This is a timeline of Vietnamese history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Vietnam and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Vietnam.

__NOTOC__ Prehistory / Millennia: 3rd BCE2nd BC–1st BCE1st–2nd3rd

Prehistoric Vietnam Year Event 25000 BCE The Soi Nhụ culture appeared. 23000 BCE The Ngườm culture appeared. 20000 BCE The Sơn Vi culture appeared in modern Lâm Thao district. 12000 BCE Hoabinhian artifacts began to be produced in Northern Vietnam. 10000 BCE The Bắc Sơn culture appeared. 8000 BCE The Quỳnh Văn culture appeared. 5000 BCE The Cái Bèo culture appeared. 4000 BCE The first rice cultivation of which evidence survives in modern Vietnam took place.Dao 1985 The Đa Bút culture appeared in what is now Vĩnh Lộc district. 3500 BCE Wet rice was cultivated in the Red River Delta.

Centuries: 30th BC29th BC28th BC27th BC26th BC25th BC24th BC23rd BC22nd BC21st BC

29th century BCE Year Event 2879 BCE Kinh Dương Vương unified all vassal states in his territory into the single state of Xích Quỷ, which he ruled as Hùng king from the capital at Phong Châu.Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, Issue 1 He also sponsored the development of martial arts in Xích Quỷ at the time.Iwona Czerwinska Pawluk and Walery Zukow, p. 21

28th century BCE Year Event 2793 BCE Kinh Dương Vương was succeeded as Hùng king of Xích Quỷ, since renamed Văn Lang, by his son Lạc Long Quân.

27th century BCE Year Event 2637 BCE The lunar calendar came into use in Văn Lang.

26th century BCE Year Event 2524 BCE The first Hùng king of the Cấn line came to power in Văn Lang.

25th century BCE Year Event 2500 BCE The Hùng king ordered an increase in rice cultivation.

24th century BCE

23rd century BCE Year Event 2253 BCE The last Hùng king of the Cấn line ended his rule of Văn Lang. 2252 BCE The first Hùng king of the Chấn line came to power in Văn Lang.

22nd century BCE Year Event 2200 BCE The earliest surviving artifacts indicating use of the Vietnamese calendar appeared.Ancient calendar unearthed . Retrieved 2014-01-03.

21st century BCE

Centuries: 20th BC19th BC18th BC17th BC16th BC15th BC14th BC13th BC12th BC11th BC10th BC9th BC8th BC7th BC6th BC5th BC4th BC3rd BC2nd BC1st BC

20th century BCE Year Event 2000 BCE The Phùng Nguyên culture appeared. 1913 BCE The last Hùng king of the Chấn line ended his rule of Văn Lang. 1912 BCE The first Hùng king of the Tốn line came to power in Văn Lang.

19th century BCE

18th century BCE Year Event 1712 BCE The first Hùng king of the Ly line came to power in Văn Lang.

17th century BCE Year Event 1700 BCE Burial rituals and tomb building came into practice. 1631 BCE The first Hùng king of the Khôn line came to power in Văn Lang.

16th century BCE

15th century BCE Year Event 1500 BCE The Đồng Đậu culture appeared. A sophisticated agricultural society developed on the Vietnamese coast.Vietnam – History . Retrieved 2013-12-14. 1432 BCE The last Hùng king of the Khôn line ended his rule of Văn Lang. 1431 BCE The first Hùng king of the Đoài line came to power in Văn Lang.

14th century BCE Year Event 1331 BCE The first Hùng king of the Giáp line came to power in Văn Lang.

13th century BCE Year Event Date 1251 BCE The first Hùng king of the Ất line came to power in Văn Lang.

12th century BCE Year Event 1200 BCE The Lạc Việt discovered bronze casting. Irrigation was first used in rice cultivation in the plains of the Mã and Red Rivers. 1162 BCE The last Hùng king of the Ất line ended his rule of Văn Lang. 1161 BCE The first Hùng king of the Bính line came to power in Văn Lang.

11th century BCE Year Event 1100 BCE The Gò Mun culture appeared. 1055 BCE The last Hùng king of the Bính line ended his rule of Văn Lang. 1054 BCE The first Hùng king of the Đinh line came to power in Văn Lang.

