Chronology

The first chronology Conan the Cimmerian was written by two Robert E. Howard fans, P. Schuyler Miller and Dr. John D. Clark in 1936. This "Miller/Clark" chronology was regarded as canonical for many years and formed the basis of L. Sprague de Camp's timeline that framed the Lancer/Ace series. However, at least since 1983, when Joe Marek pointed out some inconsistencies, the chronology has become a matter of debate.

One of the key issues that divides Conan and Howard fans is that a chronology focuses attention on the character rather than Howard's (or anyone else's) body of work.

"A Probable Outline of Conan's Career" &bull; P. Schuyler Miller and Dr. John D. Clark

 * "The Tower of the Elephant"
 * "Rogues in the House"
 * "Queen of the Black Coast"
 * "Black Colossus"
 * "Shadows in the Moonlight"
 * "A Witch Shall Be Born"
 * "Shadows in Zamboula"
 * "The Devil in Iron"
 * The People of the Black Circle 
 * "The Slithering Shadow"
 * "The Pool of the Black One"
 * Red Nails
 * "Jewels of Gwahlur"
 * Beyond the Black River
 * "The Phoenix on the Sword"
 * "The Scarlet Citadel"
 * The Hour of the Dragon

The chronology of the Lancer/Ace series
Conan
 * "The Thing in the Crypt" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter


 * "The Tower of the Elephant" &bull; Robert E. Howard


 * "The Hall of the Dead" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp
 * "The God in the Bowl" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "Rogues in the House" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "The Hand of Nergal" &bull; Robert E. Howard and Lin Carter
 * "The City of Skulls" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter

Conan of Cimmeria
 * "The Curse of the Monolith" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
 * "The Blood-Stained God" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp


 * "The Frost Giant's Daughter" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp
 * "The Lair of the Ice Worm" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter


 * "Queen of the Black Coast" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "The Vale of Lost Women" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "The Castle of Terror" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter

Conan the Freebooter
 * "The Snout in the Dark" &bull; Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
 * "Hawks Over Shem" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp


 * "Black Colossus" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "Shadows in the Moonlight" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "The Road of the Eagles" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp

Conan the Wanderer
 * "A Witch Shall Be Born" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "Black Tears" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter

Conan the Adventurer
 * "Shadows in Zamboula" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "The Devil in Iron" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * The Flame Knife &bull; Robert E. Howard & L. Sprague de Camp


 * The People of the Black Circle &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "The Slithering Shadow" &bull; Robert E. Howard

Conan the Buccaneer Conan the Warrior
 * "Drums of Tombalku" &bull; Robert E. Howard & L. Sprague de Camp
 * "The Pool of the Black One" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * Conan the Buccaneer &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter

Conan the Usurper
 * Red Nails &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "Jewels of Gwahlur" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * Beyond the Black River &bull; Robert E. Howard


 * The Treasure of Tranicos &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp
 * "Wolves Beyond the Border" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp

Conan the Conqueror
 * "The Phoenix on the Sword" &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * "The Scarlet Citadel" &bull; Robert E. Howard

Conan the Avenger Conan of Aquilonia Conan of the Isles
 * Conan the Conqueror &bull; Robert E. Howard
 * Conan the Avenger &bull; Björn Nyberg and L. Sprague de Camp
 * "The Witch of the Mists" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
 * "Black Sphinx of Nebthu" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
 * "Red Moon of Zembabwei" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
 * "Shadows in the Skull" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
 * Conan of the Isles • L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter

