Ancient Age

Prior to the introduction of the Chantry's Ages was a time period which is now referred as the Ancient Age.
== Chronology ==
=== Pre-Tevinter Imperium ===
* or or 1 FA: The legendary elven city of Arlathan is founded nearly three thousand years before the arrival of humans on the continent. The date is difficult to pinpoint in Chantry years and is not exact.[note 1]
* -4600 Ancient or : Approximately at this time the elves make first contact with the dwarves.
* -3100 Ancient or : Records claim humanity arrives in Thedas around this date. This is disputed by scholars, who ask where humans came from and why they left. The humans are said to have first appeared from the north as a single tribe known as the Neromenian.
* -2850 Ancient or : Elves first notice the quickening, which puts an end to their immortality and forces them to withdraw from human contact. This is thought to be mere legend.
* -2800 Ancient or : The Old Gods begin whispering to humanity from the Golden City. They teach the Dreamers of the Neromenian tribes magic. These Dreamers become the priests and rulers of their people.
The first dreamers took knowledge from elven captives on how to enter the Fade using lyrium. These dreamers eventually became the first magisters that came to rule the Imperium.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 341.
* -2415 Ancient or : The Alamarri tribes cross the Frostback Mountains and settle in the lands that will eventually become known as Ferelden. Alamarri tribal legends says they were fleeing a “shadow goddess”, but modern scholars believe they were escaping a sort of natural disaster.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 358.
Based on clues from oral history, some scholars theorize that the Alamarri relocated because of a flood caused by a large earthquake; however, there are tribal stories that don't support this hypothesis and instead suggest they were fleeing an enemy invasion. Either way, the Alamarri are known to have crossed the Frostback Mountains from the west.
* -1815 Ancient or : The Alamarri living near what is known today as Lake Calenhad break away, becoming known as the Avvar. The two tribes fight with each other for several centuries, though they unite when the need arises.
* -1700 Ancient or : The Neromenian tribes split and form four ancient kingdoms: Tevinter, Neromenian, Barindur and Qarinus.
* -1610 Ancient or : The entire kingdom of Barindur vanishes under mysterious circumstances. It appears to be destroyed by a volcanic eruption.According to Solas when asked to share stories of the ruins he explored: "I found the ruin of Barindur, a lost Tevinter city buried deep beneath a dead and barren wasteland. Volcanic ash had sealed it tight. In one dark moment, every living creature in the city seared and smothered. They were statues in the ashes, like a mold made to recall the lost."
* -1595 Ancient or : Thalsian, also known as the First Priest of Dumat, is the first known person to wield blood magic, and the first magister. The Archon claims to learn this art after personally communicating with the Old God. The power he gained from blood magic allowed him to spark the birth of a future empire under his rule. Mages of the Imperial Chantry today argue that that blood magic was most likely learned from the ancient elves of Arlathan, though there is no evidence to definitively support either stance.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 377.
* -1415 Ancient or : The Chasind people break away from the Alamarri tribes and settle in the wild and unexplored Korcari Wilds.
* -1207 Ancient or : Darinius, the High King of Neromenian, takes control of the Tevinter throne, uniting the kingdoms of Neromenian and Tevinter under his rule.
* -1200 Ancient or : Tevinter Imperium forges and alliance with the dwarves when Archon Darinius ventures into the Deep Roads to meet with King Endrin Stonehammer, ruler of the Dwarven Empire.
:The dwarven contests known as Provings become popular among the noble class of the Tevinter. A Grand Proving Arena is built in Minrathous.
=== Pre-Ages ===
* -1195 Ancient or or : Darinius unites the kingdoms Tevinter and Qarinus, forming the mighty Tevinter Imperium. He declares himself the first Archon.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 341. The guide presents this date as 1 TE instead of 0 TE.
:Little is known of Thedosian history prior to this event. All that remains is text fragments and oral histories that merely hint at the ancient past of the continent. Elves and dwarves claim there was a time when Thedas was devoid of humans, and elves ruled the surface while dwarves were in charge of the underground. Things changed greatly when humans arrived. Hostility ensued between humans and elves. Following the rise of the Tevinter Imperium, the elven civilization was nearly destroyed.
* -1180 Ancient or : Archon Darinius of Tevinter dies.Codex entry: Archons of the Imperium says that Darinius wore the rings given to him by Endrin Stonehammer for 20 years until his death; the rings were a symbol of the alliance they forged in -1200 Ancient.
