The Met’s chronology dates the Three Kingdoms period to 220–265 CE.
Chronological context#
It places the period after Eastern Han and before Western Jin. A timeline is a chronological framework, not evidence that a particular literary scene happened.
A reading exercise#
Identify whether a narrative comes from a historical source, a novel or a modern adaptation. A character’s speech in fiction should not be presented as a recorded quotation from the historical person.
Using the dates#
The exercise is editorial guidance for evaluating evidence. Retain the named reference and its dating convention when comparing another account; this short introduction is not an exhaustive political history.