The Silesian is a subdivision (a series or epoch) of the Carboniferous system or period in the geologic timescale of western and central Europe. It was named for Silesia, a region that stretches over the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany.
The Silesian follows or lies on top of the Dinantian epoch/series and lasted from roughly 330 to 299 Ma ago.
The base of the Silesian was defined in 1958 as the first occurrence of the ammonoid Cravenoceras leion, the top is defined by the first appearance of the conodont Streptognathodus isolatus.
The Silesian is subdivided into three stages, from young (upper) to old (lower):