Date
Event
Importance
499BC
Ionian Revolt
Ionian coast of modern day
western Turkey – Cities
populated by Greeks. Revolted
against Persian rule. Aided and
supported by Greek city-states
497-479BC
Persian Wars
Warfare between Persian
empire and the Greek citystates. Sparked by Persian
anger at Greek meddling in
Ionian coast.
490BC
Battle of Marathon
Land battle between Darius II
and Athens. Athens victorious.
Encouraged Greeks that a
smaller force could defeat
largest empire in the world
480BC
Battle of Salamis
Naval Battle between Persia
and Athens. Athens
outnumbered but victorious.
Athens became leader of Greek
city-states because of prestige
of defeating Persia
479BC
Battle of Plataea
Final Land battle between
Persia and Greeks. Greeks
victorious, Ionian coast freed,
Persia weakened, and Sparta
became land power, Athens
maritime power.
477BC
Delian League formed
Athens used prestige to form
the Delian League with the
focus of pooling money to pay
for military (naval) force to
check Persian aggression.
Athens corrupted this league
for own benefit
461-404BC
Peloponnesian War
War between Athens and
Sparta. Lengthy war that drains
both city states to exhaustion.
Sparta wins eventually but does
not have the power to hold
onto the power they had
gained.
371BC
Battle of Leuctra
Battle between Thebes and
Sparta. Thebes wins cementing
their dominance as land power
in Greece. The ‘Sacred Band’
was Thebes crack infantry and
the precursor of the
Macedonian Phalanx (infantry)
369BC
Messenia secedes from Sparta
Previously a thrall state to
Sparta, weakened Sparta
considerably losing the bulk of
their workforce
360’s
Philip diplomatic hostage in
Philip was educated in Theban
Thebes
military tactics by greatest
generals of Thebes. Learnt the
use of well trained infantry in
conjunction with cavalry
359BC
Philip II crowned King of
Takes over weak and
Macedon
ineffectual kingdom. Through
mixture of diplomacy and
warfare extends Macedonian
influence
Birth of Philip Arrhidaeus
Philip II first son, a halfwit and
not suitable to inherit
356BC
343BC
Birth Of Alexander III of
First male heir to throne of
Macedon
Macedon
Aristotle becomes Alexander’s
Furthering of Alexander’s
tutor
education in philosophy,
science and geography
340BC
338BC
Alexander regent of Macedon
16 years old and leads raids
in Philips absence
against northern tribes
Battle of Chaeronea
Coalition of Greek states
against Philip II of Macedon.
Philip wins easily. Son
Alexander commanded cavalry
that delivered final blow.
Military tactic used was
continued to be used in Persia.
Cemented Macedonian
dominance in Greece
338BC
Pixodarus Affair
Philip tries to secure friendship
with Pixodarus (ruler of Caria)
by agreeing to the match
between Pixodarus’ daughter
and Philip’s half-witted son
Philip Arrhidaeus (Was by no
means ever considered as an
heir to the throne). Alexander
saw this as a slight and tried to
marry her himself. Philip was
outraged by this did not want
his son aligned with such an
insignificant region. Marriage
falls through and relationship
icy.
337
Marriage between Eurydice
Eurydice is a Macedonian noble
(Attalus’ niece) and Philip
as opposed to Olympias a
barbarian princess. The son of
this marriage could be seen as a
more desirable heir by
Macedonian nobility.
Alexander and Olympias exiled
Alexander’s indignation at the
slurs of bastardry implied by
Attalus and verbal abuse
against Philip leads to his exile.
337BC
Hellenic League convened in
United Greek states under
Corinth
power of Philip, agreeing to
stop inter-polis warfare and to
join together to fight Persia.
Allows Philip to go to Persia and
not worry about Greece. Also
gains Philip use of Athenian
navy
Alexander recalled to Pella
Attempt at reconciliation
between Philip and Alexander
336BC
Parmenio and Attalus advance
Sent to secure a foothold in
guard to Persia
preparation for main invasion
Eurydice bears Philip a son
Now Philip has two legitimate
heirs to the throne
336BC
Accession of Darius III of Persia
The death of Philip for most
Assassination Of Philip II
people would have seen the
collapse of the Macedonian
powerbase. Alexander’s
strength of personality and
leadership ability enabled him
to secure the throne.
(Summer)
Meeting of Hellenic League
Alexander confirmed as Philip’s
successor and leader of the
campaign against Persia
335BC
Northern Campaigns
General revolts in the North are
systematically quashed by
Alexander.
