GREEK TIMELINE

dates in pink are approximate; dates in blue are exact

period	historical events	literature	other
Neolithic 6500-3000 BC	.	.	permanent settlements domested plants and animals pottery
Early Bronze Age 3000-2100	.	.	2800- 1900 Early Helladic Period in archaeology 2500 use of bronze widespread in Aegean basin
Middle Bronze Age 2100-1600	2100-1900 Indo-european speakers arrive in mainland Greece 2000 earliest palaces in Crete (Minoan civilization) 1900 mainland contacts with Crete 1700-1500height of Minoan civilization	1800 in Crete, development of Linear A script	1900-1580 Middle Helladic period in archaeology
Late Bronze Age 1600-1150	1600 rise of Mycenaean civilization on the mainland 1500-1450 Mycenaeans from mainland gain control of palaces in Crete 1400-1200 height of Mycenaean civilization 1250 Troy VIIA destroyed (1194-84 traditional date for Trojan War) 1200-1100 destruction of palaces -collapse of Mycenaean civilization	1500 development of Linear B script	1580-1100 Late Helladic period in archaeology
Early Dark Age 1100-900	1050 new centers emerge 1050 Ionian-Aeolic migrations to islands and Asia Minor	.	1100-1050 Submycenaean period in archaeology 1050-900 Protogeometric period in art 1050 iron tools appear
Late Dark Age 900-750	900 slow increase in population and area of settlement 800 process accelerates	.	900-850Early Geometric period in art 850-750 Middle Geometric period in art 800 Greek alphabet developed from Phoenician alphabet 800 earliest Greek temples 776 traditional date of first Olympics
Archaic Period 730-490	750-700 emergence of city-states 730 earliest Greek colonies in Sicily and Italy 730-700 first Spartan- Messenian war 683 traditional date of end of monarchy in Athens; henceforth annul arkhons 650 earliest Greek colonies in Black Sea region 650 second Spartan- Messian war; reforms of "Lykourgos" in Sparta 632 Kylon's failed coup d' état in Athens 621 Drakon's law code in Athens 594/3 probable date of Solon's legislation 560-510 Peisistratos and sons tyrants in Athens 560 Kroisos (Lydia) gains control of Ionian cities 550 Sparta consolidate position as major power in Peloponnese 546 Kyros (Persian king) conquers Kroisos and gains control of Greek cities in Asia Minor 510 end of tyranny in Athens 508/7 reforms of Kleisthenes 499 Ionians revolt from Persian empire 498 Athenians send ships and troops to help Ionian revolt, participate in burning of Sardis (Lydian capital) 494 Battle of Lade: end of Ionian revolt 494 Batle of Sepea: Peloponnesian League led by Sparta defeats Argos, last major rival in Peloponnese 490 Battle of Marathon: Athenians repulse Persian punitive expedition	750-700Iliad and Odyssey most likely composed 700 Hesiod 675? Homeric Hymn to Demeter 650 Tyrtaios 600 Sappho and Alkaios 550 Theognis 535 first performance of tragedy at festival of Dionysos in Athens	750-700Late Geometric period in art 720"orientalizing" period in art begins 650 earliest stone temples 650 Corinthian black- figure pottery 600-550 earliest coinage in Asia Minor 582 Pythian games established 581 Isthmian games established 573 Nemean games established 530s earliest Athenian red-figure pottery
Classical Period I 489-403    489-480	487 arkhons chosen by lot 487 first ostracism 483/82 rich silver vein discovered at Laureion (Athens) 482/1 Athenians use Laureion silver to build 100-trireme fleet 481 congress of Corinth: most Greeks agree to common defense against Persians 481 Xerxes (Persian king) begins invasion of Greece 480 battles of Thermopylai, Artemesion and Salamis	.	.
