The History of Ancient Greece
500
Solon and Reforms 500 BCE
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Solon In the 6th Century BCE, an Athenian aristocrat and archon started reforms to completely
revise Draco's law Code to change the penalties. Solon also reformed the constitution, created new classes
of citizens, freed people from debt slavery, created the first coins and created the standard weights and
measures.
500
Athenian Democracy Part 1. Archons 8th to 7th Century BCE
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Athens and Democracy Athens started out being ruled by kings. In the 8th to 7th centuries
BCE, Athens moved from kings to being ruled by land owning aristocrats, or Oligarchs. Their title was
“Archon.” By 500 BCE there were 9 Archons elected each year. 1st gave the name to the year, Eponymous
Archon, 2nd was the war leader, Strategos Archon & 3rd was the leader called the Basileus Archon. The 6
other Archons sat in judgment on court cases.
500
Athenian Democracy Part 2. Below Archons 8th to 7th Century BCE
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Democracy in Athens Below the Archons was the Boule, or Areopagus Council. Term: life.
Oversaw homicide cases. Then the Council of 500. 30 yrs old males who set the Agenda for the general
assembly & domestic affairs. Smaller executive committee of 50, was elected every 5 weeks & oversaw the
Council. Next was the General Assembly. 18+ yr old males. They formulated all policies, elected officials,
declared war & made treaties.
527
Pisistratus' Sons 527 BCE - 511 BCE Hippias & Hipparchus
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527 BCE Hippias & Hipparchus take over. Their rule was not as good as their father Pisistratus,
and was marred by a bad love triangle. Hipparchus fell in love with a man named Harmodius, who refused
him. Brothers, Harmodius & Aristogeiton killed Hipparchus, as Aristogeiton was in love with Harmodius.
Both were killed after killing Hipparchus. Hippias ruled alone until 510 BCE, when he was deposed.
Cleisthenes then came to power.
546
Democracy side tracked: Pisistratus 561 BCE - 546 BCE.Part 1
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Pisistratus 605–527 BC Pisistratus was an Athenian aristocrat who wanted to be a tyrant. 561
BCE His 1st attempted failed as he took over & was forced out. 555 BCE His 2nd attempt he tried to fool
Athenians that Goddess Athena supported him, he failed and was kicked out again. His 3rd attempt in 546
BCE succeeded and he actually was a benevolent tyrant for Athens.
546
Democracy side tracked: Pisistratus 546 BCE - 528 BCE.Part 2
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The Tyrant of Athens Peisistratos Pisistratus Rule: 546 BCE – 527 BCE. Pisistratus proves to
be a good ruler for Athens. His reforms: Created a third political party of Men from beyond the Hills, to add
to the people from the shore & the plain. Created new public buildings, new festivals, reformed legal
system, & introduced new farming of cash crops such as olives.
http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/6_p1.html
Jan 1, 600
Rise of Tyrants 600 BCE
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Athens: From Democracy To Hemlock - 2. Rise Of An Economic Power
In 600 BCE, some of the City States became under the influence of Tyrants. In Greek, tyrants (tyrannos)
simply means an aristocrat who seized sole power. Most 'tyrants" were merely a benevolent dictator today.
Cypselus, Periander of Corinth, Phidon of Argos and Polycrates of Samoa were tyrants that held power in
Greece.
Jan 1, 621
Draco creates the first law code in Athens 621 BCE
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Athens during the Geometric and Archaic periods (1100-508 BCE.) In 621 BCE an Athenian
lawgiver named Draco established the first law code for Athens. The penalties for even the smallest
infraction were so severe that later people would say that his laws were written in blood, rather than stone.
The term "Draconian" would later be used to describ extremely severe acts.
Jan 1, 632
Kylon attempts to seize power of Athens 632 BCE
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Cylon of Athens In 632 BCE, an Olympic athlete and Athenian aristocrat tried to take power in
Athens and make himself tyrant of Athens.
His coup failed as his followers and he were surrounded and asked to surrender.
Kylon and his brother escape but some of his followers are killed despite being told they could leave the
city safely.
Jan 1, 650
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Second Messenian War: 650 BCE - 620 BCE Sparta Wins Again.
Battle of the Great Foss - 631 B.C. The Second Messenian War 650 BCE – 620 BCE started
because the Messenians tried to rebel from the rule of the Spartans. The Spartans win, and take over the
rest of Messenia and turn all of them into Helots (slaves) for Sparta.
Jan 1, 700
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The Greek Renaissance 700 to 500 BCE
Greek Art
During the Greek Renaissance, mainland Greece came up out of the Dark Ages.
