greek

ancient greece

2000 BCE

2000 BCE First Settlers Wandering tribes begin to settle in Greece

bronze age

1600 BCE

Mycenaean Greece Bronze Age Greece was inhabited by the Mycenaean people. They took their name from the capital city of their land, Mycenae.

trojan war

1194 BCE

The Trojan war between the Greeks and the Trojans (inhabitants of Troy) began

trojan war

1184 BCE

Trojan War The Trojan war ended when the Greeks used a wooden horse to invade and overrun the Trojan city of Troy

Dorian Invader

1100 BCE

Greece was invaded by Dorian tribesmen from the north. The Dorians had iron weapons which they use to good effect to defeat and conquer the Mycenaeans.

The Greek alphabet

850 BCE

Alphabet The Greek alphabet was developed from the Phoenician alphabet.

homer

800 BCE

Homer composed his poems – the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Iliad is an epic poem set in the Trojan War while the Odyssey tells the story of the adventures of Odysseus on his return from the Trojan war.

First Olympic Game

776 BCE

First Olympic Games First recorded Olympic games. The games were held at Olympia. There was one event – the men’s 200m sprint.

First Messenian War

743 BCE

First Messenian This was a disagreement between the messenians and the Spartans that led to war

First Messenian War

724 BCE

First Messenian War The first Messenian war ended victory for the Spartans

Rise of the Tyrants

650 BCE

Rise of the Tyrants The rule of aristocratic leaders was challenged by lesser aristocrats or wealthy tradesmen who wanted to overthrow the monopoly of the aristocrats. Known as tyrants they seized power from the aristocracy and took over rule in their stead.

Draco’s Code of Law

621 BCE

The laws of Athens had previously been a set of oral laws. Draco introduced a new set of harsher laws which were written down for all to read. For many crimes the punishment was death.

Money

600 BCE

The first Greek coins appeared.

Democracy

508 BCE

Democracy began in Athens.

Pythagoras

495 BCE

The philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras, died in Metapontum.

First Persian War

490 BCE

The First Persian war began when Persia sent an invasion force into Athens in retaliation for its participation in a Greek raid on Persia.

Battle of Marathon

490 BCE

The Greeks defeated the Persians in the Battle of Marathon.

Second Persian War

480 BCE

Second Persian War The Second Persian war began when Persia’s King Xerxes led an invasion force into Greece.

Battle of Thermopylae

480 BCE

Battle of Thermopylae The Persians defeated the Greeks in the Battle off Thermopylae

Battle of Salamis

480 BCE

The Greeks defeated the Persians in the Battle of Salamis

Parthenon completed

432 BCE

Parthenon completed The Parthenon was completed. The temple was built in Athens to house a statue of Goddess Athena so that she could watch over the city.

Peloponnesian War

431 BCE

The Peloponnesian wars between Athens and Sparta.

Peloponnesian Wars

404 BCE

Athens lost the Peloponnesian Wars. The Athenian democratic government was removed and replaced by a ruling body of 30 tyrants.

Democracy

403 BCE

Democracy was restored to Athens.

Socrates

399 BCE

The philosopher Socrates, founder of philosophy, was charged with impiety (being disrespectful to the Gods) he was found guilty and executed.

Academy

380 BCE

The philosopher Plato, student of Socrates, founded the Academy in Athens.

Philip II

359 BCE

Philip II became King of Macedon

Plato

347 BCE

The philosopher, Plato, student of Socrates, founder of The Academy and author of The Republic died in Athens.

Catapult

339 BCE

Catapult The Catapult was invented at Syracruse

Chaeronea

338 BCE

Battle of Chaeronea Philip II, King of Macedon conquered Greece