Greece Timeline

The Trojan War

1250 BCE

The Trojan War took place in 1250 BC, as a war between Greece and Troy. Queen Helen of Sparta was taken by the Trojan prince, and the Greeks went to war to get her back. To do this the Greeks built a giant wooden horse and climbed inside, the Trojans thought they had surrendered and took the horse into the city walls as a gift. In the morning the Greeks climbed out of the horse and went to war with the Trojans. In the end the Greeks won and retrieved their queen.

Greek Dark Ages

1100 BCE

The Greek Dark ages took place from 1100 to 800 BC. During this time many of the Greek settlements (not including Athens) were abandoned and the populations dropped significantly. People started living in small groups that would move constantly due to livestock needs. Many people became uneducated and forgot how to write, which is why there are not many documents from this time.

1st Olympic Games

776 BCE

The first Olympic games were held in Olympia in 776 BC. These games were dedicated to the gods, and were to show people's strengths. Pelops was said to be the founder of the games, by building complex temples and sporting facilities. The Olympic games were also related to Zeus’s religious festivals.

Democracy Begins in Athens

508 BCE

Democracy in Athens began in 508 BC, but first had many other forms of government. The order of governments was Monarchy, Aristocracy, Oligarchy, Tyrant, and lastly a Direct Democracy. In a Direct Democracy citizens would vote directly whether or not they wanted a law to be passed. Draco was a ruler during this time, and he created very harsh laws, but provided stability. Solon was another ruler after Draco, he created important democratic reforms, and repealed Draco’s harsh laws.

The Persian Wars

499 BCE

The Persian Wars took place from 499 to 449 BC, these wars started because the Persian Empire was trying to conquer Greece. The Persians wanted revenge on the Athenians after they had helped Persian colonies rebel against Persian rule. The three main battles were the Battle of Marathon, the Battle of Thermopylae, and the Battle of Salamis. In the end Greece won, and became liberated from threat of the Persians. This is where the Delian League emerges, an alliance of Greek city states.

Golden Age of Athens

479 BCE

The Golden Age of Athens was from 479 to 431 BC, during this time Athens became very wealthy and powerful, as a result of being the leader of the Delian League. This led the Athenians to create much of the greek sculpture, theatre, and philosophy we know today. The Golden Age occurred between the Persian wars, and the Peloponnesian wars. Pericles was the leader of Athens during this time, he increased democracy, created a strong army, and added great architecture to Athens.

Socrates

469 BCE

Socrates was a Greek philosopher born in 496 BC. He taught by asking questions, and encouraging his students to draw conclusions. Socrates gave few answers, and sometimes denied knowing answers to the questions he asked. He also did not write any books. Socrates engaged people in arguments, which is why he was the leader of Athens did not want him in their city. He went to a trial and was found guilty, so instead of trying to escape prison, drank a cup of poison and died.

Alexander the Great

336 BCE

Alexander the great was a ruler from 336 to 323 BC. He was the son of Philip the 2nd, the King of Macedonia. During his rule Alexander was able to conquer Persia, Egypt, Asia Minor, and Syria. He spread the Hellenistic culture, which was a blend of his conquered countries cultures. Alexander died at the age of 33, from a fever, and after his death the territory was split between three of his generals.