Growth of City States, new alphabet, writing, large building programs, singled the road back to civilization.
Jan 1, 700
Developement of the City State 700-500 BCE
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The Rise of the Greek City-States!
A Polis or City State was more than the city, but also the territory that surrounded it and the people that
lived in that territory;
Citizens, their families, slaves, and foreigners made up each Polis. The rise of the Greek City States,
Athens, Sparta, Delphi, Corinth, etc.. would form the backbone of Greece for the remainder of its famous
history.
Jan 1, 700
Early Greek Poets and Writers 700 BCE -500 BCE
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Classical antiquity 700 BCE to 500 BCE. The first Greek poets and writers emerge. Home,
Hesiod, and Sappho are among the most famous of this period.
Homer wrote the Odyssey and the Iliad.
Hesiod Wrote the Theogony
Sappho was a female poet who wrote in a unique meter, named after her as the Sapphic meter.
Jan 1, 700
Rise of Sparta and Athens 700 BCE to 480 BCE
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The Greeks: History, Culture, and Society
Sparta was a military society which was ruled by 2 kings. The backbone of Spartan society was it
dominance of soldiers.
Athens started out by the rule of kings and evolved into an elected democracy led by "Archon's" elected
leaders.
Pericles was the most famous Archon (5th century BCE)
Jan 1, 735
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First Messenian War: Sparta Grows in power and size 735 BCE - 715
BCE
Messenian War, The First The First Messenian War 735 BCE – 715 BCE, was between the Messenians
and Sparta. Not much is known about the war, but Sparta won, and made many of the Messenian's Helots.
(Slaves) to Sparta.
Jan 1, 750
Greek Colonialization 750 BCE - 600 BCE
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Introduction to Western Humanities - 4 - Classic
From 750 BCE - 600 BCE, there was a massive movement to colonialize by the Greeks. Excess
population, raw materials, and the need to give aristocratic sons something to do, were reasons for the
Greeks to colonize. Male Colonists were instructed to overpower the men, marry the women, raise crops,
use the natural resources and only trade with Greece.
Jan 1, 776
The First Olympics 776 BCE
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776 BC: The first Olympic Games The First Greek Olympic games were in Olympia, at the
base of Mt. Olympus. The Olympics were held every 4 years, until 390 CE. The 1st games were mostly
running events & wrestling. Originally they were held wearing clothes, but after a runner tripped on his
loincloth, they were held naked. Only men participated & women were not allowed.
Jan 1, 1050
The Dark Age of Greece 1050 BCE to 900 BCE
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Important Events in Ancient Greece
1050 BCE is the most accepted time frame for the start of the Dark Ages. What made the Dark ages Dark?
The Greeks lost most all the attributes of an advanced civilization; art or writing, ability to create large
buildings, and near end of trade with other cultures. Cities are abandoned, pottery becomes crude and
burials become simple with no elaborate grave goods.
Jan 1, 1100
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Period of Migrations 1100 BCE to 750 BCE
Ancient History/Greece/Greek Dark Ages1100 BCE to 750 BCE, after the Dark Ages begin a
period of migrations of people across Greece occurs. The Dorians and Ionians were to be the most
prominent.
Jan 1, 1170
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Ionians and Dorians settle in Greece 1170 BCE
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Sfakian People and the DoriansThe Dorians invade into Greece approximately 80 years after
the end of the Trojan war. 1170 BCE. The Dorians settle into what is southern Greece (Sparta)
or the Peloponnese. The Ionians settle in Attica (Athens) and the western coast of Turkey.
Jan 1, 1200
End of the Mycenaean Age: 1225 BCE to 1175 BCE
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Mycenae
The end of the Mycenaean age was about 1200 BCE. There are many theories as to what caused their
demise. There is evidence of Sea Peoples from the western Mediterranean that could have caused the
destruction of the Mycenaeans as well as evidence of droughts and earthquakes that could have
contributed to their demise. Many historians conclude that a "systems collapse" of many factors caused the
ultimate end of the Mycenaeans.
Jan 1, 1200
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End of the Bronze Age 1200 BCE
Late Bronze Age collapse The collapse of the Mycenaeans also caused the end of the Bronze
Age.
Jan 1, 1250
The Story of the Trojan War 1250 BCE?
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BBC News - A Point of View The Trojan Horse
The legend of Troy and the war the destroyed it, is told by Homer in the Iliad. When it may have happened
is told to be 500 years before Homer, 750 BCE, however no exact date has been determined and all dates
are somewhat controversial.
Jan 1, 1400
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Mycenaeans and Overseas Contacts
Who were the first Greeks?
