Ancient Greece Timeline

Neolithic Period

Period: 7000 BCE to 3300 BCE

Those who settled in Greece originally came from Anatolia in Turkey. The Greeks stabilised their economy by three different ways, they were, farming, livestock and bartering. They didn’t have fancy stone houses to live in back then so they used to live in mud and stick, small houses. To be ironic in these times they most likely would have worshiped a god or goddess such as Demeter goddess of agriculture

Bronze Age

Period: 3000 BCE to 2000 BCE

The Bronze Age saw big advances in social, economic, and technological developments that made Greece the centre of activity in the Mediterranean, this period lasted approximately three thousand years. To identify the people of the time, historians have recognised three distinct civilisations. These societies overlap in time and correspond with major geographic areas of Greece. At the same period, the society of Greece mainland is categorised as “Helladic”

Mycenaean Civilisation

Period: 3000 BCE to 2000 BCE

The Mycenaean civilization thrived from the 15th to the 13th century BCE, the late Bronze Age, and extended its influence throughout many places in Greece, for instance Peloponnese, across the Aegean in particular, in Crete and the Cycladic Islands. Influencing the Mycenaeans was the earlier Minoan Civilization, 2000-1450 BCE, they had spread their roots to include the wider Aegean from Knossos in Crete.

The Trojan War

1250 BCE

According to the Iliad the war begins after the abduction, or elopement, of Spartan Queen Helen by the Trojan Prince Paris. King Menelaus of Sparta convinced his brother King Agamemnon, Mycenae, to lead an expedition for Helen. The men following Agamemnon where the renowned Greek heroes Achilles, Odysseus, Nestor and Ajax, and a fleet of more than a thousand ships from around Greece. Crossing the Aegean Sea to seize Troy and demand Helen’s return by Priam, the Trojan king

The Dark Age

Period: 1100 BCE to 700 BCE

Various wars happened in the dark ages as well as the Dorian invasion upon the Mycenaeans; when they went through a period of civil war the country was weak so a tribe called the Dorians took over and decimation of the Mycenaean culture was laid with iron weapons by the Dorian invaders from the north

Olympic Games

776 BCE

Over 2,700 years ago in Olympia begun the Olympic Games, in southwest Greece. The Games were part of a religious festival. 776 BCE is the supposed date of the beginning of the Greek Olympics, inspired the modern Olympic Games opening in 1896. The Games were held to honour, King of the gods, Zeus and were staged every four years at Olympia, in Elis. People from all over Greece would come spectate and take part

Homer

750 BCE

Homer was an epic poet, writing/being attributed to "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" (some believe they were created by a number of people). The poet was also to have been blind according to classical sources so he would have spoken about what he heard and have someone else copy it down. He was also to be believed by the Greeks to be the first and greatest of the many famous poets. Homer is a mystery but his two most famous poems have had an enormous effect on Western culture

The Origins of Theatre

700 BCE

The origins of Greek theatre lie in the revels of the followers of Dionysus, a god of fertility and wine. In keeping with the god's special interests, his cult ceremonies are exciting occasions. His female devotees, in particular, dance themselves into a state of frenzy. Carrying long phallic symbols, known as thyrsoi, they tear to pieces and devour the raw flesh of sacrificial animals.

The Archaic Period

Period: 700 BCE to 480 BCE

In 800-479 BCE was the Greek Archaic Period, it ended with the Persians being thrown out of Greece for good after the battles that took place in 479 BCE which where Plataea and Mykale. The Archaic Period of the Greeks was lead by the Greek Dark Age, 1200-800 BCE, the Greek Dark Age is a period in which little of what is talked about is known for sure. The Archic Period is followed by the Classical Period, 510-323 BCE, which has a lot more information documented of Greek history.

Draco

620 BCE

Draco was the first person to make laws for the people although the penalties were harsh. People who committed a crime were sentenced to death and those who could not pay debt to the rich became slaves. This was at the beginning of Athens in 620 BCE of Athens. He made laws to bring an end to the blood-feuds between the families

Solon

594 BCE

Solon was known as "The Reformer". He was chosen in an effort to resolve the debt crisis that had overcome Athens from Draco's laws. Solon was said to be exceptionally wise, he was hailed as one of the seven sages of Greece. He removed horos stones but did not redistribute the land. Solon also reduced the penalties for many crimes

Pisistratus

546 BCE

Pisistratus was known as a tyrant to the ancient Greeks. A tyrant was someone who came into power through strength or ability instead of being elected or through hereditary right. Tyrant comes from the Greek term "Tyrannos". At the time of Pisistratus after Solon's departure, Athens went back into a factionalism state. Pisistratus also gained popularity through battles and he took power over Athens three times. He remained the tyrant of Athens until his death

Themistocles

525 BCE

Themistocles (525-459) was an Athenian military commander, a politician, and one of the main architects of the Athenian Empire. Themistocles had a big impact in the Persian War, he was one of the military commanders during that time and had come up with a few strategies which worked in their favour to stop the Persians.