479-470	479 battle of Plataia; Persians abandon invasion 479 battle of Mykalai; Persian fleet defeated in Ionia 478/7 Athens and other Aegean state form Delian League to continue war aganst Persia; start of period of Kimon's prominence in Athens and as general of League 476 Persians expulsed from Eion (last major outpost in Europe)	478 Aischylos' Prometheus 472 Aiskhylos' Persai	470-456 construction of temple of Zeus at Olympia
469-460	467 battle of Eurymedon; Persians cleared from western coast of Asia Minor 462/1 in Athens, democratic reforms associated with Ephialtes (additional measures in following years) 462/1 Kimon ostracized; start of Perikles' rise to prominence	.	460s "Why Are They Fighting". 460-410 white lêkythoi popular 460-430 Achilles-painter active
459-450	459-445 intermittent warfare between Athens and various allies against Spartan-led Pelolponnesians; Athens gains and loses a land empire in central Greece 454 Delian League treasury transferred to Athens - gradual transformation of Delian League into Athenian empire 453 defeat of Athenians sent to aid Egyptian revolt against Persia 451 Perikles' law restricting citizenship at Athens 450 Athens stops fighting Persia	458 Aiskhylos' Oresteia	456 completion of temple of Zeus at Olympia .
449-440	445 (see above 459-45); "Thirty Years' Peace" between Athens and Sparta 443-429 Perikles dominant political leader in Athens 440Samos revolts from Athenian empire; revolt suppressed	445 Sophokles' Aias 441Sophokles' Antigone	440s "What Is She Thinking" 447-432 construction of Parthenon (Athens)
439-430	435 warfare between Kekyra and Korinth; Athenian alliance with Kekyra (prelude to Peloponnesian War) 431 formal outbreak of Peloponnesian War (Athens and her allies against Sparta and her allies) 430 plague breaks out in Athens	431 Euripides' Medeia	438 dedicaton of statue of Athene in Parthenon 432 completion of Parthenon (Athens)
429-420	429 death of Perikles 428-427 Mytilene revolts from Athenian empire; revolt suppressed 421 Peace of Nikias ends first part of Peloponnesian War 420 Athens forms alliance, techinically putting her t war again with Sparta	428 Sophokles' Oidipous Tyrannos 428 Euripides' Hyppolytos	429-408/7 construction of Erekhteion (Athens) 421 construction of temple of Athene Nike (Athens)
419-410	418 Sparta defeats Argos and allies (including Athens) at Mantineia 416 Athenians capture Melos; kill all the men and enslave women and childen 415-413 Athenian invasion of Sicily 414/13 Persians begin support of Spartans against Athenians 413 Spartans install permanent fort at Dekeleia in Athenian territory 412-404 naval warfare between Athens and Sparta in Aegean 411-410 oligarchic regimes of 400 and 5000 at Athens 410 restoration of democracy at Athens	415 Euripides' Trojan Women 411 Aristophanes' Lysistrata	.
409-400	406 Athenian naval victory at Arginousai 405 Spartan naval victory at Aigospotamoi: end of Athenian naval power 404 Athens surrenders to Sparta 404-403 oligarchic regime of the Thirty at Athens 403 restoration of democracy at Athens 401-399 10,000 march against Persian king	406 Euripides' Bakkhai 405 Aristophanes' Frogs	408/7 completion of work on Erekhtheion (Athens).
399-390	399 death of Socrates 396-394 Spartan Aegesilaos campaigns in Asia Minor 395-387 Korinthian War (Athens/Korinth/Argos vs. Sparta) 394 Persians defeat Spartan fleet off Knidos 393 Athens rebuilds Long Walls, refortifies Peiraieus
389-380	386 King's Peace between Persia and mainland Greek states 385 Jason becomes tyrant of Pherai 382 Spartans sieze citadel of Thebes
379-370	379 Spartans expelled from Thebes 378-371 Thebes and Athens war vs. Sparta 377 second Athenian confederacy founded - Athens now most powerful Greek state 373 Thebans destroy Plataia 371 Thebans defeat Spartans at Leuktra - Thebes now powerful Greek state 370-369 liberation of Messene		373 Apollo's temple destroyed (Delphi)