Sparta Key Events By avageorgia9 800 BCE Sparta emerges from Greek Dark Age Period: 734 BCE to 724 BCE First Messenian War 724 BCE Spartan conquest of Messenia in the First Messenian War 706 BCE Taras in Southern Italy founded as a Spartan colony Period: 685 BCE to 668 BCE Second Messenian War 669 BCE Sparta defeated by Argos at the battle of Hysiai 650 BCE Reforms of Spartan society began 550 BCE Sparta defeats Argos 550 BCE Peloponnesian League created 546 BCE Battle of 300 Champions between Sparta and Argos in settle a dispute 510 BCE Sparta becomes force for expelling tyranny in Greece Hippias' tyranny ended by Spartan intervention 464 BCE Earthquake in Sparta devastates city