10th century BCE Year Event 1000 BCE The Đông Sơn culture appeared in the valley of the Red River. Copper casting began to be used in Văn Lang in the manufacture of brass tools, weapons, and ornaments. The population of Văn Lang reached one million. The Lạc Việt developed observational astronomy.World Beat: Vietnam. Retrieve 2014-01-01. 969 BCE The last Hùng king of the Đinh line ended his rule of Văn Lang. 968 BCE The first Hùng king of the Mậu line came to power in Văn Lang.

9th century BCE Year Event 853 BCE The first Hùng king of the Kỷ line came to power in Văn Lang.

8th century BCE Year Event 754 BCE The first Hùng king of the Canh line came to power in Văn Lang.

7th century BCE Year Event 700 BCE Refugees from the increasingly fragile Zhou dynasty began to arrive in the Red River Delta.Hauptly, 1985, 4 661 BCE The last Hùng king of the Canh line ended his rule of Văn Lang. 660 BCE The first Hùng king of the Tân line came to power in Văn Lang.

6th century BCE Year Event 600 BCE The metallurgical style unique to the Đông Sơn drums was invented.Tarling, p. 121 An elaborate system of canals and dikes was invented which made possible the tidal irrigation of rice fields. 569 BCE The last Hùng king of the Tân line ended his rule of Văn Lang. 568 BCE The first Hùng king of the Nhâm line came to power in Văn Lang.

5th century BCE Year Event 500 BCE The earliest artifacts suggesting the celebration of Tết appeared. 470 BCE King Goujian of Yue sent messengers to Văn Lang demanding submission. The last Hùng king of the Nhâm line ended his rule of Văn Lang. 408 BCE Hùng Duệ Vương became Hùng king of Văn Lang.

4th century BCE Year Event 400 BCE A mass migration of refugees to the Red River Delta took place due to the ongoing collapse of the Zhou dynasty.

3rd century BCE Year Event 300 BCE Buddhist missionaries from Maurya Empire arrived in Văn Lang.Nguyễn Tài Thư (2008), p.13 . The Âu Việt settled across the northern border of Văn Lang and opened trade relations with the Lạc Việt. 257 BCE Thục Phán, ruler of the Âu Việt, invaded and conquered Văn Lang. He renamed the country Âu Lạc and took the regnal name An Dương Vương, ruling as king from Cổ Loa Citadel. 250 BCE The Hùng Temple was built.Death Anniversary of the Hùng kings . Retrieved 2013-11-30. 210 BCE The Battle of Tiên Du took place. 207 BCE The Qin general Zhao Tuo captured Cổ Loa Citadel. An Dương Vương fled and later committed suicide. Zhao Tuo divided the territory under his control into the commanderies of Jiaozhi and Jiuzhen.Vu Dinh Dinh. "Cochinchina: Reassessment of the Origin and Use of a Westernized Place Name ". The Writers Post, vol. 9, Jan & Jul 2007.Chinese annals mark this as the start of Vietnamese history. 206 BCE The warlord Xiang Yu led an army into the Qin capital Xianyang, burned the Epang Palace and killed the Qin emperor Ziying and the royal family. 203 BCE Zhao Tuo declared himself king of Nanyue, with his capital in modern Panyu, Guangzhou. Nanyue conquered Guilin.