* -1170 Ancient or : The ruler of the dwarven empire, King Endrin Stonehammer moves the capital of the empire from Kal-Sharok to Orzammar, as trade with the surface becomes more and more vital for the prosperity of the dwarvesCodex entry: Orzammar History: Chapter One and because of the internal turmoil caused in the Imperium following Darinius' death. Some attribute this move to Stonehammer's predecessor and ally, King Orseck Garal.
:Stonehammer orders the construction of the legendary Stonehammer Hall in Orzammar.
:The Orzammar Proving Grounds are expanded for the Grand Provings, previously held in Kal-Sharok. The winners of these Provings become the first of Orzammar's Paragons. Endrin Stonehammer builds of a hall to house huge statues constructed in their honor.
* -1160 Ancient or : Taxes collected by Orzammar from Kal-Sharok's trade profits become onerous.
* -1131 Ancient or : King Endrin Stonehammer is made a Paragon on his deathbed and becomes known as the "First Paragon" presumably for his vast accomplishments.
* -981 Ancient or : The hostility that festered between the Tevinter Imperium and the elves finally turns into open war. Armies of the Imperium surround the fabled elven city of Arlathan.
* -975 Ancient or : The Magisters resort to a blood ritual that sinks Arlathan into the ground, destroying it utterly and deciding the war in their favor. The conquest of the elven kingdom is complete: the surviving elves are enslaved.
* -895 Ancient or : The Tevinter Imperium expands rapidly, bolstered by its new elven slaves. The Imperium takes nearly all of northern Thedas and begins the conquest of lands across the Waking Sea.
* -880 Ancient or : The Tevinter Imperium settles the island of Estwatch and fortifies its bay. A port is built for repairing warships used in excursions against the Alamarri.
* -760 Ancient or : Archon Almadrius ascends to the throne of the Tevinter Imperium.
* -715 Ancient or : The Tevinter Imperium begins several campaigns to subjugate the barbarous Alamarri tribes in the Fereldan Valley. After many near losses, they manage to hold the central area for a time and pave the Imperial Highway across the Frostbacks to the fortress of Ostagar.
* -712 Ancient or : Tevinters launch their first expedition against the Avvar in the Frostback Mountains.Codex entry: The Mountain-Father's Haft
* -695 Ancient or : The western part of the Tevinter rebels to form the Anderfels 
The newly formed Anderfels are populated mainly by the Yothandi people. Tevinter has trouble in subjugating the Ciriane people in the south. An internal strife is rampant in the Imperium.
* -692 Ancient or : Archon Almadrius is assassinated. His apprentice Tidarion inherits the throne. Civil wars break out in the Tevinter Imperium.
* -640 Ancient or : Archon Tidarion dies without an heir. The civil war continues, and the magisters fight for power.
* -620 Ancient or : The outpost of Emerius is founded in the south of the Imperium by the powerful magister, Emerius Krayvan. It's a settlement meant for slaves who mine the jet stone used in construction of Minrathous temples. In time it became known as the "City of Chains," the center of the Imperial slave market and the largest center of civilization outside Tevinter.Codex entry: History of Kirkwall: Chapter 1
:Archon Parthenius claims the throne of the Tevinter Imperium. This event marks the end of the civil war in the Imperium.
* -575 to -555 Ancient or 620 to 640 TE: The first civil war in Tevinter ensues. It's usually cited beginning of decline from its golden age. Intense competition between magisters of the various noble houses leads to human sacrifice, and demon summoning is practiced regularly. The two largest Tevinter houses vie to take the Archon's throne. The resulting war and bloodshed creates ruins and battlefields where magical taint can seep through. The Senate brokers peace to prevent the dissolution of the Imperium, but the nobles continues to opress the lower classes.[note 2]
* -565 Ancient or : Following the Tevinter defeat at Ostagar at the hand of southern human tribes, Tevinters retreat across the Waking Sea. As the tribes grow stronger, the magister governor of Ciriane fears the possibility of a barbarian invasion. He proposes a peace treaty and sends riches and magical artifacts to the Alamarri lands. The tribal alliance falls apart from disputes over dividing the wealth.
* -535 Ancient or : After generations of independence, the Anderfels are reconquered by the Tevinter Imperium.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 342. The guide places this event in 780 TE (). The last members of the warrior order known as the Drasca retreat into the Blasted Hills after failing to withstand that Imperial attack.Helm of the Drasca
* -410 Ancient or : A group of kossith is believed to land in the southern Korcari Wilds and establish a colony. They are likely killed off in the First Blight, which is what allowed ogres to come into existence.