The Mycenaeans were in contact with people from the western and eastern Mediterranean for much of
their history. They traded many goods from pottery to perishables.
Jan 1, 1450
3rd Palace at Knossos 1450-1200 BCE
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Ancient Origins: Reconstructing the story of humanity's past
The third palace was built about 1450 BCE and lasted until 1200 BCE, until it was destroyed by another set
of invaders. Much of the palace and its contents changed dramatically. Burials of warriors now included
their bronze swords and other weapons.
Jan 1, 1700
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2nd Palace at Knossos 1700-1450 BCE
Arte pré-clássica on Pinterest
The second palace at Knossos was built in 1700 BCE. It was bigger and better than the first,
but was destroyed by invaders around the year 1450 BCE.
The invaders may have been Mycenaeans from the Greek mainland.
Jan 1, 1700
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The Mycenaeans 1700 BCE to 1200 BCE.
Delvying into History: Periklis Deligiannis
The Mycenaens were flourishing on the mainland of Greece for 500 years. 1700 BCE to 1200 BCE.
Jan 1, 1701
Mycenaens and The Citadel
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Greece Travel: Mycenae: The Citadel
The Mycenaeans built a large palace fortress called The Citadel. Along with many rooms for storage of
goods, there were rooms for the royal family and a stone lined water tunnel that was built towards the end
of the Mycenaean age: about 1450 BCE.
About 1400 BCE, the walls were rebuilt, the famous Lions Gate was built and huge standing tombs, known
as Tholos Tombs were built.
Jan 1, 2000
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1st Palace at Knossos 2000-1700 BCE
Sir Arthur Evans and the Minoans
The first palace at Knossos was built about 2000 BCE and lasted until 1700 BCE.
Mar 2, 2022
The Invention of Democracy 508 BCE Cleisthenes Part 3
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More reforms of Cleisthenes: Two concepts were introduced, Isonomia: equality under the law,
all men were equal. Isegoria: equality to speak, in assemblies and law courts. Cleisthenes’ other reforms;
Jury selection by random means, Timed speeches at assemblies, One man – one vote; isopsephos polis,
no person could serve more than one time on the Council of 500, added a scribe Archon, and created 10
elected army generals.
Mar 2, 2022
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Rise of Democracy 488 BCE
With the reforms of Solon, Pisistratus, and mostly Cleisthenes, democracy would finally be on
track in Athens. In 488 BCE the first ostracism of an Athenian politician, democracy is now the form of
government.
Mar 2, 2022
The Invention of Democracy 508 BCE Cleisthenes Part 1
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Important Events in Ancient Greece The reforms of Cleisthenes, of Athens, were implemented
in 508 BCE. His major reforms consisted of increasing the tribes of Athens from 4 to 10 and reorganizing
the tribes into geographical units that all shared in ruling Athens, at all levels of society. He also created
Ostracism, a method to remove a politician that was seen as too powerful, for a period of 10 years.
Mar 2, 2022
The Return of Writing to Greece. 800 BCE.
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Let's Communicate Visually... Writing returns to Greece about 800 BCE. The old Linear A & B
are gone and are replaced with alphabet borrowed from the Phoenicians. Both have similar shapes, order
and 22 letters. Looking at Hebrew, it is similar as well, as a Semitic language. The word alphabet comes
from the first to letters, alpha and beta. The first absolutely Greek inscriptions are found about 740 BCE.
Mar 2, 2022
The Invention of Democracy 508 BCE Cleisthenes Part 2
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Reforms of Cleisthenes: The first reform Cleisthenes did was to divide the tribes of Athens Into
larger, more equal groups called Trittys. Trittys were divided into 3 groups; the shore, the plains, & the hills.
One Tritty consisted of 1 shore, 1 plain, & 1 hills, each of these units became a new tribe. Each tribe sent
50 men to serve on the newly created Council of 500, another reform of Cleisthenes, as he expanded the
old council of 400 to 500.
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Mar 2, 2022
Jan 1, 3000
The History of Ancient Greece 3000 BCE - 488 BCE
Jan 1, 2500
Timeline Information and Links.
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The Modern Scholar
All information used in this Timeline comes from The Modern Scholar a History of Ancient Greece Lecture
and the course guide, by Professor Eric H. Cline, George Washington University. The links that are given
are for the pictures only, not the information provided on those sites.
Jan 1, 3000
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Minoans 3000 BCE
The Minoans, DNA and all. The beginning of the Minoans starts about 3000 BCE, on the Island
of Crete. The Kingdom of Minos. Legend of Theseus and the Minotaur come from the Minoans.