Miller/Clark/de Camp chronology
Building on his timeline of Conan's life, established in the Lancer/Ace chronology (above), L. Sprague de Camp continued to arrange subsequent novels into the timeline up to, and including, the 7th TOR novel, Conan the Victorious. After that, new series editor Robert Jordan took over the responsibility of ordering the continuing saga (Jordan's timeline is next). The final version of de Camp's timeline is "Conan the Indestructible" (1984):
 * "Legions of the Dead"
 * Conan the Barbarian (as an alternate account of Conan's early years)
 * "The Thing in the Crypt"
 * "The Tower of the Elephant"
 * Conan the Destroyer
 * Conan the Magnificent
 * Conan the Invincible
 * "The Hall of the Dead"
 * "The God in the Bowl"
 * "Rogues in the House"
 * Conan and the Sorcerer
 * Conan the Mercenary
 * The Sword of Skelos
 * Conan the Victorious
 * Conan the Unconquered
 * "The Hand of Nergal"
 * "The City of Skulls"
 * "The People of the Summit"
 * "The Curse of the Monolith"
 * Conan and the Spider God
 * "The Blood-Stained God"
 * "The Frost Giant's Daughter"
 * "The Lair of the Ice Worm"
 * Conan the Defender
 * Conan the Triumphant
 * "Queen of the Black Coast" (Part 1)
 * Conan the Rebel (between chapters 1 and 2 of "Queen of the Black Coast")
 * "Queen of the Black Coast" (Part 2)
 * "The Vale of Lost Women"
 * "The Castle of Terror"
 * "The Snout in the Dark"
 * "Hawks Over Shem"
 * The Road of Kings
 * "Black Colossus"
 * "Shadows in the Dark"
 * "Shadows in the Moonlight"
 * "The Road of the Eagles"
 * "A Witch Shall Be Born"
 * "Black Tears"
 * "Shadows in Zamboula"
 * "The Star of Khorala"
 * "The Devil in Iron"
 * "The Flame Knife"
 * "The People of the Black Circle"
 * "The Slithering Shadow"
 * "Drums of Tombalku"
 * "The Gem in the Tower"
 * "The Pool of the Black One"
 * Conan the Buccaneer
 * "Red Nails"
 * "Jewels of Gwahlur"
 * "The Ivory Goddess"
 * "Beyond the Black River"
 * "Moon of Blood"
 * "The Treasure of Tranicos"
 * "Wolves Beyond the Border"
 * Conan the Liberator
 * "The Phoenix on the Sword"
 * "The Scarlet Citadel"
 * Conan the Conqueror
 * Conan the Avenger
 * "The Witch of the Mists"
 * "Black Sphinx of Nebthu"
 * "Red Moon of Zembabwei"
 * "Shadows in the Skull"
 * Conan of the Isles

