Ancient Europe (Before 900 BC)
Origins of European Nations and Ethno-Groups

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Humans Migrate Into Europe (~ 50,000 Years Ago): The first humans enter Europe about 50,000 years ago from Africa, by way of the Middle East. They cover most of the continent by about 10,000 BC. At this point, all European peoples are homogenous, living as an extensive network of various tribes, but not yet divided into "nations". Only their lighter skin separates them from their Asian and African relatives, due to a skin pigmentation genetic alteration caused by the colder climate.

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Farming Revolution (~ 7000 - 2000 BC): Farming spread from the Fertile Crescent (Middle East) to Greece around 7000 BC, then to the rest of Europe by 2000 BC. Resulted in population explosion, commercial trade, and concept of land ownership.

(Timeline Continued Below)

Proto-Indo-European Culture (Begins ~ 5000 BC): Proto-Indo-Europeans surface around 5000 BC in Caucus region of SW Russia. Nearly all European languages are a sub-branch. PIE's were first Europeans to domesticate the horse, probably enabling them to spread their language and culture throughout continent. Evidence shows it was largely a peaceful process, likely achieved by trade and cultural diffusion.

Inception of Basque People (Before 5000 BC): Genetic & linguistic studies show that the Basque are not a sub-branch from Proto-Indo-European culture & language. Therefore, the Basque have been a distinct people since before 5000 BC.

Inception of Iberian Peoples (Before 5000 BC): Other original inhabitants of Iberia were referred to as the Iberians. Unlike the Basque, they would not remain a distinct ethnogroup throughout history. Instead, they would be absorbed by Celts around 400 BC. Iberian culture & language would disappear, although their genetic imprint remains with modern Spanish & Portuguese.

Original Settlers of British Isles (Before 5000 BC): Genetic & archaeological evidence shows that the British Isles were originally settled before the Proto-Indo-European revolution, by settlers from northern Iberia (Spain), including the Basque & other nearby/related peoples. Celt culture & language would arrive later to the British Isles from the mainland, around 800-400 BC. Although Celt culture & language would dominate the islands, there was very little change in the population from a genetics standpoint. The original "Iberian" genetic composition is therefore preserved in modern Irish & Scots, & English to a lesser extent, as the English would be more exposed to Scandinavian & Germanic invaders in post-Roman times.

Article: Proto-Indo-European - The Root of Nearly All European Cultures & Languages

Article: How Original European Peoples Splintered into Distinct Ethnogroups (i.e. Nations)

Proto-Uralic People (Before 4000 BC): Proto-Uralic peoples inhabit area around Ural Mountain Range in modern Russia. Their culture would spread west, serving as a predecessor to Finnish and Estonian cultures. P-U peoples would migrate south to form the Magyar nation (future Hungarians). Proto-Uralic language may not be a sub-branch of Proto-Indo-European, but possibly the head of its own language family.

(Timeline Continued Below)

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Origin of Finnic Peoples (~ 4000 BC): Finnic peoples break off from the Proto-Uralic group, becoming primary inhabitants of the heart of modern Russia (the highly populated NW region surrounding Moscow).

Division of Finnic Peoples (~ 3000 BC): Finnic culture spreads to the Gulf of Finland. As Finnic peoples splinter to the NW and SW, they become permanently divided into separate "nations", such as Slavs and Baltic peoples, settling the east shores of the Gulf of Finland, while original Finnic peoples are pushed into modern Finland.

Proto-Baltic-Slav Peoples (~ 3000 BC): Proto-Baltic-Slavs become a distinct ethnogroup (shared culture & language), a sub-branch of Proto-Indo-European language & culture. Centered around modern Lithuania, became ancestors to both Baltic (modern Lithuanians and Latvians) and Slav nations.

