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Wandering tribes begin to settle in Greece. Greece gave birth to the great stone and bronze civilization: The Minoans, the Mycenaeans, and the Cycladic civilization.
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The Trojan war between the Greeks and the Trojans began. This war went on for 10 years. It began when Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, kidnapped Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. When the Trojans refused to return her, the Greeks formed an army. led by Agamemnon, including Achilles, Odysseus, and the two Ajaxes.
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The Trojan War ended when the Greeks used a wooden horse to invade and overrun the Trojan City of Troy. The city of Troy fell to invading Greek armies, ending the Trojan War. The Trojan War is a important story in Greek Mythology and literature. The ancient Greek Poet Homer wrote about the final days of the Trojan War in his epic The Iliad.
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The Greek alphabet was developed from Phoencian alphabet. Their common language and writing was one of the things that bounded the Greeks together. The Greek alphabet is still used today.
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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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This was a disagreement between the Messenians and the Spartans that led to war.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. Their money was called Drachma, which was a silver coin of ancient Greece, dating from about the mid-6th century bc, and the former monetary unit of modern Greece. The drachma was one of the world's earliest coins.
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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. This was during the first Persian Invasion of Greece. It was fought between the citizens of Athens, aided by Plataea, and a Persian force commanded by Datis and Arttaphernes.
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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 Greeks defeated the Persians in the Battle of Salamis. Was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states under Themistocles and the Persian Empire under King Xerxes in 480 bc, which resulted in a decisive victory for the outnumbered Greeks.
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The Persians defeated the Greeks in the Battle off Thermopylae. This was the first war between the Persians and the Greeks. The Greek force was very small but was determined to make a stand against the huge Persian army.
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The Peloponnesian wars between Athens and Sparta. Athens lost the Peloponnesian Wars. The Athenian democratic government was removed and replaced by a ruling body of 30 tyrants.
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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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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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Philip II, King of Macedon conquered Greece
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The League of Corinth, a federation of Greek states, was founded by Philip II to boost support against Persia.
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Philip II, King of Macedon was assassinated – his son Alexander became King of Macedon. He was later known as Alexander the Great
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Aristotle founded the Lyceum in Athens.
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Alexander conquered the Persians and declared himself King of Persia.
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Alexander conquered Egypt and made Alexandria the capital of his newly gained land.
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Alexander the Great died. His son had not yet been born so his conquered lands were divided between his top generals.
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Aristotle, philosopher, mathematician, student of Plato, tutor of Alexander died in Euboea.
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Euclid, the inventor of geometry, died.
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The mathematician and engineer, Archimedes, was assassinated in Syracuse.
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The Romans defeated the Greeks at the Battle of Corinth and Greece became part of the Roman Empire.