* -395 Ancient or : According to Chantry lore, the most powerful magister lords, seeking more power, open a gate to the Golden City at the heart of the Fade. The result is catastrophic: The Golden City becomes tainted, and the magisters bring the taint into the world, creating the first darkspawn.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 342. The Old God Dumat is freed and transformed into the first archdemon. The First Blight begins.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 358. The guide places this event in 800 TE/-415 Ancient. The dates provided in the guide are not properly converted, 800 TE should be .
* -380 Ancient or : The darkspawn attack in massive numbers and focus on the Deep Roads. The dwarven kingdoms begin to fall and the race reaches the brink of collapse but is saved from annihilation by the actions of Paragon Aeducan.
:The darkspawn travel via the Deep Roads to spread throughout the continent. When they surface, the entire Imperium effectily comes under siege and chaos ensues. Communication systems across the Imperium fail.One of the Tevinter inscriptions found in the ancient temple of Razikale says that the letters they send go unanswered, and they don't receive supplies anymore. Tevinters turn to the remaining Old Gods for help against Dumat, but their prayers aren't answered. Seeing the inaction of their gods, many Tevinters forsake the worship.
* -355 Ancient or : The Blight hasn't yet reached the Alamarri. Instead, they are engaged in a war with the Avvar. The conflict concludes in a Battle of Red Falls, where an Alamarri warrior Luthias Dwarfson fights Morrighan'nan, an Avvar leader, and they both kill each other. The Order of Ash Warriors is founded in Dwarfson's honor.
* -305 Ancient or : The Grey Wardens are founded at Weisshaupt Fortress in the Anderfels, a region not yet affected much by the darkspawn but close enough to the Tevinter Imperium to offer tactical advantage.
The organization comprises mostly veterans from the previous battles against the darkspawn.Codex entry: The Grey Wardens They build fortresses at strategic locations and find new recruits.
* -255 Ancient or : The dwarven Paragon Caridin creates the first golem from the Anvil of the Void to battle the darkspawn terrorizing the Deep Roads. The dwarves begin to retake lost thaigs and reclaim parts of the Deep Roads.
* -248 Ancient or : Caridin disappears along with the secret to creating golems, and the dwarven kingdoms continue their descent into oblivion.
* -203 Ancient or : The Grey Wardens gather forces to confront Dumat at the Battle of the Silent Plains in southern Tevinter. The army is made up mostly of Tevinter, Rivaini, and Ciriane soldiers. Dumat is slain and the Blight ends. The darskpawn remain large numbers and continue to harass the populace, but without Dumat's direction they scatter and are eventually forced underground. The Grey Wardens sign contracts to ensure help in case the threat rises again.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 359. The guide places this event in 992 TE/-223 Ancient. The dates provided in the guide are not properly converted, 992 TE should be .
: The prophet Andraste is born in the Alamarri lands. The exact year of her birth is hotly contested by scholars.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 359. The guide places this event in 981 TE/-234 Ancient. The dates provided in the guide are not properly converted, 981 TE should be .
* -195 Ancient or : Slowly, the last of the darkspawn hordes are defeated. The dwarves continue to fight underground, but the surface world considers the battle to be over.
:The darkspawn are forced into the Far Steppes west of the Anderfels.
: Communication between the surviving dwarven kingdoms weakens as the Deep Roads are locked up. Each thaig elects its own king, though they maintain allegiance to a high king in Orzammar.
* -191 Ancient or : The Grey Wardens discover a number of intelligent darkspawn who can control portions of the horde even after Dumat's death. Warden Sashamiri arranges a trap to restrain and study one of these creatures, Corypheus, believed to be one of the Tevinter magisters who entered the Golden City and were corrupted into the first darkspawn two centuries prior.Codex entry: Privileged to the Wardens
* -187 Ancient or : Andraste marries Maferath, an Alamarri chieftain.
* -186 Ancient or : Andraste starts preaching about a new deity called the Maker. She gains many followers. Maferath unites the Alamarri clans under his authority with the help of Andraste's teachings.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 359. The guide places this event in 1010 TE/-205 Ancient. The dates provided in the guide are not properly converted, 1010 TE should be .
* -184 Ancient or : The Tevinter Imperium loses influence in souther Thedas as it focuses on rebuilding Minrathous.
: The Chasind take Ostagar, a fortress at the edge of the Korcari Wilds.
* -181 Ancient or : Warden-Commander Daneken realizes the futility of the Wardens' attempts to control or kill Corypheus, since the darkspawn is powerful enough to influence the minds of Grey Wardens, including their strongest mages. Daneken proposes instead to seal the prison off from the rest of the world and keep Corypheus' very existence a secret forever.Codex entry: A Change of Course Corypheus is imprisoned under the Vimmark Mountains.