"The Conan Chronology" &bull; Robert Jordan

 * "Legions of the Dead" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1263 A.A. &bull; Conan the Swordsman
 * "The Thing in the Crypt" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1264 A.A. &bull; Conan
 * Conan the Defiant &bull; Steve Perry &bull; 1264 A.A.
 * "The Tower of the Elephant" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1265 A.A. &bull; Conan
 * Conan and the Sorcerer &bull; Andrew J. Offutt &bull; 1265 A.A.
 * Conan the Mercenary &bull; Andrew J. Offutt &bull; 1265 A.A.
 * Conan: The Sword of Skelos &bull; Andrew J. Offutt &bull; 1265 A.A.
 * Conan the Destroyer &bull; Robert Jordan &bull; 1266 A.A.
 * Conan the Magnificent &bull; Robert Jordan &bull; 1267 A.A.
 * Conan the Invincible &bull; Robert Jordan &bull; 1267 A.A.
 * "The Hall of the Dead" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp &bull; 1267 A.A. &bull; Conan
 * Conan the Fearless &bull; Steve Perry &bull; 1267 A.A.
 * "The God in the Bowl" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1267 A.A. &bull; Conan
 * Conan the Warlord &bull; Leonard Carpenter &bull; 1267 A.A.
 * "Rogues in the House" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1267 A.A. &bull; Conan
 * Conan the Victorious &bull; Robert Jordan &bull; 1267 A.A.
 * Conan the Champion &bull; John Maddox Roberts &bull; 1267-1268 A.A.
 * Conan the Unconquered &bull; Robert Jordan &bull; 1268 A.A.
 * "The Hand of Nergal" &bull; Robert E. Howard and Lin Carter &bull; 1268 A.A. &bull; Conan
 * "The City of Skulls" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1268 A.A. &bull; Conan
 * "The People of the Summit" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Björn Nyberg &bull; 1269 A.A. &bull; Conan the Swordsman
 * "The Curse of the Monolith" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1269 A.A. &bull; Conan of Cimmeria
 * Conan the Valiant &bull; Roland Green &bull; 1270 A.A.
 * Conan and the Spider God &bull; L. Sprague de Camp &bull; 1270 A.A.
 * "The Bloodstained God" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp &bull; 1270 A.A. &bull; Conan of Cimmeria
 * Conan the Valorous &bull; John Maddox Roberts &bull; 1271 A.A.
 * "The Frost Giant's Daughter" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1271 A.A. &bull; Conan of Cimmeria
 * "The Lair of the Ice Worm" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1271 A.A. &bull; Conan of Cimmeria
 * Conan the Defender &bull; Robert Jordan &bull; 1271 A.A.
 * Conan: The Road of Kings &bull; Karl Edward Wagner &bull; 1272 A.A.
 * Conan the Triumphant &bull; Robert Jordan &bull; 1273 A.A.
 * "Queen of the Black Coast" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1274-1275 A.A. &bull; Conan of Cimmeria
 * Conan the Rebel &bull; Poul Anderson &bull; 1274 A.A. (This story takes place in the middle of "Queen of the Black Coast"
 * "The Vale of Lost Women," &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1275 A.A. &bull; Conan of Cimmeria
 * "The Castle of Terror" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1276 A.A. &bull; Conan of Cimmeria
 * "The Snout in the Dark" &bull; Howard, de Camp, and Carter &bull; 1276 A.A. &bull; Conan of Cimmeria
 * "Hawks Over Shem" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp &bull; 1277 A.A. &bull; Conan the Freebooter
 * "Black Colossus" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1278 A.A. &bull; Conan the Freebooter
 * "Shadows in the Dark" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1278 A.A. &bull; Conan the Swordsman
 * Conan the Renegade &bull; Leonard Carpenter &bull; 1278-1279 A.A.
 * "Shadows in the Moonlight" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1279 A.A. &bull; Conan the Freebooter
 * "The Road of the Eagles" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp &bull; 1279 A.A. &bull; Conan the Freebooter
 * "A Witch Shall be Born" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1279 A.A. &bull; Conan the Freebooter
 * "Black Tears" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1279 A.A. &bull; Conan the Wanderer
 * "Shadows in Zamboula" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1279 A.A. &bull; Conan the Wanderer
 * Conan the Raider &bull; Leonard Carpenter &bull; 1280 A.A.
 * "The Star of Khorala" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Björn Nyberg &bull; 1280 A.A. &bull; Conan the Swordsman
 * "The Devil in Iron" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1280 A.A. &bull; Conan the Wanderer
 * "The Flame Knife" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp &bull; 1281 A.A. &bull; Conan the Wanderer
 * "The People of the Black Circle" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1281 A.A. &bull; Conan the Adventurer
 * Conan the Marauder &bull; John Maddox Roberts &bull; 1282 A.A.
 * "The Slithering Shadow" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1282 A.A. &bull; Conan the Adventurer
 * "Drums of Tombalku" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp &bull; 1282 A.A. &bull; Conan the Adventurer
 * "The Gem in the Tower" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1283 A.A. &bull; Conan the Swordsman
 * "The Pool of the Black One" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1283 A.A. &bull; Conan the Adventurer
 * Conan the Buccaneer &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1283 A.A.
 * "Red Nails" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1284 A.A. &bull; Conan the Warrior
 * "Jewels of Gwahlur" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1284 A.A. &bull; Conan the Warrior
 * "The Ivory Goddess" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1284 A.A. &bull; Conan the Swordsman
 * "Beyond the Black River" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1286 A.A. &bull; Conan the Warrior
 * "The Black Stranger" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1286 A.A. &bull; Echoes of Valor edited &bull; Karl Edward Wagner
 * "Moon of Blood" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1286 A.A. &bull; Conan the Swordsman
 * "The Treasure of Tranicos" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1287 A.A. &bull; Conan the Usurper
 * "Wolves Beyond the Border" &bull; Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp &bull; 1288 A.A. &bull; Conan the Usurper
 * Conan the Liberator &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1287-1288 A.A.
 * "The Phoenix on the Sword" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1289 A.A. &bull; Conan the Usurper
 * "The Scarlet Citadel" &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1290-91 A.A. &bull; Conan the Usurper
 * Conan the Conqueror &bull; Robert E. Howard &bull; 1293-1294 A.A.
 * "The Return of Conan" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Björn Nyberg &bull; 1295 A.A. &bull; Conan the Avenger
 * "The Witch of the Mists" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1306 A.A. &bull; Conan of Aquilonia
 * "Black Sphinx of Nebthu" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1306 A.A. &bull; Conan of Aquilonia
 * "Red Moon of Zembabwei" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1307 A.A. &bull; Conan of Aquilonia
 * "Shadows in the Skull" &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1307 A.A. &bull; Conan of Aquilonia
 * Conan of the Isles &bull; L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter &bull; 1310 A.A.

