Timeline of ancient civilizations in europe

timelines_europe.py

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# Updated timeline data for European civilizations and periods
timelines_europe = {
    # Neolithic Cultures
    "Neolithic Cultures": {"start": -7000, "end": -2500, "color": "lightgreen"},
    "Cardial Culture": {"start": -6000, "end": -5000, "color": "lightblue"},
    "Linear Pottery Culture (LBK)": {
        "start": -5500,
        "end": -4500,
        "color": "lightblue",
    },
    "Impressed Ware Culture": {"start": -4000, "end": -2000, "color": "lightblue"},
    # Copper Age
    "Copper Age (Chalcolithic)": {"start": -3500, "end": -2200, "color": "salmon"},
    "Varna Culture": {"start": -4600, "end": -4200, "color": "salmon"},
    "Cucuteni-Trypillia Culture": {"start": -4800, "end": -3000, "color": "salmon"},
    # Bronze Age
    "Bronze Age": {"start": -3200, "end": -600, "color": "gold"},
    "Minoan Civilization": {"start": -2700, "end": -1450, "color": "gold"},
    "Mycenaean Civilization": {"start": -1600, "end": -1100, "color": "gold"},
    "Etruscan Civilization": {"start": -800, "end": -200, "color": "gold"},
    # Iron Age
    "Iron Age": {"start": -1200, "end": 0, "color": "orange"},
    "Celtic Culture": {"start": -800, "end": 1, "color": "orange"},
    # Greek City-States
    "Classical Greek Period": {"start": -800, "end": -300, "color": "purple"},
    "Athenian Democracy": {"start": -508, "end": -322, "color": "purple"},
    "Spartan Society": {"start": -800, "end": -200, "color": "purple"},
    # Roman Republic
    "Roman Republic": {"start": -509, "end": -27, "color": "red"},
}

# Plotting with the x-axis reversed (chronological order from left to right)
fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(20, 10))
ax.grid(True, which="major", axis="x", linestyle="--", color="gray", alpha=0.7)
ax.set_title("Timeline of Ancient Civilizations in Europe", fontsize=20)
ax.set_xlabel("Year (BCE)", fontsize=20)
ax.set_ylabel("", fontsize=20)

# Plot each civilization/event as a horizontal line
for idx, (name, details) in enumerate(timelines_europe.items()):
    ax.hlines(
        y=idx,
        xmin=details["start"],
        xmax=details["end"],
        color=details["color"],
        linewidth=12,
    )
    ax.text(
        details["end"] + 5, idx, f" {name}", verticalalignment="center", fontsize=15
    )

# Create a legend
legend_labels = {
    "Neolithic Cultures": "lightgreen",
    "Cardial Culture": "lightblue",
    "Linear Pottery Culture (LBK)": "lightblue",
    "Impressed Ware Culture": "lightblue",
    "Varna Culture": "salmon",
    "Cucuteni-Trypillia Culture": "salmon",
    "Minoan Civilization": "gold",
    "Mycenaean Civilization": "gold",
    "Etruscan Civilization": "gold",
    "Celtic Culture": "orange",
    "Greek Period": "purple",
    "Roman Period": "red",
}

# Add legend to the plot
handles = [plt.Line2D([0], [0], color=color, lw=12) for color in legend_labels.values()]
labels = list(legend_labels.keys())
ax.legend(
    handles,
    labels,
    loc="upper left",
    fontsize=20,
    facecolor="whitesmoke",
    framealpha=1,
    edgecolor="black",
)
ax.set_xticks(range(-7000, 1, 1000))
ax.set_xlim(-7000, 0)  # Setting left-to-right chronology
ax.set_yticks([])  # This removes the y-axis tick marks
ax.tick_params(axis="x", labelsize=20)  # Set font size for x-axis tick labels
plt.show()