2nd century BCE Year Date Event 198 BCE Two delegates were assigned to oversee the affairs of Jiaozhi and Jiuzhen. 196 BCE The Han official Lu Jia gave Zhao Tuo a seal recognizing him as king of Nanyue in exchange for his nominal submission to the Han emperor.Taylor, 1991, p. 24. 183 BCE Empress Lü, the Han empress dowager and regent for her grandson Emperor Houshao of Han, ordered a trade blockade of Nanyue. Zhao Tuo sacked the Han capital Chang'an. The nearby polities of Minyue, Yelang and Tongshi declared their allegiance to Nanyue. 181 BCE A punitive Han invasion of Nanyue stalled after much of the invading army fell to illness. 180 BCE Lü Zhi died. Nanyue conquered some Han territory near the border. 179 BCE In exchange for the restoration of his family in modern Zhengding County and the withdrawal of Han forces from the Nanyue border, Zhao Tuo renounced the title emperor and pledged submission to the Han dynasty. Luy Lâu was founded. Zhao Tuo died. He was succeeded as king of Nanyue by his grandson Zhao Mo. 135 BCE A border war took place between Nanyue and Minyue. 122 BCE Zhao Mo died. He was succeeded as king of Nanyue by his eldest son Zhao Yingqi. 118 BCE Confucian ideas were introduced to Nanyue.Doh Chull Shin, p. 34 115 BCE Zhao Yingqi died. He was succeeded by his son Zhao Xing. 112 BCE Lü Jia, the prime minister of Nanyue and a Lạc Việt chief, killed Zhao Xing and his Han Chinese mother Juishi after the latter agreed to full submission to the Han dynasty in order to preserve her authority in Nanyue. He declared Zhao Xing's elder brother Zhao Jiande king. 111 BCE Han conquest of Nanyue: Han forces invaded Nanyue. Zhao Jiande was captured in flight and executed. The zhou of Jiaozhou was organized on the territory of the defunct Nanyue and divided into the commanderies of Nanhai, Cangwu, Yulin, Jiaozhi, Hepu, Zhuya, Taner, and Jiuzhen. Shi Dai was appointed its governor. Tây Vu Vương launched a revolt against Han forces. 110 BCE Tây Vu Vương was assassinated by his assistant Hoàng Đồng.Taylor, 1991, p. 29.

1st century BCE Year Date Event 86 BCE Shi Dai's rule of Jiaozhou ended. 48 BCE The commandery of Rinan in Jiaozhou was organized south of the Hoành Sơn Range.Taylor, 1991, p. 30.

Centuries: 1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th

1st century Year Event 2 Tích Quang became governor of Jiaozhou. A census in Jiaozhou counted some hundred thousand households and nearly one million people.Taylor, 1991, p. 33. 31 Tích Quang's rule of Jiaozhou ended. 34 Su Ding became governor of Jiaozhou. 39 Thi Sách was assassinated. 40 Trung sisters' rebellion: The Trưng Sisters launched a rebellion against Han authority in the Red River Delta. 43 Trung sisters' rebellion: the Trưng Sisters committed suicide by drowning themselves before The Han general Ma Yuan could capture them.

2nd century

3rd century Year Date Event 229 June 23 Sun Quan declared himself emperor, founding the state of Eastern Wu, separating from the Han dynasty. 246 Lady Triệu uprising.

4th century

5th century

6th century Year Date Event 544 February Following his rebellion and expulsion of Liang forces from Jiaozhou, Lý Nam Đế was proclaimed emperor of Vạn Xuân.Việt sử Thông giám cương mục. 545 Winter The Liang general Emperor Wu of Chen launched a surprise attack on the Vạn Xuân capital Long Biên, forcing Lý Nam Đế and the imperial administration to flee to the Gia Ninh Citadel in modern Việt Trì. 546 Lý Nam Đế was forced to retreat to Khuất Lão Cave, where he reorganized his army under the command of Triệu Việt Vương. 547 Vạn Xuân forces defended Dạ Trạch in modern Khoái Châu District from Liang forces. 548 February Lý Nam Đế ceded rule of Vạn Xuân to Triệu Việt Vương and his older brother Lý Thiên Bảo. April Lý Nam Đế was assassinated in modern Laos. 550 Triệu Việt Vương expelled Liang forces from Vạn Xuân and reestablished the capital at Long Biên. 555 Lý Thiên Bảo died without heirs. 557 Hậu Lý Nam Đế, Lý Nam Đế's cousin and claimant to the throne of Vạn Xuân, signed a truce with Triệu Việt Vương establishing a boundary between their two territories. 571 Hậu Lý Nam Đế surprised and conquered Triệu Việt Vương and moved his capital to Phong Châu.

7th century Year Date Event 602 Sui–Former Lý War: Sui conquered Vạn Xuân following a brief rebellion by Hậu Lý Nam Đế.

8th century Year Date Event 713 Mai Thúc Loan uprising. 776 Phùng Hưng uprising.

9th century

10th century