Which came first? · Counterintuitive
Which came first: Beethoven's Fifth Symphony or the discovery of the Rosetta Stone?
The discovery of the Rosetta Stone came first, in 1799. Beethoven's Fifth Symphony followed 9 years later, in 1808 (premiered).
- Second1808
Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
music · premieredBeethoven's Fifth was first played in 1808 in a cold concert hall during a four-hour concert.
- First1799
The discovery of the Rosetta Stone
discovery · foundFrench soldiers found the Rosetta Stone in 1799; it became the key to reading hieroglyphs.
More pairs that fool people
- Which came first: the light bulb or the discovery of the Rosetta Stone?
- Which came first: Anne of Green Gables or the discovery of the Rosetta Stone?
- Which came first: Beethoven's Fifth Symphony or Melbourne?
- Which came first: the discovery of the Rosetta Stone or The Star-Spangled Banner?
- Which came first: Beethoven's Fifth Symphony or the Library of Congress?
- Which came first: Beethoven's Fifth Symphony or Ceres?
- Which came first: On the Origin of Species or the platypus?
- Which came first: Moby-Dick or the platypus?
All which-came-first pairs · About Older Than You Think · Quiz games
Years from Wikidata, each checked against the item’s English Wikipedia article on 2026-10-18. A year stands for what its label says: a founding, a first patent, a premiere.