335BC
Thebes revolts against
Seeing an opportunity to
Macedon
secede from Macedon, Thebes
rebels against Alexander when
he was campaigning in the
north. Alexander fights and
defeats Thebes and kills all
males and enslaves all woman
and children and razes the city.
Used as propaganda – do not
rebel!
334BC (Spring)
Alexander Invades Asia Minor
Beginning of Pan-Hellenic war
of revenge. Alexander visits
Troy, used as propaganda to
invoke ideas of legendary
Trojan war (last Pan-Hellenic
campaign) also helped
Alexander’s competitive nature
to emulate Achilles
(May)
Battle of Granicus
Major battle against Persian
Satraps (governors), Alexander
wins (using Chaeronea tactic).
Morale victory for Alexander
and troops, helps keep Greeks
happy and also secures many
Ionian cities surrender.
(Autumn)
Siege of Miletus
Very quick victory, no Greeks
killed, foreigners sold into
slavery – important as it
showed Alexander’s leniency
after the siege (counterpoint to
Thebes)
Alexander disbands fleet
One of Alexander’s errors.
Without a fleet found it near
impossible to effectively lay
siege to coastal cities. Led to
him rebuilding fleet again
(Winter)
Siege of Halicarnassus
Drawn out siege against Greek
mercenary leader Memnon of
Rhodes. Breached walls but
repelled many times. Alexander
even forced to sue for
temporary truce. Memnon
launched attack that nearly
succeeded. Alexander saved by
reserve veteran battalion.
Memnon fired the city and
evacuated troops
Memnon Of Rhodes dies
Most feared and successful
general on Persian side dies
suddenly freeing Alexander to
pursue Darius
333
Gordium knot
Legend of whoever could
unyoke the knot would rule
Asia. Alexander succeeds, good
propaganda.
(Sept)
Battle of Issus
First battle against Darius.
Alexander wins (using Philip’s
tactics)- Darius flees, Alexander
had known delivered bodyblow to Persian empire.
King Agis of Sparta hires Greek
Agis, hoping to rid themselves
mercenaries
of Macedonian dominance
hires mercenaries to fight the
rearguard left in Macedon
(Leader Antipater)
332 (March- July)
Siege of Tyre
Difficult siege – offshore Island
- Alexander had to create a
mole/causeway to reach the
island. Demonstration of
Alexander’s ingenuity and
ruthlessness – city raped and
pillaged, 7,000 killed and
30,000 solved into slavery.
(Nov)
Siege of Gaza
Victory again. Alexander
wounded twice. 10,000 killed
woman and children sold into
slavery
Alexander crowned Pharaoh of
Egypt
331 (March)
Visit to Oracle of Zeus-Ammon
Alexander recognised as son of
at Siwa
Zeus-Ammon. Good
propaganda
(April)
Founding of Alexandria
Replace Tyre as trade centre of
Mediterranean. Also indication
of Alexander’s desire to build
an empire, not just to wage a
war of revenge
(Sept)
Battle of Gaugamela
2nd and final battle against
Darius. Alexander wins, Darius
flees. Persia now open to
Alexander.
Agis defeated and killed at
Antipater’s decisive victory and
Megalopolis
the death Agis secured Greece
once and for all.
330 (Jan)
Sacking of Persepolis
One of Three Persian capitals
and home to Xerxes (king at
time of Persian Wars. Seen by
many as the culmination of the
war of revenge.
Parmenio left in Ecbatana
Further souring of Alexander
and Parmenio’s relationship. As
second in command and
veteran and close friend to
Philip, Parmenio was able to
curb Alexander’s rash nature
and because of his popularity
was able to disagree with
Alexander. Because of
Alexander’s megalomania he
did not like people disagreeing
with his decisions (especially in
relation to fusion policy)
(June- July)
Pursues Darius. Darius
Alexander could not afford to
murdered
let Darius run loose, chased him
east until Darius was eventually
killed by his own men.
(Autumn)
Conspiracy of Philotas
Philotas (general of the cavalry)
convicted of a plot against
Alexander’s life. Tortured then
executed. Alexander could not
afford his father Parmenion’s to
live in case he came against him
so had him murdered.
Demonstrates Alexander’s
paranoia, ruthlessness, and
megalomania.
