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1000 BCE
Sparta founded
Sparta was founded in 1000 BCE. They were founded when a tribe called the Dorians migrated to the area. After migrating the Dorians set up a civilization that was then known as sparta -
706 BCE
Sparta founds Tarentum
The Spartans colonized Tarentum during 706 BCE. They did this as part of the wave of Greek colonization of the region which would become known as Magna Graecia. According to tradition the city was founded by the Spartan hero Phalanthus. -
650 BCE
Sparta reorganized
Around 650 BCE Sparta was reorganized by Lycurgus. Lycurgus came to power after Sparta was defeated by Argos. Lycurgus changed Sparta from being ruled by an aristocratic elite to a city ruled by an oligarchy. -
545 BCE
Sparta takes control of Thyrea
Thyrea was a long-disputed territory that lay between the two city states of Sparta and Argos. In 545 BCE Sparta took control of this region. They took over this region during the Battle of the 300 Champions. -
500 BCE
Sparta expands its borders
By 500 BCE Sparta conquered many surrounding civilizations. They dominated the Peloponnese region of southwest Greece. Doing this Sparta gained a lot of land. -
490 BCE
The Greco-Persian Wars
Sparta aided Greece during The Greco-Persian Wars which were in 490 BCE and 479 BCE. They were conflicts between Greece and Persia. Sparta aided the armies and they held a congress of delegates and formed a general alliance. -
490 BCE
King Leonidas
Leonidas was the Spartan king during the start of the persian war. He led the allied Greek forces in a last stand at the Battle of Thermopylae. He was killed early during the third and last day of the battle. -
480 BCE
Battle of Thermopylae
300 Spartans under king Leonidas went to defend the Thermopylae pass. They were defending the pass from the Persians led by Xerxes. After 3 days of fighting they were defeated. -
460 BCE
Start of the Peloponnesian War
Sparta and Athens had a lot of power in Greece. Then there power and borders started to cross causing conflicts. When two civilizations had a dispute, Athens and Sparta sided with opposite civilizations and started the Peloponnesian War. -
451 BCE
Sparta and Argos peace treaty
Sparta and Argos sign a peace treaty which endures for 30 years. They signed the treaty to bring an end to the conflict commonly known as the First Peloponnesian War. It was supposed to be the official end to the war. -
445 BCE
End of the Peloponnesian War
After years of fighting Sparta and Athens were exhausted. Because of that Sparta offered peace and Athens accepted. The agreement was made official with the signing of the Peace of Nicias. -
431 BCE
Thebes sides with Sparta
During the second Peloponnesian war Thebes allied themselves with Sparta. They sided with Sparta because they favored oligarchy rule. Their help was very useful for the Spartans against Athens. -
431 BCE
Start of the he 2nd Peloponnesian War
Sparta claimed that Athens broke the 30 years peace treaty. Then Sparta and Athens started to prepare for war. This war was mainly fought between Athens and Greece but also involved all of Greece. -
427 BCE
Two year siege
The Spartans laid siege to Plataea for two years. Eventually Plataea surrendered to the Spartans due to lack of resources. This surrender was very important for the Spartans. -
412 BCE
Rhodes supports Sparta
During the Peloponnesian War Rhodes was supporting Athens for the most part. Towards the end of the war they revolted against Athens. They also started to support Sparta. -
412 BCE
Sparta allies with Persia
Sparta and Persia shared a dislike of Athens. So in 412 BCE they allied to bring down Athens. They attacked Athens from both sides and helped each other out. -
404 BCE
End of the second Peloponnesian war
The second Peloponnesian war was fought for an entire decade. Then the Spartan general Lysander defeated the Athenian fleet at Aegospotami. This defeat left Athens crumbled and caused them to surrender to Sparta. -
375 BCE
Battle of Tegyra
The Battle of Tegyra was in 375 BCE. It was an ancient Greek battle between Theban and Spartan hoplite forces. The Thebes ended up defeating Sparta. -
372 BCE
Battle of Leuctra
The Battle of Leuctra was in the year 371 BCE. This battle made Thebes the leading military power among the Greek city-states, ending the long dominance of Sparta. This happened because they defeated the spartans. -
222 BCE
The fall of Sparta
Sparta fell to The Achaean League and Antigonos III in 371 BCE. It fell because Sparta's supremacy was broken following the Battle of Leuctra. This defeat left Sparta crippled and they were wiped out.