The Athenian Acropolis

By Tilasaurus
  • Period: 6500 BCE to 3000 BCE

    Neolithic

  • Period: 3000 BCE to 1200 BCE

    Bronze Age

  • Period: 3000 BCE to 2000 BCE

    Early Helladic

    Little activity on the Acropolis during this period
  • Period: 2000 BCE to 1625 BCE

    Middle Helladic

  • Period: 1625 BCE to 1200 BCE

    Late Helladic

  • 1580 BCE

    Legendary Beginning of Kekrops' Reign

  • 1500 BCE

    Earliest Architectural Remains Atop Acropolis

    LHI/II (Hurwit Appendix D)
  • 1270 BCE

    Terracing of summit

    Five artificial terraces on the north side of the summit to support 10 ft walls and a large complex. Hurwit argues that this complex is a palace using literary evidence. (Hurwit 72)
  • Theseus' unification of Athens "Synoikismos"
    1259 BCE

    Theseus' unification of Athens "Synoikismos"

    Theseus is said to have named the city, bestowed citizenship upon all, established the panathenaia, abolished local assemblies, and established a single government. This chronology is listed on the Parian Marble. (Hurwit 79)
    (also Plutarch)
  • 1225 BCE

    Cyclopean Walls

    760 meters long, 10m high, 3.5-6m thick, fortifying 25,000 sq m. constructed between 1225 and 1200
  • Fountain Abandoned
    1180 BCE

    Fountain Abandoned

    The fountain was likely created to serve as a water resource if the Acropolis were to fall under siege.
  • Period: 1125 BCE to 1050 BCE

    Submycenaean

  • 1070 BCE

    Palace goes out of use

    (Hurwit Appendix D)
  • Period: 1050 BCE to 900 BCE

    Protogeometric

  • Period: 900 BCE to 700 BCE

    Geometric

  • Period: 700 BCE to 490 BCE

    Archaic

  • 561 BCE

    Pysistratis (sp) first attempt on the tyranny.

    This tyranny indicated the beginning of a time where significant construction occurred on the acropolis
  • 545 BCE

    Peisistratos invades Marathon

    This invasion signals the beginning of Peisistratos unopposed tyranny over Athens. This era was largely considered a golden age in Athens.
  • 526 BCE

    Peisistratos dies

    The tyranny passed down to P's son Hippias, almost unopposed.
  • 514 BCE

    Assasination of Hipparkhos Peisistratid

    Hipparkhos was assasinated during the greater Panathenaia. This death resulted in an increasingly harsh reign by Hippias, the brother of Hipparkhos and the tyrant of Athens.
  • 510 BCE

    King Kleomenes invades

    King Kleomenes of Sparta invades Athens, forcing Hippias of the Peisistratids to take refuge behind the Mycenaean walls of the Acropolis. This Ended the tyrany of the Peisistratids family.
  • 508 BCE

    Kleisthenes's reforms

    Reforms creating democracy in Athens. Passed by the Solonian council. Made new division of the populations and created the concept of "isonomia" or equality under the law.
  • Period: 490 BCE to 323 BCE

    Classical

  • Period: 323 BCE to 30 BCE

    Hellenistic

  • A view from the Propylaia--Edward Dodwell

    A view from the Propylaia--Edward Dodwell

    This was painted only a few years before the restoration of the acropolis began. note the Ottoman settlement which covers the ruins. https://media.britishmuseum.org/media/Repository/Documents/2014_10/9_13/91dc5c1f_4e22_409b_97a5_a3bf00e6205a/mid_00518776_001.jpg