Nearly 100 years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien unknowingly laid the groundwork for some of the most enchanting, exciting, and dramatic cinematic experiences when he first published “The Hobbit,” the first of many adventures set in the fictional world of Middle-earth. Since then, multiple books, like his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, have expanded the magical land of elves, dwarves, wizards, hobbits, and men with engaging and epic tales of good and evil.

But with a history spanning millennia and multiple ages, keeping track of Middle-earth’s extensive and rich history, as well as all the major figures that populated it, is no easy task. But fear not because ahead of the December 13 release of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM at AMC Theatres locations nationwide, we’ve put together a quick yet comprehensive guide explaining the ages of Middle Earth and Tolkien’s beloved stories.

From the “Years of the Trees” to the “Age of Men,” here’s a basic rundown of all the major events, characters, and locations of THE LORD OF THE RINGS.

The First Age

Long before Bilbo Baggins’ life was forever changed by stumbling across a seemingly normal ring deep in a cave and even longer before his nephew, Frodo, destroyed it in the fires of Mount Doom, there was The First Age, which took place thousands of years beforehand.

Split into two different eras – Years of the Trees and Years of the Sun – the early history of Middle-earth took place over the course of more than 1,000 years and was the setting for events like the awakening of men and elves by Eru, the creation of the first orcs, the birth of legends like Elrond and Galadriel, some of Sauron’s early evil escapades, and the War of Wrath. The epic battle between the Host of the West and the forces of Morgoth would last for decades and left much of Middle-earth in ruin, leading to the Second Age.

The Second Age

Fans of Prime Video’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” are all too familiar with the Second Age of Middle-earth, a period of time lasting more than 3,000 years. During this formative period in Middle-earth’s history, the kingdom of Númenor experienced an incredible rise and went on to become the greatest civilization of men and a prominent location throughout much of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works.

But at the same time, the Second Age also saw the rise of Sauron from a powerful yet mid-level villain to one of the literary world and cinema’s most formidable characters. During this time, the powerful figure would construct his dark tower known as Barad-dur before transforming it into the fiery and devastating land of Mordor. Following the forging of the Rings of Power, Sauron, using his seemingly limitless skills and collection of resources, creates the “One Ring to Rule Them All,” an all-powerful device of evil and total control that he aims to use in the conquering of Middle-earth and force its various civilizations to bend the knee.

But Sauron’s plans of taking over Middle-earth were thwarted by the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, a powerful army of different races who came together with one goal: strike down the force of evil and destroy his all-powerful ring so that he can never return. But as was told in the prologue of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, man’s quest for power and control outweighs cries for peace in Middle-earth.

And so begins the Third Age…

The Third Age

Pretty much everything that’s been covered in all of Peter Jackson’s THE LORD OF THE RINGS movies and THE HOBBIT takes place in the Third Age, a period in which there were multiple battles between the forces of good and evil, several holders of the “One True Ring,” and exploits of some of the most iconic characters the fantasy genre has ever seen.

Kicking off following Sauron’s defeat – though this wouldn’t be the last we’d see of him – this sprawling era covered multiple millennia and saw a great deal of peace throughout Middle-earth, at least on the surface. As we’d find out in each of the movies, and the beloved novels on which they were based, there was evil lurking deep underground and in the shadows of the enchanting landscape, biding its time and awaiting the golden opportunity or an unsuspecting hobbit to bring the ring to the fires of Mordor.

This too is where THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM will take place. The upcoming animated film, directed by Kenji Kamiyama, will take place 183 years before the events of THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, and will follow the legendary Helm Hammerhand as the king of Rohan defends his people against an approaching Dunlending army. If you’ve wanted to know where Helm’s Deep from THE TWO TOWERS got its name, here’s your golden opportunity.

The Fourth Age

The Fourth Age is barely touched upon in THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING, as it officially got underway in the final moments of Peter Jackson’s trilogy-ending epic. Following Aragorn’s accession to the throne and the spread of peace throughout Middle-earth, Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, and multiple Elves departed the land of the living for the Undying Lands, while others stayed back and lived out the rest of their lives.

Commonly referred to as the Age of Men, this fourth stage in Middle-earth’s history saw humans like Aragorn and his descendants lead the kingdoms of Middle-earth in an age largely void of Elves and magic. The survivors of the massive and devastating wars of the Third Age pushed toward a better tomorrow where they could heal and move past everything that had happened in the centuries and millennia before.

And this catches us up with the different ages of Middle-earth as seen in THE LORD OF THE RINGS and other adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s prolific body of work.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM opens December 13.