* -180 Ancient or : An army made up mostly of the Alamarri led by the warlord Maferath and Andraste cross the Waking Sea to invade Tevinter. Andraste's teachings spread among the Imperial subjects, which provokes slave rebellions. Southern Tevinter starts collapsing.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 342. The guide places this event in 1020 TE ().Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 359. The guide places this event in 1020 TE/-195 Ancient. The dates provided in the guide are not properly converted, 1020 TE should be .
:The Tevinter Imperium loosens its grip on Estwatch, the process being initiated by the chaos that ensued with the First Blight. By the end of the Blight, Tevinter completely lets go of its control over Estwatch to focus on mainland. When Andraste's armies reach the island in -180 Ancient, they find only an empty fortress. Estwatch remains uninhabited for ages.
* -171 Ancient or : West of Minrathous, the Battle of Valarian Fields is fought between the Alamarri and the Tevinter Imperium. Maferath's forces are victorious. At that battle, the elven slave Shartan joins Maferath's side and leads other elves in the fight against their Tevinter oppressors. He then converts to the Maker's worship and becomes a disciple of Andraste. Centuries later, his writings are suppressed in light of the Exalted March of the Dales.
:The Alamarri army led by Maferath and Andraste stand before the gates of Minrathous and prepare for the battle to come.Codex entry: Andraste: Bride of the MakerApotheosis 1:10, 
:Maferath grows jealous when Andraste and the Maker are given the whole credit for military victories. In exchange for a truce and promise of lands, he makes a pact with Archon Hessarian of the Tevinter Imperium.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 359. The guide places this event in 1024 TE/-191 Ancient. The dates provided in the guide are not properly converted, 1024 TE should be .
* -170 Ancient or : Maferath betrays Andraste in Nevarra City, one of their strongholds, and allows her to be taken to Minrathous for execution. While Andraste burns at the stake, Archon Hessarien takes pity on her and stabs her through the heart.
:Disciple Havard, loyal to Andraste, collects her ashes and carries them back south.
* -165 Ancient or : Following the death of Andraste, the armies led by her and Maferath disperse. Maferath is granted the lands of southern Thedas. He keeps the Fereldan Valley for himself, while dividing what will become Orlais, the nation of Nevarra, and the Free Marches between his three sons.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 342. The guide places these events in 1025 TE ().
:The land west of the Frostback Mountains is given to the freed elves by Maferath. Known as the Dales, it becomes their homeland. The Long Walk begins as elves from all over the Imperium set out towards the Dales. Many die along the way from disease and bandit attacks.Codex entry: The Long Walk
* -160 Ancient or : Archon Hessarian converts from revering the Old Gods to the Cult of the Maker and reveals Maferath's betrayal of Andraste. The Alamarri abandon Maferath, and southern Thedas descends into anarchy.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 359. The guide places this event in 1035 TE/-180 Ancient. The dates provided in the guide are not properly converted, 1035 TE should be .
:Archon Hessarian converts the Tevinter Imperium to Andrastianism, which initiates a period in Tevinter history knowns as the Transfiguration.
The cult of the Maker is very unpopular with the temples of the Old Gods.
* -155 Ancient or : The Ciriane people—predecessors of Orlesians—unite in so-called Grand Unification.
* -135 Ancient or : The Alamarri warlords in the Fereldan Valley wage wars among themselves to claim Maferath's spot.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 359. The guide places this event in 1050 TE/-165 Ancient. The dates provided in the guide are not properly converted, 1050 TE should be .
:Andraste's ashes disappear. Many centuries later, they are discovered to have been hidden in a temple in the Frostback Mountains by the Disciples of Andraste.
:The Alamarri tribes face an internal conflict; various banns try to fill the power vacuum left by Maferath's demise. One of the rising leaders is Andral, a man who claims to be Andraste's son. He manages to unite the tribes but is soon discovered as fraud, and the clans start fighting again. Several more supposed sons of Andraste step forward and take control over portions of the Fereldan Valley.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 359.
:Disciples of Andraste bring her ashes back from the Tevinter Imperium. The ashes are first interred at the Silver Temple in Highever. The supposed sons of Andraste attempt to take the ashes so that they can strengthen their claims. Because of this, the ashes are relocated to a secret place.
* -130 Ancient or : The Chant of Light is created by Andraste's disciples, collecting her story and her teachings into hymns.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 342. The guide places this event in 1040 TE (). Numerous versions of the Chant are written over time and different variants become popular in regions of Thedas, with different interpretations of Andraste's teachings.