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Distribution of Germanic People (~ 3000 - 750 BC): Original Proto-German language branches off from Proto-Indo-European around 3000 BC in modern Scandinavia, giving birth to the Germanic "nation" (ethnogroup). Germans became the ancestors to all Scandinavians (except Finnish), as well as Germans. Germanic peoples would later migrate to the mainland (modern Germany), becoming a separate ethnogroup from their Scandinavian relatives to the north.

Minoan Culture (2700 - 1450 BC): A highly advanced society on island of Crete (shaded, left). Engaged in manufacturing & trade. Upheld equal distribution of wealth & equal rights for women. Minoans of unknown origin. Conquered by Greeks ~ 1450 BC.

Origins of Finnish and Estonians (~ 2000 BC): A group of Finnic people splinter toward the NW, becoming ancestors to modern Finnish. The Finnic peoples that continue westward, south of the Gulf of Finland, become ancestors to modern Estonians.

Thracians (~ 1500 BC): Thracian culture & language splinter from Proto-Indo-European, resulting in Thracian ethnogroup. Ancient Thrace, covering SE Balkan peninsula (shaded) rivals Greek city-states for superiority. Along with Slavs, a primary ancestor of the modern Romanians.

Greeks (~ 1500 BC): Ancient Greek culture and language branch off from Proto-Indo-European on southern Balkan peninsula, forming the Greek ethnogroup (Greeks).

Note: Why Greece Becomes Europe's Most Sophisticated Civilization. Due to proximity to advanced civilizations to the east, such as Hittites in modern Turkey, Phoenicians in modern Syria & the Egyptians. Geography & fertile lands around Med. Sea's eastern shores brought large & diverse cultures into contact, where they interacted through trade, learning from one another & pushing each other toward greater progression.

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Greeks Conquer Minoans (~ 1450 BC): Greeks conquer island of Crete, ending Minoan Civilization. Conquer island of Cyprus in 1125 BC. Both islands permanently assimilated into Greek culture & genetic lines.

Greek Dark Ages (1100 - 750 BC): The advanced Greek civilizations collapsed due to war/invasion & possibly famine. Greeks reverted from sophisticated city-states to small villages. Art, government, academics, trade, farming, etc. all regress substantially.

Celts (~ 1300 - 1000 BC): Inhabitants in central Europe become banded together under a fairly unified culture/language known as "Celtic", a branch of Proto-Indo-European language/culture. Celt speakers would form the Celt "nation", which would grow to cover much of Europe by 400 BC. Celt peoples would become a major genetic contributor to many modern Europeans.

Illyrians (~1300 BC): Illyrian language becomes distinct sub-branch of Proto-Indo-European, distinguishing Illyrians as new ethnogroup. Ancestors to modern Albanians.

Scythians (~ 1000 BC): Scythians, originating in modern Iran, spread to southern Russian and Ukraine. They are a sub-branch of Indo-Iranian peoples, which are the sub-branch of Proto-Indo-Europeans which migrated east of the Ural Mountains (Asian side) in modern Russia.

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Slavs (~ 1000 BC): The Proto-Baltic-Slav culture & language spreads south into modern Ukraine, evolving into a new culture/language known as Slavic, giving birth to the Slav peoples, the forefathers of most Eastern Europeans. Slavs are the primary ancestors to Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Poles, former Yugoslavians, and partial ancestors to Bulgarians, Romanians and Albanians.

Magyars (~ 1000 BC): Magyar tribe splinters from Proto-Uralic group in Ural Mountains (modern Russia), migrating south of Ural Mountain range, north of the Caspian Sea. Will eventually migrate to modern Hungary, becoming the modern Hungarians.

Etruscans Settle Italy (Before 800 BC): A group of people from outside of Europe (likely Anatolia - modern Turkey) become primary inhabitants of Italian peninsula, concentrated in central region (modern Rome). They become known as Etruscans. After 800 BC, they intermix with Celts from the north & Greek settlers from the south to form the Italians of the Roman Empire. After the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, other invaders will intermix with Italians to form the modern Italian "nation" or ethnogroup.

Next: Classical Europe (900 - 290 BC)

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