Greek History

First settlers

2000 BCE

This is when people first started to live and adapt to Greece.

Mycenaean People

1600 BCE

They were a civilization that flourished during the Bronze Age. They had influenced the Peloponnese and Aegean. However they were mainly influenced by the earlier people, the Minoans.

Trojan War

1194 BCE

This is when the Trojan war began and was said to last for 10 years. It began because Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband, Menelaus.

Dorian people

1100 BCE

This was around the time that the Mycaneaen people were invaded by the Dorians. This caused a major shift in cultural development and language.

Alphabet

850 BCE

The Phoenician alphabet was created during this time. Most historians said it was likely made in Euboea.

Homer

800 BCE

This was the around the time that Homer composed his two most famous poems- the Iliad the Odyssey.

Olympic Games

776 BCE

This was the first recorded Olympic games and it was held in Olympia.

Messenian War

743 BCE

It was a disagreement between Messenians and Spartans and lasted until about 724 BCE.

Rise of the Tyrants

650 BCE

The aristocratic leaders were challenges by the lesser aristocrats who wanted to overthrow the monopoly. In the end they did seize power over the higher aristocrats.

Draco's code of laws

621 BCE

The laws that had previously been set to Athens were then changed by Draco; who introduced a new set of written laws that were cruel and had death as a punishment.

Money

600 BCE

This is when the first Greek coins appeared.

Democracy

508 BCE

This is when democracy was first introduced to Athens.

Persian War

490 BCE

This war was started when Persia sent an invasion force into Athens as revenge for the Greek raid in Persia.

Battle of Marathon

490 BCE

This is where the Greeks first defeated the Persians.

Battle of Thermopylae

480 BCE

This is when the Persians defeated the Greeks.

Parthenon

432 BCE

This is when the Greeks finally completed the Parthenon; the temple that was built in Athens to house a statue of the Goddess Athena.

Peloponnesian wars

431 BCE

This is when the wars between Athens and Sparta started. It lasted until about 404 BCE, when the Spartans won and removed democracy from Athens.

Socrates

399 BCE

Greek philosopher was charged with impiety; being disrespectful to the Gods. He was found guilty and then executed.

The academy

380 BCE

This is when Plato, student of Socrates, founded the academy in the Athens.

Plato

347 BCE

This is when the philosopher and author of the Republic died in Athens.

Catapult

339 BCE

This is when the catapult was invented at Syracruse.

Battle of Chaeronea

338 BCE

This is when Philip II, King of Macedon, conquered Greece.

League of Corinth

338 BCE

This was a federation of the Greek states that was also founded by Philip II and it was made to help against Persia.

Alexander the Great

336 BCE

This is when Philip II was assassinated and his son, Alexander became the King of Macedon.

The Lyceum

335 BCE

This was founded by Alexander the Great in Athens.

Persia

333 BCE

This was when Alexander the Great conquered Persia and claimed himself to be King of Persia.

Egypt

331 BCE

Another conquered land of Alexander the Great. He then made Alexandria the capital of his newly acquired land.

Alexander the Great

323 BCE

This is when Alexander the Great died and his son had not yet been born so his conquered lands were divided among his top generals.

Aristotle

322 BCE

The philosopher, mathematician, student of Plato, tutor of Alexander died in Euboea.

Roman Empire

146 BCE

The Romans defeated the Greeks at the Battle of Corinth and Greece then became part of the Roman Empire.