Summary

• Frodo's story in The Lord of the Rings is just a small part of Tolkien's vast Middle-earth timeline spanning thousands of years.
• Among other events, the primary timeline starts with the First Age when Elves first woke up in Middle-earth, thousands of years before Frodo's journey.
• Calculating Tolkien's timeline is complex due to various ages, Valian years, and solar years, making it challenging to pinpoint exact durations.

Tolkien's Middle-earth timeline extends far beyond The Lord of the Rings, with Frodo's story only taking up a small portion of a much larger picture. Some of the earliest of Tolkien's stories occurred during the First Age when the Elves first woke up in Middle-earth several thousand years before Frodo inherited the One Ring. Still, even this isn't as far back as this fictional history goes, as several events took place before the First Age. The way Tolkien measured all of this was highly complicated, and given the sheer number of years Tolkien's work spans, it can quickly become confusing.

A quick summary of Tolkien's Middle-earth timeline would start with the god Eru Ilúvatar's creation of the Timeless Halls and the Ainur (Valar and Maiar), followed by his creation of Arda, or the world. From here began the Years of the Valar, which saw the Valar's first war with their fellow, Melkor, and the destruction of Two Lamps that gave light to the realm. This began the Years of the Trees (referring to the Two Trees of Valinor) and the First Age, the period in which Elves, Men, and Dwarves woke up in Middle-earth.

The Lord Of The Rings Is Set Over 11,000 Years Since The First Age Began

The First Age of Middle-earth spanned approximately 4,902 years (though this is debated) and was when all the chaos involving Morgoth's war with the Elves and Men and the Silmarils took place. Then came the Second Age, which is when The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is set. This period lasted 3,441 years, ending with Sauron's first defeat and Isildur's claim of the One Ring. The Third Age of Middle-earth sees Isildur betrayed by the One Ring, and Gollum lays claim to it on his birthday. This is also the age in which Bilbo Baggins finds the Ring and gives it to his nephew, Frodo, on their shared birthday.

Frodo sets out from the Shire with Sauron's One Ring in Third Age 3018. This would have been about 11,361 years after the start of the First Age, putting into perspective just how massive Tolkien's timeline really is. Of course, the start of the First Age isn't technically the beginning of everything, and the span of the Years of the Trees is still debated today, which makes the precise placement of The Lord of the Rings within Tolkien's timeline challenging to calculate.

Why The Lord Of The Rings' Timeline Is So Complicated

Only Parts Of Middle-Age's Timeline Is Counted In Solar Years

Though part of Tolkien's timeline is counted using solar years, this was only true after the Two Trees of Valinor were destroyed. The trees had contained all the light of Arda, and when they were destroyed, the Valar used what little remained to make the Sun and Moon. Naturally, a solar year calendar couldn't be used without a sun, so time was counted using Valian Years before this happened. Tolkien initially said that one Valian Year was 9.582 solar years. However, later, he said it was actually 144 solar years—a pretty significant difference.

Tolkien initially said that one Valian Year was 9.582 solar years. However, later, he said it was actually 144 solar years...

The above conclusion that Frodo's story is set about 11,000 years after the start of the First Age follows Tolkien's initial exchange rate between Valian and solar years. Of course, those who believe that a Valian year is actually 144 years would come up with a much larger number (71,849 years, to be exact). Then, there are the recorded 3,500 Valian years before the Years of the Trees, known as the Years of the Valar, and the unrecorded period before Eru created Arda. The years just keep packing on, making it harder and harder to know for sure how long Tolkien's complete works span.

Tolkien changed a Valian year to equal 144 years in his notes, but he never fully reconstructed the timeline to fit this. Since, this exchange rate doesn't work with the described events of the timeline, the lower rate is commonly used.

How Many Years The Lord Of The Rings' Story Lasts

Frodo's Lord Of The Rings Journey Lasted A Lot Longer In The Books

Thankfully, the timeline got much easier to calculate by the time the Third Age rolled around. Bilbo Baggins turned 111 in Third Age 3001, and this was when Frodo Baggins inherited the One Ring. Though the new Ring-bearer set off shortly after in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movies, he stuck around the Shire for an additional 17 years in the books while Gandalf figured out whether the trinket truly was Sauron's weapon. So, Frodo leaves with Sam, Merry, and Pippin on September 23, Third Age 3018, wakes up in Rivendell on October 24th, and begins the next leg of his journey with the Fellowship on December 25th.

Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie skipped over the 17-year time jump, making Frodo's departure from the Shire far more urgent and sudden than in the book.

Frodo reached Mordor and destroyed the One Ring on March 25, Third Age 3019, six months after he left the Shire. Then, two years later, in Third Age 3021, he departed from the Gray Havens for the Undying Lands to live out his life in peace, thus ending his story. This means that the central events of The Lord of the Rings spanned 20 years, though most of this was lost in a time jump. In all, it's interesting to think that of the tens of thousands of years that Tolkien outlined for Middle-earth's history, Frodo's Lord of the Rings journey only covers six months of it.