Welcome to

Seshat: Global History Databank

✓ the most current and comprehensive body of knowledge about human history
✓ collects what is currently known about the social and political organization of human societies over time
✓ offers the means to study the past through well-established scientific techniques
✓ founded in 2011 and thriving ever since

47

Seshat Regions

Tibet (Central and Northern Eurasia)

East Coast (North America)

Southern South Asia (South Asia)

East Africa (Africa)

Southeastern Europe (Europe)

Anatolia-Caucasus (Southwest Asia)

Maghreb (Africa)

Pakistan (South Asia)

and 39 more... in 10 Macro Regions.

757

Polities

Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2) 2900 BCE 2687 BCE

Cahokia - Late Woodland I (us_woodland_3) 300 CE 450 CE

Iban - Pre-Brooke (id_iban_1) 1650 CE 1841 CE

Heian (jp_heian) 794 CE 1185 CE

Rouran Khaganate (mn_rouran_khaganate) 300 CE 555 CE

Later Yan Kingdom (cn_later_yan_dyn) 385 CE 409 CE

Gauda Kingdom (in_gauda_k) 600 CE 750 CE

Kansai - Yayoi Period (jp_yayoi) 300 BCE 250 CE

and 749 more... in 47 Seshat Regions.

Seshat

General Variables

26

variables

in categories: Identity and Location, Temporal Bounds, Language, Religion, Supra-cultural relations
8637

datapoints

Alternative Name (Identity and Location)

Polity Peak Years (Temporal Bounds)

Polity Capital (Identity and Location)

Polity Language (Language)

Polity Religion (Religion)

Degree of Centralization (Temporal Bounds)

Succeeding Entity (Supra-cultural relations)

Relationship to Preceding Entity (Supra-cultural relations)

and 18 more... for 503 Polities

Social Complexity Variables

76

variables

in categories: Social Scale, Hierarchical Complexity, Professions, Bureaucracy Characteristics, Law, Specialized Buildings: polity owned, Transport Infrastructure, Special-purpose Sites, Information
20336

datapoints

Polity Territory (Social Scale)

Polity Population (Social Scale)

Settlement Hierarchy (Hierarchical Complexity)

Irrigation System (Specialized Buildings: polity owned)

Merit Promotion (Bureaucracy Characteristics)

Formal Legal Code (Law)

Road (Transport Infrastructure)

Postal Station (Information / Postal System)

and 68 more... for 504 Polities

Warfare Variables

49

variables

in categories: Fortifications, Military use of Metals, Projectiles, Handheld weapons, Animals used in warfare, Armor, Naval technology
17526

datapoints

Bronze (Military use of Metals)

Javelin (Projectiles)

Battle Axe (Handheld Weapons)

Sword (Handheld Weapons)

Horse (Animals used in warfare)

Small Vessels (canoes, etc) (Naval technology)

Shield (Armor)

Wooden Palisade (Fortifications)

and 41 more... for 373 Polities

Human Sacrifice

The deliberate and ritualized killing of a person to please or placate supernatural entities (including gods, spirits, and ancestors) or gain other supernatural benefits.
356

datapoints

was Unknown: 3200 BCE 2501 BCE in Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period

was Present: 1292 CE 1518 CE in Majapahit Kingdom

was Unknown: 400 BCE 499 CE in Java - Buni Culture

was Absent: 1637 CE 1805 CE in Yemen - Qasimid Dynasty

was Absent: 1581 CE 1689 CE in Late Mongols

was Present: 1100 CE 1202 CE in Later Wagadu Empire

was Present: 1126 CE 1205 CE in Early Mongols

was Absent: 1093 CE 1243 CE in Rum Sultanate

and 348 more... coded for 322 Polities

CrisisDB

Power Transitions

  absent     present     inferred absent     inferred present     suspected unknown     unknown are coded for:
OT Overturn
PA Predecessor Assassination
IE Intra-Elite
MR Military Revolt
PU Popular Uprising
SR Separatist Rebellion
EV External Invasion
EF External Inteference
2407

transitions

700 CE in Lombard Kingdom: Raginpert Aripert II OV PA IE MR PU SR EV EF

485 CE 492 CE in Rouran Khaganate: Yujiulü Doulun Yujiulü Nagai OV PA IE MR PU SR EV EF

1821 CE 1822 CE in Early United Mexican States: First Regency Second Regency OV PA IE MR PU SR EV EF

1557 CE 1578 CE in Portuguese Empire - Renaissance Period: Sebastion Henry the Cardinal OV PA IE MR PU SR EV EF

1184 BCE 1153 BCE in Egypt - New Kingdom Ramesside Period: Rameses III / Usermaatra Meryamun Rameses IV / Heqamaatra Setepenamun OV PA IE MR PU SR EV EF