329-328BC
Alexander chases down Darius’
Alexander took on mantle of
murderers (Bessus and
‘King of Kings’, saw it as good
Spitamenes)
propaganda to kill the
murderers of Darius cementing
himself as rightful successor to
the throne.
328 (Summer)
Alexander kills Cleitus the Black
Cleitus ( veteran and general,
saved Alexander’s life at
Granicus) fights with Alexander
at a party. Is angry at
Alexander’s increasingly
‘Persian policies’. Many
Macedonians saw the Persians
as inferior and resented their
integration into the empire,
military and Alexander’s close
circle. Both insulted each other
-Alexander grabbed a spear and
stabbed him.
Capture of Sogdian Rock
A supposedly impossible task.
Alexander loving a challenge
got his troops to scale this
sheer rock. Shocked, the
populace surrender’s. Good
propaganda.
Alexander marries Roxane
Bactrian princess. According to
sources Alexander fell in love
with her.
327
Alexander recruits 30,000
Part of Alexander’s integration
Persians
policy (fusion) - Persians are to
be educated like Greeks and
trained like Macedonians to
take their place in the
Macedonian army
Proskynesis incident
Proskynesis (prostrating before
king) was a Persian court
tradition. Greeks saw
prostrating as worship, thus
sacrilege to do to a man.
Alexander attempted to get
Greeks and Persians to
prostrate before him.
Callisthenes refused and
humiliated Alexander. Stopped
any further attempt of
combining Greek and Persian
court, Alexander very angry
with Callisthenes
(summer)
Conspiracy of the Pages.
Pages (Young Macedonian
Execution of Callisthenes
nobles) plan to kill Alexander,
get found out. Callisthenes is
executed for supposedly
encouraging them -no
evidence of this, even under
torture
326
Capture of Rock of Aornus
Supposedly Heracles failed to
capture this rock. Only
approach was through a ravine.
Made a causeway to fill it in.
Demonstrates competitive
nature, good military strategy.
326 (July)
Battle of Hydaspes (Jhelum)
Alexander defeats Indian Prince
River
Porus, sustains heavy
casualties. Has now gone
further than Persian empire
(Nov)
Mutiny at Beas river
Troops tired of Alexander’s
thirst for exploration and
expansion, refuse to go any
further. Many of the growing
resentments boil over. Wonder
at how far Alexander will take
them, anger at the increasing
role of Persians and decreasing
role of Macedonians. Alexander
taking on trappings of Persian
king and forgetting his place as
king of Macedon. Anger at his
so called divinity. Alexander
could not change their mind
and decided to turn back.
325
Campaigns against Braham
Alexander angry at Brahman
cities
not recognising him as King of
Kings wages war – wounded
and nearly died in battle
against the Mallians
(Winter)
Army marches through
Alexander inspired by legends
Gedrosian desert
of the impassable nature of
desert takes army in. Incredible
blunder but also highlights his
ability to get his men to do
impossible tasks by leading
from the front and suffering
everything along with them
324
The 30,000 Persians join the
Known as the Successors, these
army
troops were to supplement the
aging Macedonians
Mass marriages of Greeks and
Part of fusion policy.
Persians in Susa
Intermarriage between the two
races to bridge the gap. Only
one of these marriages (10,000)
lasted after Alexander’s death.
Exiles decree
All Greeks exiled from their city
states were now allowed to
return. Hope of Alexander to
reduce number of Greek
mercenaries in Persia and also
to occupy the city-states with
influx of potentially hostile
citizens
Misconduct of Officials
With Alexander’s return from
the East, he finds many of the
officials he left had abused
their power. They had enlisted
mercenary armies, ill-treated
their subjects, and had even
sacked and plundered temples.
Alexander arrested 4 generals
and 6000 troops, 600 were put
to death. His close friend
Harpalus in charge of the royal
treasury was also guilty and
fled with 5000 talents
(125,000kgs) of gold. Was
eventually murdered in Crete
by his own men.
(Summer)
Mutiny at Opis
Alexander presents plan to
send back veterans to Macedon
to be replaced with the Persian
‘Successors’. Miscalculation,
thought they would be happy
but the Macedonians saw it as
an insult that they were to be
replaced. Eventually reconciled
after Alexander threatened to
replace every Macedonian with
Persians
Death of Hephaestion
Alexander’s closest friend dies.
Alexander’s grief and reaction
to his death demonstrates his
growing volatility.
323 (May-June)
Alexander catches fever and
Empire disintegrates with
dies in Babylon
Alexander’s death.