Ancient Greece 3000 BC to 488 BC

By msaldivar
  • Period: 3200 BCE to 1100 BCE

    Greek Bronze Age (Aegean Civilization)

    Greece becomes a major hub in the Mediterranean with social, economic, and technological advances.
  • Minoan Civilization emerges.
    3000 BCE

    Minoan Civilization emerges.

    Though not Greek, the Minoans helped to shape Greek civilization such as art, trading, writing system.
  • Mycenaean civilization emerges.
    1600 BCE

    Mycenaean civilization emerges.

    This was a period of warrior aristocracy and prosperity. Mycenaeans produced an array of both utilitarian and luxury goods, including weapons and tools, jewelry, carved gems, glass ornaments and vases, which likely transported oil, wine, and other commodities for trade.
  • Minoan Civilization comes to an abrupt end.
    1450 BCE

    Minoan Civilization comes to an abrupt end.

    It is thought that the end was violent, perhaps caused by a volcano.
  • The Trojan War
    1250 BCE

    The Trojan War

    Trojan War, legendary conflict between the early Greeks and the people of Troy in western Anatolia.
  • Period: 1100 BCE to 1050 BCE

    Mycenaean civilization collapses.

    The cause is thought to be natural disaster, overpopulation, or political strife.
  • Period: 1100 BCE to 700 BCE

    Greek Dark Ages

    Many settlements were abandoned and the population declined there are not written records from this period.
  • Period: 900 BCE to 700 BCE

    Geometric Period

    Named for the geometric patterns on pottery.
  • Period: 800 BCE to 500 BCE

    Archaic Period

    Advances in technology, poetry, art, and the invention of polis which were city-states.
  • First Olympic Games
    776 BCE

    First Olympic Games

    Held every 4 years during Greek religious holiday honoring Zeus. Contestants came from cities across Greece.
  • First Messenian War
    743 BCE

    First Messenian War

    Spartan conquest of Messenia.
  • 640 BCE

    Second Messenian War

    Spartan society becomes a military stronghold in the Mediterranean.
  • Greek Coins Appear
    600 BCE

    Greek Coins Appear

    One of the world's earliest coins, the Drachma, is invented.
  • Pythagoras born.
    569 BCE

    Pythagoras born.

    Pythagoras was a Greek philosopher who made important developments in mathematics, astronomy, and the theory of music. He is still famous for the theorem now known as Pythagoras's theorem
  • Introduction of Democracy
    510 BCE

    Introduction of Democracy

    Athenian leader Cleisthenes introduced a system of political reforms that he called demokratia. It is the first known democracy in the world.