The Silla Dynasty spans which years?

• A. 57 BC - 668 AD
• B. 618-907 CE
• C. 2,000 years
• D. 500-600 CE

Answer: (A)

Silla began in 57 BCE, traditionally founded by Hyeokgeose, and over time grew from a small southeastern kingdom into one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The key turning point is 668 CE, when Silla, with help from the Tang dynasty of China, defeated its rivals Baekje and Goguryeo and completed the unification of much of the Korean peninsula. That milestone marks the end of Silla as a distinct pre-unification kingdom; it continued as Unified Silla for a period, but the commonly cited span of the Silla Dynasty stops at 668 CE. The other dates don’t fit because they either start too late, extend beyond the era of unification, or misstate the length of Silla’s actual reign.