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Period: 3200 BCE to 1100 BCE
Greek Bronze Age (Aegean Civilization)
Greece becomes a major hub in the Mediterranean with social, economic, and technological advances. -
3000 BCE
Minoan Civilization emerges.
Though not Greek, the Minoans helped to shape Greek civilization such as art, trading, writing system. -
1600 BCE
Mycenaean civilization emerges.
This was a period of warrior aristocracy and prosperity. Mycenaeans produced an array of both utilitarian and luxury goods, including weapons and tools, jewelry, carved gems, glass ornaments and vases, which likely transported oil, wine, and other commodities for trade. -
1450 BCE
Minoan Civilization comes to an abrupt end.
It is thought that the end was violent, perhaps caused by a volcano. -
1250 BCE
The Trojan War
Trojan War, legendary conflict between the early Greeks and the people of Troy in western Anatolia. -
Period: 1100 BCE to 1050 BCE
Mycenaean civilization collapses.
The cause is thought to be natural disaster, overpopulation, or political strife. -
Period: 1100 BCE to 700 BCE
Greek Dark Ages
Many settlements were abandoned and the population declined there are not written records from this period. -
Period: 900 BCE to 700 BCE
Geometric Period
Named for the geometric patterns on pottery. -
Period: 800 BCE to 500 BCE
Archaic Period
Advances in technology, poetry, art, and the invention of polis which were city-states. -
776 BCE
First Olympic Games
Held every 4 years during Greek religious holiday honoring Zeus. Contestants came from cities across Greece. -
743 BCE
First Messenian War
Spartan conquest of Messenia. -
640 BCE
Second Messenian War
Spartan society becomes a military stronghold in the Mediterranean. -
600 BCE
Greek Coins Appear
One of the world's earliest coins, the Drachma, is invented. -
569 BCE
Pythagoras born.
Pythagoras was a Greek philosopher who made important developments in mathematics, astronomy, and the theory of music. He is still famous for the theorem now known as Pythagoras's theorem -
510 BCE
Introduction of Democracy
Athenian leader Cleisthenes introduced a system of political reforms that he called demokratia. It is the first known democracy in the world.