Ancient Greeks For Dummies

Ancient Greece is famous for its history, literature, architecture, philosophy… the list goes on! Here you will find a basic introduction to this fascinating civilization, including a map of the empire and a timeline detailing important periods and events that shaped this part of history.

Map of Ancient Greece

Want to impress people with your knowledge of Ancient Greece? Print out and pin up this handy map as a quick and useful point of reference.

Ancient Greece Timeline

Keep this helpful timeline in hand to remind yourself of the significant periods of time and essential events that took place throughout this important part of world history.

2600 BC: Beginning of the Minoan Period
1450 BC: Development of Linear B writing
1400 BC: Foundation of Mycenaean Palaces

Bronze Age

1370 BC: Palace complex at Knossos destroyed. Minoan civilisation comes to an end.
c.1250 BC: The Trojan War
1200 BC: Destruction of Mycenaean Palaces. Doric invasions
1000 BC: End of Mycenaean civilisation

Iron Age

776 BC: First Olympic Games
c.750 BC: The Iliad and the Odyssey composed. Greek alphabet established. Greek colonies established in Sicily and Southern Italy
630 BC: Colony of Cyrene established
594 BC: Solon renews the laws of Athens.
508 BC: Kleisthenes reforms the Athenian constitution and Athens becomes a democracy!
490 BC: Battle of Marathon: Greece versus Persia I (Greece wins!)
483 BC: Athenians discover silver in the mines at Laureion.
480 BC: Battle of Thermopylae: Greece versus Persia II. Battle of Salamis
479 BC: Battle of Plataea (Greece wins . . . eventually!)
477 BC: Athens establishes the Delian League.
461–445 BC: First Peloponnesian War: Athens versus Sparta (draw)
431–404 BC: Second Peloponnesian War: Athens versus Sparta (Sparta wins.)
430 BC: Plague in Athens
429 BC: Death of Pericles
415 BC: Athenian expedition to Sicily defeated
399 BC: Socrates tried and executed
359 BC: Philip II becomes king of Macedonia.
356 BC: Alexander the Great born
331 BC: Alexander the Great defeats the Persians at Gaugamela and becomes the new King of Persia!
323 BC: Death of Alexander the Great
322 BC: Death of Aristotle
300 BC: Ptolemy the Great founds the library at Alexandria.
214 BC: Philip V of Macedon defeated by the Romans
172 BC: Macedonia becomes a Roman province.
146 BC: Romans invade Greece and take control. Ancient Greece comes to an end.