With the release of the children’s novelThe Hobbitin 1937,J. R. R. Tolkienlaunched an entirely new world that would captivate readers for generations to come. His magnum opusThe Lord of the Ringstold the story of four little hobbits and the part they played in saving the world of Men by defeating the ultimate evil: Sauron and his One Ring of Power.
Peter Jacksonre-introduced Tolkien’s Middle-earth to entirely new generations in his much-acclaimed movie trilogyLord of the Rings, followed by the less well-receivedThe Hobbittrilogy. Now, Prime Video has recently released the first season of a new 8-episode series set in Arda (Tolkien’s name for the Earth) during the Second Age, titledThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The first season finale, “Alloyed,” premiered in October 2022, but a second season is already underway and in production, with the series shifting its filming location from New Zealand to the United Kingdom at Bray Studios. Season 2 is expected to also consist of eight episodes.
The history of Tolkien’s universe is complicated, to say the least. We’ve put together this comprehensive timeline to take you through the entire history of Arda and Middle-earth. But please keep in mind that sometimes the on-screen versions conflict with the books, so this is much more of a general guide than a document set in stone. If you’d like to see an interactive map highlighting some of these events, check outThe LOTR Project’s timeline.
If you’d like to skip back and forth through this guide, this list of shortcuts will hopefully make things a little easier:
If you aren’t sure what this guide covers, here’s a list of relevant books and on-screen media in order within Middle-earth chronology. While many choose to read Tolkien’s books in order of publication history, chronological order is an interesting way to learn more about the ins and outs of Middle-earth.
Books by J. R. R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien
TV & Movies
A note on time periods: Between the beginning of time and the First Age, years are given in Valian years. Valian years last between 9 and 10 regular years, according to Christopher Tolkien. Not all events have precise dates.
The Time Before the Creation of the World and the Beginning of Time
The Years of Music
The Beginning of Time
V. Y. 500:
V. Y. 1500
V. Y. 1900
V. Y. 3400
V. Y. 3450
V. Y. 3500
The Years of the Lamps
The Years of the Trees (Y. T.)
Y. T. 1085
Y. T. 1090
Y. T. 1092
Y. T. 1099
Y. T. 1100
Y .T. 1101
Y. T. 1104
Y. T. 1105–1165
Y. T. 1362
Y. T. 1400
Y. T. 1410
Y. T. 1450
Y. T. 1490
Y. T. 1495
Y. T. 1496
Y. T. 1497
Y. T. 1500 or V. Y. 5000
The First Age
The Second Age
S. A. 1000
S. A. 1200
S. A. 1350
S. A. 1500
S. A. 1600
S. A. 1693
S. A. 1695
S. A. 1697
S. A. 1700
S. A. 3209
S. A. 3261
S. A. 3262
S. A. 3300
S. A. 3310
S. A. 3319
S. A. 3320
S. A. 3429
S. A. 3430
S. A. 3434
S. A. 3441
The Third Age
T. A. 1000
T. A. 1050
T. A. 1300
T. A. 1601
T. A. 1980
T. A. 1981
T. A. 1999
T. A. 2002
T. A. 2050
T. A. 2063
T. A. 2210
T. A. 2430
T. A. 2460
T. A. 2463
T. A. 2510
T. A. 2746
T. A. 2759
T. A. 2770
T. A. 2841
T. A. 2845
T. A. 2850
T. A. 2890
T. A. 2931
T. A. 2941
T. A. 2942
T. A. 2951
T. A. 2956
T. A. 2957
T. A. 2968
T. A. 2989
T. A. 2994
T. A. 3001
T. A. 3002
T. A. 3014
T. A. 3017
T. A. 3018
T. A. 3019
T. A. 3020
The Fourth Age
