~107,445 BCE

The birth of the Flood is actually a series of events that can be traced to a time period around 10,000 years prior to the firing of the Halo Array in 97,445 BCE.

~107,445 BCE - 106,445 BCE

After the emergence of the Flood on ancient human worlds around 107,445 BCE, human civilization was desperate to expand their territory away from Flood-controlled regions of space. As part of this expansion, humans clashed with Forerunner-populated worlds, sparking a war between the two species.

~106,538 BCE

Sometime prior to the end of the Human-Forerunner Wars, ancient humans discovered a Precursor stasis chamber containing a creature they called the Primordial. The creature, along with the stasis chamber, was taken to Charum Hakkor where is was interrogated, teaching the humans on the origins of the Flood.

~106,498 BCE - 106,445 BCE

The Battle of Charum Hakkor was one of the final battles of the Human-Forerunner Wars and also one of the largest, spanning over fifty years and likely consuming millions of lives.

~98,445 BCE

After losing political power to the Master Builder and the entire Builder rate following the end of the Human-Forerunner Wars, the Didact placed himself in exile within a cryptum on Nomdagro, which was later moved to Erde-Tyrene.

~98,395 BCE

The end of the Human-Forerunner War, along with the political fight afterwards that led to the Exile of the Didact, spurred much debate within Forerunner leadership about the right course of action to defend civilization and the galaxy against the Flood, should they return.