Literature, in the west, originated in the southern Mesopotamia region of Sumer (c. 3200) in the city of Uruk and flourished in Egypt, later in Greece (the written word having been imported there from the Phoenicians) and from there, to Rome.

Here you will find our graphical timeline representing literary periods & movements, as well as major events or authors from literature history. To learn more about specific eras you can browse back to our Literary Periods page.

This article gives a chronological list of years in literature, with notable publications listed with their respective years and a small selection of notable events. The time covered in individual years covers Renaissance, Baroque and Modern literature, while Medieval literature is resolved by century.

This exploration of the history of English literature unveils the nuanced evolution through the ages. Each epoch reveals distinctive styles, offering insights into the literary landscapes that poets and authors once traversed.

Literary periods are spans of time for literature that shares intellectual, linguistic, religious, and artistic influences. The following links, organized by literary period, are to the library's catalog for works by author, title, literary movement, type of work, etc.