ancient greece timeline By seantheaussiebot 776 BCE first olympics game takes place 750 BCE homer composes the odyssey 550 BCE democracy begins in athens 490 BCE Battle of Marathon - The Greeks defeat Persian invaders. 480 BCE Battle of Salamis - The Greeks defeat Persian invaders. 450 BCE athens takes control of an empire 440 BCE greek plays are peformed in athens 432 BCE Parthenon is finished in Athens Period: 431 BCE to 404 BCE War between Athens and Sparta - Sparta defeats Athens in 404 BCE.