Cleisthenes

525 BCE

Cleisthenes of Athens, was a statesman regarded as the founder of Athenian democracy, serving as chief archon (highest magistrate) of Athens (525–524). Cleisthenes successfully allied himself with the popular Assembly against the nobles (508) and imposed democratic reform. Perhaps his most important innovation was the basing of individual political responsibility on citizenship of a place rather than on membership in a clan. Cleisthenes was also apart of the Alcmaeonid Family

Isagoras Seizes Power

508 BCE

In 508 BCE Isagoras was selected to be ‘archon’, chief civil official. Isagoras’ new regime appeared to the traditional aristocrats to be a tyranny, although being supported by a faction of aristocrats from Athen’s. Isagoras ruled an oligarchy of three-hundred men, with the support of the Spartan military

Revolution in Athens

507 BCE

507 was the date of Athens trembling because of an extraordinary event. Agonising in exile Cleisthenes was, as well as 700 families called The Accursed, ruler of Athens and arch-enemy of Cleisthenes was Isagoras. Isagoras continued to destroy the last traces of the original city’s government with the help of his Spartan allies. Neither of the two men had realised the dominance or feeling of the average Athenians. Taken by surprise the two leaders where when the riot turned into a complete revolt

The Ionian Revolt

499 BCE

About 2500 years ago, taking control of the eastern world was the Persian Empire, they were expanding through Asia and into Asia Minor. These two places are know as the area between the Black and Mediterranean Seas to us modern day people. Over every city state the was a Persian ruler put in place that they had conquered. Making the long war between the Greek and Persian empires, it was this action that provoked the Ionian revolt

Persian Wars - Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis, Plataea

Period: 497 BCE to 479 BCE

After the crucial Greek victory at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BCE, Xerxes’ King of Persia, planned an invasion of Greece, which then met a serious obstacle, but on the other hand his army was still together. If the Greeks were independent city-states and could live in those conditions, they would have to fight on land and win; the battle ground would have been close to the small town of Plataea in Boeotia in 479 BCE

Pericles

495 BCE

Pericles (495–429 BCE) was a politician, and general of Athens during their Golden Age. His influence was so profound that the period he ruled in, is called the ‘Age of Pericles’. His influence on Athenian’s was so great that Thucydides, his contemporary admirer & historian, called him "the first citizen of Athens". Pericles formed the Athenian Empire with the Delian League and guided his countrymen, during the first two years of the Peloponnesian Wars

Darius

490 BCE

In 522 till 486BCE ruled, from the Achaemenid family and known as one of the greatest rulers was Darius the first, also known as Darius the Great. Darius was also known for his great construction projects and was noticed for his administrative genius. In his time Darius had made several attempts to conquer Greece; the fleet was ruined by a storm in 492BCE, then at Marathon in 490BCE the Athenians conquered his army

Leonidas

480 BCE

Leonidas, the Spartan king, led a small group of Greek allies at the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE) against the Persian King Xerxes, intent on invading Greece. Leonidas and his men were wiped out, but they bought the Greek city-states valuable time and gave them inspiration, not only of what the Greek Soldiers could achieve against the invading forces but also, the price Greeks will have to pay to maintain their freedom from foreign oppression

Xerxes

480 BCE

Xerxes the first, was the King of Persian Achaemenid Empire in 486-465 BCE. The title in which he received was Shahanshah which generally translates to ‘emperor’ but, it actually means ‘king of kings’. In the biblical Book of Esther he is known as the Ahasuerus of Persia. Xerxes expedition to Greece is found in Herodotus, Herodotus being the primary source for the story.

Mardonius

479 BCE

Mardonius is married to Aztazostra, his uncle King Darius 1st Daughter. He was sent to achieve the governor Artaphernes in Ionia in 492 BCE, with an order to attack Athens and Eretria. Opposing the usual Achaemenid policy, he eliminated the ruling “tyrants”, restoring democracies in Ionia. Thrace and Macedonia was the next places he invaded by crossing the Hellespont. An enormous loss was faced when his fleet was wrecked off Mt. Athos and because of this obstacle his command was deprived

Aeschylus' play "The Persians"

472 BCE

Greek playwright, Aeschylus’ play “The Persians” is classified as a tragedy. This play was first produced in 472 BCE, and is known as the oldest surviving plays in the history of theatre. This play is the only existing Greek tragedy that is based on current events. The play narrates the Persian reaction to their military defeat under command of Xerxes at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BCE, one of the most critical events in the ongoing Greco-Persian Wars

Delian League

454 BCE

Delian League is the modern name given to the Athenian alliance, it was founded after the Persian Wars as a military defence group directed against the Achaemenid Empire, but the group was converted into an Athenian empire by politician Pericles. The Spartans of the time had started the Peloponnesian War (431-404) to force the Athenians in giving up the Delian League.