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Greek history

  • 2000 BCE

    first settlers

    first settlers
    wandering tribes begin to settle in Greece
  • 1600 BCE

    Mycenaean

    Mycenaean
    Bronze Age Greece was inhabited by the Mycenaean people. They took their name from the capital city of their land, Mycenae.
  • 1194 BCE

    Trojan war (begins)

    Trojan war (begins)
    The Trojan war between the Greeks and the Trojans (inhabitants of Troy) began
  • 1184 BCE

    Trojan war (ends)

    Trojan war (ends)
    The Trojan war ends when the Greeks used a wooden horse to invade and overturn the Trojan city of Troy.
  • 1100 BCE

    Dorian Invaders

    Dorian Invaders
    Mycenaean Greece was invaded by Dorian tribesmen from the north. The Dorians had iron weapons which they used to good effect to defeat and conquer the Mycenaeans.
  • 850 BCE

    Alphabet

    Alphabet
    The Greek Alphabet was developed from the Phoenician alphabet.
  • 800 BCE

    Homer

    Homer
    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.
  • 776 BCE

    First Olympic Games

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

    First Messenian War (begins)

    First Messenian War (begins)
    This was a disagreement between the Messenians and the Spartans that led to war
  • 724 BCE

    First Messenian War (ends)

    First Messenian War (ends)
    The first Messenian war ended in victory for the Spartans
  • 650 BCE

    Rise of the Tyrants

    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.
  • 621 BCE

    Draco’s Code of Law

    Draco’s Code of Law
    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.
  • 600 BCE

    Money

    Money
    The first Greek coins appeared.
  • 508 BCE

    Democracy

    Democracy
    Democracy began in Athens.
  • 495 BCE

    Pythagoras.

    Pythagoras.
    The philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras, died in Metapontum.
  • 490 BCE

    Battle of Marathon

    Battle of Marathon
    The Greeks defeated the Persians in the Battle of Marathon
  • 490 BCE

    First Persian War

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

    Second Persian War

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

    Battle of Salamis

    Battle of Salamis
    The Greeks defeated the Persians in the Battle of Salamis
  • 480 BCE

    Battle of Thermopylae

    Battle of Thermopylae
    The Persians defeated the Greeks in the Battle off Thermopylae
  • 432 BCE

    Parthenon completed

    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.
  • 431 BCE

    Peloponnesian Wars (begins)

    Peloponnesian Wars (begins)
    The Peloponnesian wars between Athens and Sparta.
  • 404 BCE

    Peloponnesian Wars (ends)

    Peloponnesian Wars (ends)
    Athens lost the Peloponnesian Wars. The Athenian democratic government was removed and replaced by a ruling body of 30 tyrants.
  • 403 BCE

    Democracy

    Democracy
    Democracy was restored to Athens.
  • 399 BCE

    Socrates

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

    Academy

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

    Philip II

    Philip II
    Philip II became King of Macedon
  • 347 BCE

    Plato

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

    Catapult

    Catapult
    The Catapult was invented at Syracruse
  • 338 BCE

    Battle of Chaeronea

    Battle of Chaeronea
    Philip II, King of Macedon conquered Greece