Chronology of The Three Kingdoms of Korea

The Three Kingdoms:  Silla, Koguryo, Paekche.

The first major period of Korea during recorded history is the period of the Three Kingdoms (c. 57 BC–AD 668), when the peninsula of Korea was ruled by three monarchies.  The Koguryo kingdom (traditionally dated 37 BC–AD 668) was the northernmost of the three, both geographically and culturally.  First established in southern Manchuria, its lifestyle was based on the typically austere cultural patterns of northern Asia, evolved in a region characterized by its scarcity of arable land and severity of climate.  The Paekche kingdom (traditionally dated 18 BC–AD 660) was centred in southwestern Korea, south of the present-day city of Seoul.  This was a favourable geographic position for receiving foreign cultural influences.  Paekche art, therefore, was open and receptive to Chinese influences.  Northern Chinese cultural elements were introduced by land through the Koguryo kingdom, while southern Chinese influences easily crossed the navigable East Asian seas.  The kingdom of Silla (traditionally dated 57 BC–AD 668) was the oldest of the monarchies.  It originated in the present city of Kyongju and eventually came to cover most of southeastern Korea east of the Naktong River.  The original territory of the Silla kingdom, the modern North Kyongsang province, is a mountain-secluded triangle, a geographic factor sometimes offered as an explanation for the distinctiveness and conservatism of its art.

One thing missing here, might be the history of Kaya (42 AD-562AD), so it might be more apt to refer to this period as "Four Kingdoms". But since "Three Kingdoms" has been used for decades, on this page, it will still be referred to as "Three Kingdoms", in order to avoid any confusion for the users of that older terminology.

Ancient Period:

Formation of the Three Kingdoms: