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776 BCE
776 BCE First Olympic Games take place
The games would take place every 4 years in honor of the Greek god Zeus -
776 BCE
The first Olympic Games takes place.
The games would take place every 4 years in honor of the Greek god Zeus. -
757 BCE
First Messenian War begins
This is a war between Sparta and Messenia that will last many years. -
757 BCE
First Messenian War begins.
This is a war between Sparta and Messenia that will last many years. -
750 BCE
Homer begins to write the Iliad and Odyssey
These epic poems become two of the most famous literary works in Greek literature. -
750 BCE
Homer begins to write the Iliad and Odyssey
These epic poems become two of the most famous literary works in Greek literature. -
650 BCE
The Greek Tyrants come into power.
Cypselus is the first Tyrant of Corinth -
650 BCE
The Greek Tyrants come into power.
Cypselus is the first Tyrant of Corinth. -
621 BCE
A lawyer named Draco introduces strict new laws in Athens that are punishable by death.
These are called Draconian laws -
621 BCE
A lawyer named Draco introduces strict new laws in Athens that are punishable by death.
These are called Draconian laws. -
600 BCE
The first Greek coins are introduced.
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600 BCE
The first Greek coins are introduced.
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570 BCE
Pythagoras is born.
He will make major advances in science, math, and philosophy. We still use the Pythagorean Theorem today to help with geometry. -
570 BCE
Pythagoras is born.
He will make major advances in science, math, and philosophy. We still use the Pythagorean Theorem today to help with geometry. -
508 BCE
Democracy is introduced in Athens by Cleisthenes
He establishes a constitution and is often called the "Father of Athenian Democracy". This is one of the great accomplishments of the Greek culture. -
508 BCE
Democracy is introduced in Athens by Cleisthenes.
He establishes a constitution and is often called the "Father of Athenian Democracy". This is one of the great accomplishments of the Greek culture. -
490 BCE
The Greeks fight the Persians in the Greek/Persian Wars.
Two famous battles are the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC and the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. The Greeks win and the Persians retreat. -
490 BCE
The Greeks fight the Persians in the Greek/Persian Wars.
Two famous battles are the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC and the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. The Greeks win and the Persians retreat. -
490 BCE
The Greeks fight the Persians in the Greek/Persian Wars.
Two famous battles are the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC and the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. The Greeks win and the Persians retreat. -
468 BCE
Sophocles begins to write plays for the theatre.
Soon the theater becomes a very popular form of entertainment in Greece. -
468 BCE
Sophocles begins to write plays for the theatre.
Soon the theater becomes a very popular form of entertainment in Greece. -
440 BCE
Famous playwright Euripides wins first prize for the best play in Athens
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432 BCE
The temple to Athena, the Parthenon, is completed in Athens on the Acropolis.
Today this is the most famous surviving building of Ancient Greece. -
431 BCE
The wars between Sparta and Athens begin.
They are called the Peloponnesian Wars. The wars will last 27 years with Sparta eventually conquering Athens in 404 BC. -
399 BCE
The famous Greek philosopher Socrates is put to death for corrupting the youth of Athens with his teachings.
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386 BCE
Greek philosopher and student of Socrates, Plato, founds the first institution of higher learning in the western world. It's called the Academy.
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342 BCE
The great philosopher, scientist, and mathematician, Aristotle, begins to tutor Alexander (later to be called Alexander the Great).
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336 BCE
Alexander the Great becomes king when his father, Philip of Macedon is assassinated.
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333 BCE
Alexander begins his conquests and defeats the Persians.
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332 BCE
Alexander conquers Egypt
He establishes the new capital of Egypt at Alexandria. Over the next several years Alexander would greatly expand his empire, conquering much of Persia on the way to India.