"The Conan Timeline" &bull; William Galen Gray
WGG's timeline was an attempt to incorporate all the extant pastiche and Howard tales into a timeline, informed by the arguments of purist timeline authors. Annotated to explain his placements, it was intended as both a reading-guide to all the stories and a framework for writing future pastiches. The annotated version can be found here. The following is a title-only summary.
 * Legions of the Dead
 * The Thing in the Crypt
 * Conan the Defiant
 * Conan the Hunter
 * Conan the Indomitable
 * Conan the Free Lance
 * Conan the Formidable
 * The Tower of the Elephant
 * Conan and the Sorcerer
 * Conan the Mercenary
 * Conan: the Sword of Skelos
 * Conan the Outcast
 * Conan the Magnificent
 * Conan the Invincible
 * The Hall of the Dead
 * Conan the Fearless
 * The God in the Bowl
 * Conan the Warlord
 * Rogues in the House
 * Conan the Victorious
 * Conan the Unconquered
 * The Hand of Nergal
 * The City of Skulls
 * Conan the Hero
 * The People of the Summit
 * The Curse of the Monolith
 * Conan the Valiant
 * Conan and the Spider God
 * The Bloodstained God
 * Conan the Valorous
 * The Frost Giant's Daughter
 * The Lair of the Ice Worm
 * Conan the Relentless
 * Conan the Savage
 * Conan the Defender
 * Conan the Triumphant
 * Conan the Guardian
 * Queen of the Black Coast, Ch. 1
 * Conan the Rebel
 * Queen of the Black Coast, Ch's 2-5
 * Conan At the Demon's Gate
 * The Vale of Lost Women
 * The Castle of Terror
 * The Snout in the Dark
 * Conan the Gladiator
 * Conan and the Emerald Lotus
 * Hawks Over Shem
 * Black Colossus
 * Shadows in the Dark
 * The Road of Kings
 * Conan the Renegade
 * Shadows in the Moonlight (Iron Shadows in the Moon)
 * Conan of the Red Brotherhood
 * Conan, Scourge of the Bloody Coast
 * Conan the Champion
 * The Road of the Eagles
 * A Witch Shall Be Born
 * Black Tears
 * Conan and the Manhunters
 * Shadows In Zamboula (The Man-Eaters of Zamboula)
 * Conan the Raider
 * The Star of Khorala
 * Conan and the Death Lord of Thanza
 * Conan and the Amazon
 * The Devil In Iron
 * The Flame Knife
 * Conan and the Shaman's Curse
 * The People of the Black Circle
 * Conan the Marauder
 * Conan and the Mists of Doom
 * The Slithering Shadow (Xuthal of the Dusk)
 * Drums of Tombalku
 * The Gem in the Tower
 * Conan and the Grim Grey God
 * The Pool of the Black One
 * Conan the Buccaneer
 * Red Nails
 * Conan and the Gods of the Mountain
 * The Jewels of Gwahlur
 * The Ivory Goddess
 * Conan and the Treasure of Python
 * Conan: Lord of the Black River
 * Conan the Rogue
 * Beyond the Black River
 * Moon of Blood
 * The Treasure of Tranicos (The Black Stranger)
 * Wolves Beyond the Border
 * Conan the Liberator
 * The Phoenix On the Sword
 * The Scarlet Citadel
 * Conan the Conqueror (Hour of the Dragon)
 * Conan the Avenger (Return of Conan)
 * Conan the Great
 * The Witch of the Mists
 * Black Sphinx of Nebthu
 * Red Moon of Zembabwei
 * Shadows in the Skull
 * Conan of the Isles

