Ancient Greece Timeline

The Trojan War

1250 BCE

The war was believed to began when Trojan Prince, Paris abducted the Queen of Sparta, Helen. The Greeks then attempted to siege Troy and ultimately failed. After their failed attempt, the Greeks constructed a horse to siege the Trojans. The Trojans accepted the horse through their gates and the Greeks invaded them.

The First Olympic Games

776 BCE

The First Olympic Games were held in 776 B.C.E at the Sanctuary of Zeus. The idea of starting a competitive gathering began when Greek chef, Koroibos, won a six-hundred foot race. The games were originally held to honor Zeus and only male athletes were allowed to compete. The games gathered athletes from Iberia and modern-day Turkey and would continue to take place every four years for the next twelve centuries. https://www.penn.museum/sites/olympics/olympicorigins.shtml

Draco's Laws

622 BCE

In 622 B.C.E, Greek Tyrant, Draco created a court and legal system to enforce his laws. Draco believed that those who have committed minor or petty crimes shall be subjected to the harshest punishment. However, Draco allowed the impoverished to join the military. Draco’s law were originally appealed by Solon, leader of Athens, in 594 B.C.E. http://mrdowling.com/701-athens.html

Solon

594 BCE

Solon was an Athenian poet, statesman, and lawmaker. Solon wanted to keep Athens’s political and cultural state intact. Hew successfully reformed Draco’s harsh laws and strengthened Athens democracy.

Persian War

499 BCE

The Persian War took course over three different battles and was sparked by the Persian’s seeking revenge against the Athenians for convincing their colonies rebel against them. The Greeks won the first battle using the phalanx-formation and after the battle one of the soldiers ran 23 miles to Athens to spread the word of their victory. The final battle was at sea and the Greeks sunk one-third of the Persian fleet and won the war.

Ionian Revolt

499 BCE

As Persia’s Empire began to expand to Asia, Ionian cities in Asia Minor, revolted against the Persian Empire along with the help of the Athenians. This angered Peria and sparked the Persian War.

Plague of Athens

430 BCE

During the Peloponnesian War, a plague infected Athens. The plague killed over 100,000 people over the course of three years, which is nearly 25% of the Athenian population. This outbreak gave the Persians a great advantage in defeating Athens.

Alexander the Great

336 BCE

When King Philip II of Macedonia died, Alexander the Great inherited the throne and the strong Macedonian army. Alexander the Great was a conqueror of many lands from Egypt to India. He portrayed himself as an almighty ruler and believed in combining the aspects of his empire. He was crowned pharaoh in Egypt and created his own city of Alexandria.