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The first Greek civilsation was the Minoan culture on the island of Crete, around 2000 BCE
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Bronze Age Greece was inhabited by the Mycenaean people. They took their name from the capital city of their land, Mycenae.
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The Trojan war between the Greeks and the Trojan began.
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The Trojan war ended when the Greeks used a wooden horse to invade and overrun the Trojan city of Troy. They also made a movie named "Troy" based on this war.
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Mycenaean Greece was invaded by Dorian tribesmen from the North. The Dorians had iron weapons which they use to good effect to defeat and conquer the Mycenaeans.
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The Greek alphabet was developed from the Phoenician alphabet.
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Homer composed his poems – the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Iliad is an epic poem set in the Trojan War while the Odyssey tells the story of the adventures of Odysseus on his return from the Trojan war.
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First recorded Olympic games. The games were held at Olympia. There was one event – the men’s 200m sprint.
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This was a disagreement between the Messenians and the Spartans that led to war.
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The first Messenian war ended in victory for the Spartans.
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The rule of aristocratic leaders was challenged by lesser aristocrats or wealthy tradesmen who wanted to overthrow the monopoly of the aristocrats. Known as tyrants they seized power from the aristocracy and took over rule in their stead.
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The laws of Athens had previously been a set of oral laws. Draco introduced a new set of harsher laws which were written down for all to read. For many crimes the punishment was death.
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The first Greek coins appeared.
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Democracy began in Athens.
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The philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras, died in Metapontum.
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The First Persian war began when Persia sent an invasion force into Athens in retaliation for its participation in a Greek raid on Persia.
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The Greeks defeated the Persians in the Battle of Marathon
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The Second Persian war began when Persia’s King Xerxes led an invasion force into Greece.
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The Persians defeated the Greeks in the Battle off Thermopylae
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The Greeks defeated the Persians in the Battle of Salamis
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The Parthenon was completed. The temple was built in Athens to house a statue of Goddess Athena so that she could watch over the city.
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The Peloponnesian wars between Athens and Sparta.
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Athens lost the Peloponnesian Wars. The Athenian democratic government was removed and replaced by a ruling body of 30 tyrants.
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Democracy was restored to Athens.
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The philosopher Socrates, founder of philosophy, was charged with impiety (being disrespectful to the Gods) he was found guilty and executed.
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The philosopher Plato, student of Socrates, founded the Academy in Athens.
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Philip II became King of Macedon
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The philosopher, Plato, student of Socrates, founder of The Academy and author of The Republic died in Athens.
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The Catapult was invented at Syracruse
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Philip II, King of Macedon conquered Greece
