- 669 BC — Ashurbanipal succeeds his father Esarhaddon as king of Assyria.
- 668 BC — Ashurbanipal starts to rule.
- 668 BC — Shamash-shum-ukin, son of Esarhaddon, becomes King of Babylon.
- 668 BC — Egypt revolts against Assyria.
- 668 BC — Estimation: Nineveh, capital of Assyria becomes the largest city of the world, taking the lead from Thebes in Egypt.[1]
- 667 BC — Byzantium founded by Megaran colonists under Byzas. (traditional date)
- 667 BC — Assyrians conquer the Egyptian Empire.
- 664 BC — First naval battle in Greek recorded history, between Corinth and Corcyra.
- 664 BC — Assurbanipal captures and sacks Thebes, Egypt.
- 664 BC — Psammetichus I succeeds Necho I as king of Lower Egypt.
- 664 BC — Taharqa appoints his nephew Tantamani as his successor of Upper Egypt.
- 663 BC — Assurbanipal conquered Ancient Egypt.
- January 1, 660 BC — Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
- 660 BC — First known use of the demotic script.
- 660 BC — Psammetichus I drives the Assyrians out of Egypt.
- 660 BC — Mythical founding of the Japanese royal family.
Significant people
- 668 BC — Death of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria; the beginning of Ashurbanipal's reign.
- 664 BC — Death of Necho I, king of Egypt.
- 663 BC — Death of Taharqa, king of Egypt.