* -125 Ancient or : Archon Hessarian dies in his sleep. There's a movement in the eastern and southern provinces to secede from the Imperium in fear that Hessarian's successor, Archon Orentius, will restore the cult of the Old Gods.
:Popularity of the Chant of Light spreads across Thedas.
* -120 Ancient or : Rebellions break out in eastern Thedas as Rivain attempts to separate from the Imperium. Many Free Marcher city-states send help the Rivaini.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 342. The guide places these events in 1050-1120 TE ( to ).
* -100 Ancient or : The Inquisition is founded around this time. Its mission is to hunt heretics and mages in the name of the Maker.
* -53 Ancient or : The Imperium fails to supress the Rivaini rebellions. After a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Temerin, the Imperium abandons its eastern holdings.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 342. The guide places this event in 1117 TE ().
* -44 Ancient or : The Kingdom of Rivain is formed.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 342. The guide places this event in 1126 TE ().
* -40 Ancient or : By order of High King Threestone, the dwarves of Orzammar seal the Deep Roads that lead to the remaining kingdoms of Kal-Sharok, Gundaar and Hormak in a desperate bid to survive.Codex entry: Cut to Kal Sharok
* -36 Ancient or : Castana Drakon, mother of Kordillus Drakon I, is named gothi of the tribes of the Ciriane.
* -35 Ancient or : The dwarven kingdom of Hormak falls to the darkspawnBased on the description of Wintersbreath (Inquisition). and around this time the kingdom of Gundaar is overrun as well.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 342. The guide says that both Hormak and Gundaar fell within ten years of Orzammar sealing the Deep Roads leading to them.
* -30 Ancient or : The city-state of Antiva expands and becomes a full-fledged nation.
* -25 Ancient or : As the borders of the Imperium recede, Emerius becomes one of their lone outposts. It breaks away due to a slave uprising. No longer under Tevinter rule, the city changes name to Kirkwall.
* -15 Ancient or : Kordillus Drakon orders construction of a grand temple dedicated to the Maker.Codex entry: The Founding of the Chantry He begins by tearing down an ancient Ciriane fortress where Jeshavis once resided, and uses its foundantion to build the new temple.
:The last of the Deep Roads are sealed, cutting off Kal-Sharok which is presumed lost to the horde.
:The dwarves of Kal-Sharok survive but never forgive the dwarves of Orzammar for their decision.
* -11 Ancient or : The Cult of the Maker spreads swiftly across southern Thedas. One of its most fervent followers is the young king of Orlais, Kordillus Drakon.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 342. The guide places this event in 1180 TE (). In the following years, Drakon and his wife Area Montlaures conquer lands in the Fereldan Valley and Nevarra, where they stamp out worship of deities other than the Maker, such as the Old Gods, but also the ancestral gods of the Alamarri and Ciriane.
* -3 Ancient or : Kordillus Drakon unites the tribes of the Heartlands in central Orlais. He is crowned emperor of the new Orlesian Empire in Val Royeaux.
:The Chantry is formed by Emperor Drakon as he formalizes the Maker's cult an official religion.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 359. The guide places this event in 1195 TE/-1 Ancient. The dates provided in the guide are not properly converted, 1195 TE should be . The grand temple in Val Royeaux concludes its construction, becoming the center of worship for the new faith.
:Emperor Drakon commands missionaries to travel the continent and spread the teachings of the newly founded Chantry.
== Notes ==
* Contradictory statements are given about the date of foundation of Arlathan in Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 1. On pages 10 and 23 it explicitly mentions that Arlathan was founded in -7600 Ancient. However, on page 10 it also mentions that Arlathan was founded roughly 3000 years before the humans arrived in Thedas. Since on page 11 it's established that humanity arrived in Thedas around -3100 Ancient, this would put the founding of Arlathan in -6100 Ancient, 1500 later than indicated in the timeline. That being said, the date of Arlathan's founding on page 10 is explicitly described as difficult to pinpoint in Chantry years due to being so far removed.
* The "first civil war" of Tevinter Imperium described in Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 341 as happening between -575 and -555 Ancient (620-640 TE) might supposed be the same civil war as the the one referenced in Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 1, which is said to have broken out in -692 Ancient, continued through -640, and ended in -620 Ancient. The Traveler's Guide makes no mention of another Tevinter civil war, and if it did, then the conflict that occurred between -575 and -555 Ancient couldn't be presented as the first civil war, since the war of -692 Ancient to -620 Ancient predates it. It's likely that these entries actually refer to the same war, and the dates shown in the Traveler's Guide are a result of a timeline conversion mistake.
== References ==
Category:Ages
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ru:Древние Времена