-
2000 BCE
first settlers
wandering tribes begin to settle in Greece -
1600 BCE
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)
The Trojan war between the Greeks and the Trojans (inhabitants of Troy) began -
1184 BCE
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
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
The Greek Alphabet was developed from the Phoenician alphabet. -
800 BCE
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 recorded Olympic games. The games were held at Olympia. There was one event – the men’s 200m sprint. -
743 BCE
First Messenian War (begins)
This was a disagreement between the Messenians and the Spartans that led to war -
724 BCE
First Messenian War (ends)
The first Messenian war ended in victory for the Spartans -
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. -
621 BCE
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
The first Greek coins appeared. -
508 BCE
Democracy
Democracy began in Athens. -
495 BCE
Pythagoras.
The philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras, died in Metapontum. -
490 BCE
Battle of Marathon
The Greeks defeated the Persians in the Battle of Marathon -
490 BCE
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
The Second Persian war began when Persia’s King Xerxes led an invasion force into Greece. -
480 BCE
Battle of Salamis
The Greeks defeated the Persians in the Battle of Salamis -
480 BCE
Battle of Thermopylae
The Persians defeated the Greeks in the Battle off Thermopylae -
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. -
431 BCE
Peloponnesian Wars (begins)
The Peloponnesian wars between Athens and Sparta. -
404 BCE
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 was restored to Athens. -
399 BCE
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
The philosopher Plato, student of Socrates, founded the Academy in Athens. -
359 BCE
Philip II
Philip II became King of Macedon -
347 BCE
Plato
The philosopher, Plato, student of Socrates, founder of The Academy and author of The Republic died in Athens. -
339 BCE
Catapult
The Catapult was invented at Syracruse -
338 BCE
Battle of Chaeronea
Philip II, King of Macedon conquered Greece
