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2000 BCE
Mycenean enter mainland Greece
The Myceneans entered mainland Greece in the Bronze age by invading land. This took place in mainland Greece and is the last main event marked in the Bronze Age. The Myceneans started the first advanced use of writing, structural organization and art. -
1200 BCE
Trojan War
The Trojan War was a conflict between the Greeks and the citizens of Troy. The main cause of the war was a conflict between both leader's children, which resulted in a Greek army wanting to defeat Troy. The war primarily took place in Troy. -
1198 BCE
Civil War
After the Troys were defeated and the Trojan War was over, the Greeks had another war amongst each other. The main cause of this conflict could have been the destruction of the mainland following the Trojan War, but the exact cause is unknown. The majority of the war took place in mainland Greece. -
1100 BCE
End of Mycenaean Civilization
Mycenaean civilization in Greece slowly started to decrease around 1200 BCE. The actual ending of the civilization took place in 1100 after a series of fires destroyed much of the established land. The cause of the fires is unclear. -
776 BCE
The First Olympic Games
The first Olympics were held in Olympia, Greece. This was a place where many Greeks would go to worship the gods. One of the main reasons for starting the Olympics was to honor the Greek god Zeus. -
621 BCE
Draco's Code of Law
Draco's Code of Law (also known as the Draconian Constitution) was a list of extremely harsh laws and punishments that needed to be followed. Draco was a legislator from Athens. Draco's code of law was intended to create extremely harsh punishments so most crime would be eliminated. -
600 BCE
Coin Currently
The Greeks introduced the first coin currency in 600 BCE. The coins were called Lydian staters and included an image of the Lydian lions. The Lydian stater is known as the oldest coin and first coin to be used. -
546 BCE
Persian Invasion of Greek Territories
The Persians invaded Greek Territories, which marked the beginning of the Greek-Persian wars. In this invasion, the Persians took over multiple Greek settlements. In addition to settlements, the Persians took over farmland and harbors in Greece. -
492 BCE
First Persian Invasion
The Greek leader sent an army of Greeks to "punish" Persians in Athens for taking the Greek land and settlements. This resulted in the first battle between the Greeks and Persians, known as the Battle of Marathon. The Greeks outnumbered the Persians and won the battle. -
479 BCE
Defeat of Persians
The ending of the Persian-Greek war followed a battle at Plataea. The Greeks ultimately had more army members and better weapons to defeat Persia. Thousands of Persians were killed and they stopped invading Greece. -
448 BCE
Peace with Persians
Greeks and Persians established peace with the "Peace of Callias." This was between the leaders of Greece and Persia and was the first official peace treaty between the two. The Peace of Callias was the official ending to the Greek and Persian wars. -
442 BCE
Pericles: Leader of Athens
Pericles was a Greek statesman who is credited for the majority of the development of the Athen Empire. He was also responsible for building up the Athen Empire to make it the political focus of Greece. Under his leadership, he died from an aggressive plague. -
431 BCE
Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War was between Athens and Sparta, two Greek city-states. It took place mostly in Greece. The main cause was the Athenian control of the Delian League, which allowed Athens to have full control of the Mediterranean Sea. -
430 BCE
Plague in Athens
Athens was taken by an aggressive plague in 430 BCE. The plague took over a quarter of the population in Athens, resulting in a lot of deaths. The plague started during the Peloponnesian War, probably because of the harsh and crowded conditions during the war. -
411 BCE
Revolts in Athens
During the Peloponnesian War, groups in Athens started a revolt. This revolt turned into a group called the Athenian coup, which went on to overthrow the Athenian government. This took place primarily in Athens. -
404 BCE
Athens Surrenders to Sparta
Athens surrendered to Sparta in 404 BCE, ending the Peloponnesian War. The Spartans had more naval power than Athens at this point, causing Athens to surrender. The war lasted about 27 years. -
395 BCE
War Between Rival Greeks
Sparta and multiple other city-states in Greece had a conflict because Sparta tried to control too much of Greece. This war is referred to as the Corinthian War, the war lasted about 8 years. The Persians switched support from Athens to Sparta, allowing Sparta to win the war. -
371 BCE
Thebes defeats Sparta
Thebes revolted against Sparta starting the Thebian-Spartan War. The war lasted roughly sixteen years. Thebes defeated Sparta in 371 BCE. -
336 BCE
Alexander the Great Gains Power
When Alexander the Great was 20 years old, he became King of Macedonia. His father, who initially was in charge, was assassinated, making Alexander the Great king. He held power for 13 years. -
146 BCE
Battle of Corinth
Romans attacked Corinth and completely destroyed it. They killed everyone in sight and destroyed everything. This was the first time the Romans defeated Greece.