Legends of Conan
 * Conan the Barbarian
 * Conan the Bold
 * Conan the Destroyer

Joe Marek chronology
Joe Marek's chronology is limited to stories written (or devised) by Howard, though within that context it is essentially a revision of the Miller/Clark/de Camp tradition. Noting the Miller/Clark/de Camp chronology's general approval by Howard, he tends to follow it when it does not contradict the internal evidence of the stories or force Conan into what he perceives as a "mad dash" around the Hyborian world within time-frames too rapid to be credible. Marek's strength is in his well-reasoned arguments for story placement. The major weakness of his chronology is his failure to incorporate into his scheme the chronologically wide gap between "Beyond the Black River" and "Wolves Beyond the Border" he admits to be indicated by Howard's version of "The Black Stranger."

Order

 * "The Hyborian Age, Part One"
 * "Cimmeria" (poem)
 * "The Frost Giant's Daughter"
 * "The Tower of the Elephant"
 * "The Hall of the Dead" (fragment)
 * "Rogues in the House"
 * "The God in the Bowl"
 * "The Hand of Nergal" (fragment)
 * "Black Colossus"
 * "Queen of the Black Coast"
 * "The Snout in the Dark" (fragment)
 * "Shadows in the Moonlight"
 * "A Witch Shall Be Born"
 * "Shadows in Zamboula"
 * "The Slithering Shadow"
 * "The Devil in Iron"
 * "The People of the Black Circle"
 * "Drums of Tombalku" (fragment)
 * "The Vale of Lost Women"
 * "The Pool of the Black One"
 * "Red Nails"
 * "The Teeth of Gwahlur"
 * "Beyond the Black River"
 * "The Black Stranger"
 * "Wolves Beyond the Border" (fragment)
 * "The Phoenix on the Sword"
 * "The Scarlet Citadel"
 * "The Hour of the Dragon"
 * "The Hyborian Age, Part Two"
 * "Notes On Various Peoples of The Hyborian Age"

"The Dark Storm Conan Chronology" &bull; Dale Rippke
Ripke spent hours piecing together hints and evidence from Howard's stories, story-fragments and letters as well as integrating the arguments of other Howard scholars; he credits Joe Marek, Steve Tompkins, and Ed Waterman at the beginning of the his annotated essay, which can be found here. The following is a title-only summary.
 * "The Frost-Giant's Daughter"
 * "The God in the Bowl"
 * "The Tower of the Elephant"
 * "The Hall of the Dead"
 * "Rogues in the House"
 * "The Hand of Nergal"
 * "Iron Shadows in the Moon" ("Shadows in the Moonlight")
 * "Black Colossus"
 * "Queen of the Black Coast"
 * "The Snout in the Dark"
 * "Xuthal of the Dusk" ("The Slithering Shadow")
 * "A Witch Shall Be Born"
 * "The Devil in Iron"
 * The People of the Black Circle
 * "The Man-Eaters of Zamboula" ("Shadows in Zamboula")
 * "Drums of Tombalku"
 * "The Vale of Lost Women"
 * "The Pool of the Black One"
 * Beyond the Black River
 * The Black Stranger
 * Red Nails
 * "The Servants of Bit-Yakin" ("Jewels of Gwahlur")
 * "Wolves Beyond the Border"
 * "The Phoenix on the Sword"
 * "The Scarlet Citadel"
 * The Hour of the Dragon