888 CE 898 CE in Carolingian Empire II: Odo Charles III, the Simple OV PA IE MR PU SR EV EF

1061 CE 1073 CE in Rome - Republic of St Peter II: Alexander II (Anselm of Baggio) Gregory VII (Hildebrand) OV PA IE MR PU SR EV EF

253 CE in Roman Empire - Principate: Aemilian Valerian (253-260) and Gallienus (253-268) OV PA IE MR PU SR EV EF

and 2399 more... coded for 197 Polities

Crisis Consequences

Crisis periods are defined as periods of turmoil within a polity duration. We measure this turmoil by:
  1. tracking known destabilizing events such as major revolts, civil violence, and institutional reform; and
  2. following established scholarship which identifies such crisis periods
167

cases

  absent     present     inferred absent     inferred present     suspected unknown     unknown are coded for:
PD Population Decline
PC Population Collapse
EP Epidemic
DM Elite Downward Mobility
EX Elite Extermination
UP Uprising
RV Revolution
SR Successful Revolution
CW Civil War
C+ Lasted a Century +
FR Fragmentation
CL Capital Loss
EC External Conquest
RA Ruler Assassination
RD Ruler Depose
CC Constitution Change
LC Labor Change
UL Unfree Labor Change
SF Suffrage
PG Public Goods Change
RC Religion Change

1060 CE 1085 CE in Northern Song: Government conflict and Wang An-shi reforms: PD PC EP DM EX UP RV CW C+ FR CL EC RA RD CC LC UL SF PG RC

1890 CE 1935 CE in Us Reconstruction-Progressive: Progressive Era: PD PC EP DM EX UP RV CW C+ FR CL EC RA RD CC LC UL SF PG RC

1454 CE 1455 CE in Oirats: Death of Esen Taishi and internal unrest: PD PC EP DM EX UP RV CW C+ FR CL EC RA RD CC LC UL SF PG RC

1000 CE 1056 CE in Icelandic Commonwealth: Conversion to Christianity: PD PC EP DM EX UP RV CW C+ FR CL EC RA RD CC LC UL SF PG RC

1200 BCE 1180 BCE in Hatti - New Kingdom: Bronze Age Collapse, Hatti: PD PC EP DM EX UP RV CW C+ FR CL EC RA RD CC LC UL SF PG RC

1810 CE in Rattanakosin: Coup: PD PC EP DM EX UP RV CW C+ FR CL EC RA RD CC LC UL SF PG RC

150 CE 224 CE in Parthian Empire II: Fall of the Parthian Empire: PD PC EP DM EX UP RV CW C+ FR CL EC RA RD CC LC UL SF PG RC

1153 CE 1214 CE in Later Jin: Unrest & flooding: PD PC EP DM EX UP RV CW C+ FR CL EC RA RD CC LC UL SF PG RC

and 159 more... coded for 152 Polities

🇺🇸 US Political Violence Database

✓ coded for Date, Type, Subtype(s), Location(s), Fatalities, etc
1890

cases

Aug. 1, 1952 riot (prison) in UNKNOWN (UNK), Bordeux Jail: 1 was killed. Source(s):

May 1, 1880 lynching (extralegal) in Michigan (MI), Osceda: 3 were killed. Source(s):   Paul A. Gilje, Riots In The United States

March 1, 1917 riot (economic) in Pennsylvania (PA), Philadelphia: 1 was killed. Source(s):   Paul A. Gilje, Riots In The United States

Aug. 1, 1855 lynching (race) in Alabama (AL), Montgomery: 1 was killed. Source(s):   Paul A. Gilje, Riots In The United States

June 1, 1922 riot (labor) in Illinois (IL), Herrin: 23 were killed. Source(s):   Paul A. Gilje, Riots In The United States

April 1, 2009 terrorism (education) in Georgia (GA), Athens: 3 were killed. Source(s):   The New York Times

March 1, 1863 riot (race) in Michigan (MI), Detroit: 1 was killed. Source(s):   Paul A. Gilje, Riots In The United States

Nov. 1, 1974 riot (prison) in Georgia (GA), Reidsville: 1 was killed. Source(s):   Hartford Daily Courant Or The Hartford Courant

and 1882 more...

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