Peloponnese Timeline

Definition

The Peloponnese is a large peninsula linked to the northern territory of Greece by the Isthmus of Corinth. To the west of the Peloponnese is the Ionian sea while to the east is the Aegean Sea. The terrain is typified by high limestone mountains, narrow coastal plains, and natural rocky harbours. The area contained several cities important in antiquity such as Mycenae, Argos, Megalopolis, Sparta, Ellis, Messene, and Corinth. The region also contains the important ancient religious sites of Olympia, Epidaurus, Isthmia, and Nemea which regularly hosted Pan-Hellenic sporting games, notably the Olympic Games.

More about: Peloponnese

Timeline

6000 BCE - 5000 BCE
First inhabitation of the Nemean valley.
c. 5000 BCE
Earliest Neolithic finds in the Corinth area.
c. 3000 BCE
First settlement at Tiryns.
3000 BCE - 2000 BCE
First inhabitation of Mycenae area.
c. 2100 BCE
First evidence of building structures at Mycenae.
2000 BCE
Early Greeks settle the Peloponnese.
c. 1600 BCE
First construction stages of the Tiryns citadel.
c. 1550 BCE
Gold death masks (including that of 'Agamemnon') made at Mycenae.
c. 1500 BCE - 1200 BCE
Mycenae at its peak of influence.
c. 1500 BCE - c. 1400 BCE
First palace structure and Treasury of Atreus tomb built at Mycenae.
c. 1500 BCE - c. 1200 BCE
The Linear B script of the Mycenaean civilization is in use.
c. 1450 BCE
Mycenaen influence extended to Knossos, Crete.
1400 BCE - 1300 BCE
Mycenaean palace architecture at Tiryns.
1400 BCE - 1300 BCE
Mycenaean fortifications, palaces and tombs constructed at Argos.
1400 BCE - 1100 BCE
Culture in the Cyclades is increasingly influenced by the Mycenaean civilization of mainland Greece.
1300 BCE - 1200 BCE
Mycenaean Tiryns is at the height of its importance.
c. 1300 BCE
First palace destroyed at Mycenae and repaired, Lion Gate added and fortifications extended.
c. 1200 BCE
Earthquake severely damages Tiryns.
c. 1200 BCE
Second palace destroyed at Mycenae, city begins to decline.
1200 BCE - 1100 BCE
Argos takes over from Mycenae as most important regional power in the Argolid.
c. 900 BCE
Sparta is founded.
700 BCE - 600 BCE
King Phiedon leads Argos to its greatest expansion.
c. 700 BCE
Corinthians adopt the trireme from the Phoenicians.
c. 700 BCE
Sparta, Argos and Paros hold the first documented musical competitions in Greece.
c. 657 BCE - 585 BCE
The Kypselidai are tyrants of Corinth.
c. 650 BCE
Sparta crushes Messenian revolt.
c. 627 BCE - c. 587 BCE
Periander is tyrant at Corinth.
c. 625 BCE
Black-figure pottery created in Corinth.
c. 600 BCE - 700 BCE
Tiryns becomes a cult centre for the worship of Hera, Athena, and Herakles.
585 BCE
An oligarchy of 80 takes power at Corinth.
580 BCE
First athletic games at Isthmia.
c. 580 BCE
The kouroi of Argos, thought to represent Cleobis & Biton, are sculpted.
573 BCE
First athletic games at Nemea in honour of Zeus.
c. 550 BCE - c. 366 BCE
Peloponnesian League alliance between Sparta, Corinth, Elis and Tegea which establishes Spartan hegemony over the Peloponnese.
c. 550 BCE
The temple of Apollo is constructed at Corinth.
c. 545 BCE
Sparta takes control of Thyrea from Argos.
494 BCE - 493 BCE
Spartan forces under Cleomenes I attack the city of Argos.
494 BCE - 493 BCE
Telesilla of Argos defends her city against the Spartan forces with an army of women.
c. 490 BCE
Leonidas beomes one of Sparta's two kings.
478 BCE
Sparta withdraws from alliance against Persia.
c. 468 BCE
Tiryns is destroyed by the Argeians.
468 BCE
Argeians destroy citadel of Mycenae.
460 BCE - 445 BCE
First Peloponnesian War.
451 BCE
Sparta and Argos sign a peace treaty which endures for the next 30 years.
432 BCE
Sparta declares that Athens has broken the Thirty Year Peace and prepares for war.
431 BCE - 404 BCE
The 2nd Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta (the Delian League and the Peloponnesian League) which involved all of Greece.
431 BCE - 404 BCE
Thebes sides with Sparta against Athens in the Peloponnesian War.
429 BCE
Peloponnesian forces led by Sparta begin the siege of Plataea.
425 BCE
Pylos campaign, under Cleon and Demosthenes' command Athens defeats Sparta at Pylos.
424 BCE
Spartan general Brasidas takes Amphipolis, Thucydides failed to prevent this and is exiled.
424 BCE
A force of Athenian peltasts defeat Spartan hoplites on Sphaktria in the Peloponnese.
418 BCE
Sparta, led by Agis II, defeats Argos and her allies at the battle of Mantinaea.
415 BCE - 330 BCE
Nemean Games relocated to Argos.
412 BCE
Sparta allies with Persia.
410 BCE
Alcibiades leads the Athenian fleet to victory over Sparta at Cyzicus.
404 BCE
End of the Peloponnesian war, Athens defeated By Sparta at Aigospotamoi, Rule of the Thirty Tyrants in Athens.
395 BCE - 386 BCE
The Corinthian Wars between Sparta and an alliance of Athens, Corinth, Argos, Boeotia and Thebes.
390 BCE
Athenian leader Iphikrates employs peltasts to defeat Spartan hoplites at Lechaion near Corinth.
382 BCE - 379 BCE
Sparta establishes a garrison at Thebes.
375 BCE
Thebes defeats Sparta at the Battle of Tegyra.
371 BCE
Thebes, led by Epaminondas, defeats Sparta in the Battle of Leuctra.
362 BCE
Indecisive Battle of Matinea where Thebes fought against Sparta and Athens. Theban general Epaminondas is killed.
338 BCE
Philip of Macedonia defeats the Greek allied forces of Athens, Thebes and Corinth in the Battle of Chaironeia.
330 BCE
Athletic Games return from Argos to Nemea.
c. 330 BCE
Temple of Zeus built at Nemea.
c. 330 BCE - c. 300 BCE
Extensive building programme at Nemea funded by the Macedonians.
c. 280 BCE
Founding of the Achaean League in the Peloponnese of Greece.
269 BCE
Nemean Games definitively moved to Argos.
243 BCE
Corinth joins the Archaean League.
235 BCE
Megelopolis joins the Achaean League.
225 BCE
Macedonians bring an army across the Isthmus to face another Achaian force trying to take Corinth.
222 BCE
The Achaean League and Antigonos III of Macedon defeat Sparta at Sellasia.
c. 191 BCE
The Achaean League signs a treaty of alliance with Rome.
146 BCE
Rome sacks Corinth and dissolves the Achaean league. Greece is ruled by Rome.
146 BCE
Open war breaks out between Rome and the Achaean League.
44 BCE
Julius Caesar founds the Roman colony of Corinth.
67 CE
Under Nero excavation of the Corinth Canal begins but is abandoned after three months.
267 CE
The Goths sack Athens, Corinth, Sparta, and Argos.
393 CE
Roman Emperor Theodosius definitively ends all pagan Games in Greece.
c. 396 CE
Corinth burned by the Visigoths under Alaric.