Ancient Greece

By gyeh
  • Minoans
    3000 BCE

    Minoans

    Earliest known Greek civilization on Crete at Knossos. Named after King Minos by Sir Arthur Evans. Featured palaces with no city walls and advanced drainage systems. Influenced by Egyptian, Mesopotamia, Hyksos.
  • Mycenaean Civilization
    1400 BCE

    Mycenaean Civilization

    (1400 BCE - 1200 BCE) Undisrupted age of the Mycenae in power on the Greek mainland. Linear B writing system for accounting. New art, burial rituals, technology. Civilization destroyed by natural disasters and invasion of Sea Peoples.
  • Trojan War
    1250 BCE

    Trojan War

    Famous historical stage of Agamemnon, Helen, Paris, and Achilles. Leading to the Trojan Horse and the sack of Troy. As well as Aeneas later to found Rome. Accounts of events were likely passed down by barges and compiled or written by Homer (700 BC). Start of Greek history.
  • Dark Ages
    1200 BCE

    Dark Ages

    (1200 BCE - 800 BCE) Starts with the fall of the Mycenaean and Minoan. Possibly by the invasion of Sea Peoples, prolonged droughts, or earthquakes. Loss of trade, culture, art, writing.
  • Rise of the Dorians
    1100 BCE

    Rise of the Dorians

    Dorians (Sparta) migrate into the southern Peloponnesus and Ionians (Athens) migrate into Attica and west coat of Asia Minor. They become the dominate powers of Greece. Iron introduced.
  • Greek Alphabet
    800 BCE

    Greek Alphabet

    At the end of the Dark Age the Greek phonetic alphabet is developed, likely influenced by Phoenicians.
  • Greek Archaic Period
    800 BCE

    Greek Archaic Period

    (800 BCE - 500 BCE) Also known as the Greek Renaissance. Greeks powers expands, establish colonies throughout Mediterranean. Population growth/control. Increased trade. Olive oil production and exports. New raw materials and resources imports.
  • First Olympic Games
    776 BCE

    First Olympic Games

    Held in honor of Zeus at Olympus. During this time a truce was honored and all Greek wars and fighting ceased and all travelers were protected to and from games.
  • Rise of Democracy
    488 BCE

    Rise of Democracy

    Solon (594 BCE) and Cleisthenes (508 BCE) credited for Athenian "people power". The former expanding political power to citizens, canceling debts/slavery, and the later reforming draconian laws, limiting power of nobility, enforcing rule of law, becomes the father of democracy.