Classics

First written code of Athens by Draco

621 BCE

Draco's code allowed the rich political power, control of the poor and, control of the land. Preserved by Aristotle in: The Athenian Constitution

Solon becomes archon

594 BCE

Solon becomes archon and rewrites Draco's code. These laws covered a wide range of subjects including adultery, inheritance, and theft.

Pythagoras born

570 BCE

Pythagoras the sophist was born

Peisistratus came to power

561 BCE

Peisistratus, a tyrant of Athens, came to power. Later his two sons (also tyrants) would rule.

Peisistratus seized power

560 BCE

Peisistratus the tyrant seized the Accropolis. Peisistratus was formally a well known Greek statesman.

Alcmaeonids left Attica

546 BCE

Alcmaeonids were a powerful family that lived in Athens. They were exiled when Peisistratus came to power.

Hipparchus and Hippias in power

528 BCE

Hipparchus and Hippias the tyrants (sosn of Peisistratos the tyrant) come into power.

Cleisthenes becomes chief Archon

525 BCE

525 - 524

Alcamaeonids fight back against Hippias

510 BCE

Hippias was another tyrant of Athens. Cleisthenes, an Alcmaeonid, used connection with the oracle of Delphi to convince Sparta to help overthrow Hippias.

Cleisthenes dramatic reform

508 BCE

Cleisthenes allies with popular assembly against nobles.

Isagoras becomes Archon

508 BCE

Isagoras becomes Archon and manages to exile Cleisthenes.
Isagoras exiles hundreds of Athenians and tries to get rid of the Boule. However the council resisted and Isagoras was thrown out of the acropolis and banished. Cleisthenes returns and introduces a dramatic reform.

Anaxagoras born

500 BCE

Anaxagoras the sophist

Persian War

Period: 499 BCE to 449 BCE

A series of conflicts between Persia and Greek states.

Sophocles born

496 BCE

Socrates born

496 BCE

Perisan sack

492 BCE

First invasion of Greece by the Persians

Battle of Marathon

490 BCE

Greek victory with Persia driven out of Greece for ten years

Archons first appointed by lot

487 BCE

Archons first appointed by lot rather than by the Ecclesia.

Cleisthenes introduces ostracism

487 BCE

Cleisthenes introduces ostracism which meant being exiled for ten years.

Gorgias born

485 BCE

Gorgias the sophist

Persian sack

480 BCE

Second invasion of Greece and Athens evacuated. Persians burn the Acropolis.

Athens defeat Persians

480 BCE

Athens defeat Persians at naval battle of Salamis

Euripides born

480 BCE

Greeks defeat Persian army

479 BCE

Greeks defeat Persian army at the Battle of Plataea and end the invasion of Greece.

Sparta withdraws alliance with Persia

478 BCE

Pericles comes to power

461 BCE

Pericles will be in power until 429.

War between Greek states

459 BCE

Thrasymachus born

459 BCE

Thrasymachus the sophist

Pericles filed law confining citizenship

451 BCE

"It was decreed, on a motion of Pericles, that a person should not have the rights of citizenship unless both of his parents had been citizens"

Non- Athenian Sophists got rid of

451 BCE

Golden age of Athens

Period: 449 BCE to 431 BCE

The so called golden age of Athens is usually dated around 449 to 431. This time frame was between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars.

Construction on Acropolis and Parthenon

447 BCE

Construction begins on Acropolis and Parthenon led by Pericles

Thirty-year peace treaty signed

446 BCE

Thirty-year peace treaty signed between Athens and Sparta

Antigone written

441 BCE

Revolt of Samos

440 BCE

Milesians came to Athens with loud complaints against the Samians. Samos revolted and battled against Athens. Samos surrendered.

Finances put on war basis

433 BCE

Situation serious enough to put finances on war basis.

Spartans declare war on Athens

432 BCE

Sparta declares that Athens has broken the Thirty Year Peace and prepares for war.

Medea written

431 BCE

Plague of Athens

430 BCE

Devastated Athens during the Peloponnesian war. Plague returned several times (429 and 427/426)

Oedipus written

430 BCE

430/429

Cleon comes to power

429 BCE

Represented the 'commercial class'

Plague returns

429 BCE

Plague returns to Athens

Peloponnesian war

Period: 429 BCE to 404 BCE

War between the Greeks and the Spartans

Hippolytus written

428 BCE

Plato born

428 BCE

Plague returns

427 BCE

Plague returns to Athens again 427/426

Chaerephon visited oracle

425 BCE

Chaerephon visited oracle at Delphi

Captured Spartans at Sphacteria

425 BCE

During the Battle of Sphacteria ( a land battle), the Greeks defeated the Spartans

Aristophanes writes clouds

423 BCE

Aristophanes writes clouds for the first time

Re- write of clouds begins

419 BCE

Athens surrenders to Sparta

404 BCE

Athens surrenders to Sparta and then Sparta was the ruling state of Greece.

Democracy restored in Athens

403 BCE

Socrates put on trial and executed

399 BCE

Socrates put on trial and executed for his 'crimes' against the state and the gods.

Plato writes

395 BCE

Plato writes some of the last days of Socrates