istoryworld
Events relating to europe
The followers of Pythagoras discover the mathematical basis of the octave
The Greeks add a third bank of oars to their war galleys, turning the bireme into a trireme
The Greek cities of Ionia rebel against Persian rule, with the partial support of Athens
Pericles is born in Attica, the son of distinguished parents and the great-nephew of Cleisthenes
After six years the Persians recover control of Ionia, but Athens is now identified as a target for invasion
Darius sends a fleet across the Aegean, carrying a large army of infantry and cavalry for an attack on Athens
The Persian fleet secures the Greek island of Euboea before making the short crossing to Marathon on the mainland – where they await the Greeks
Pheidippides, given the task of running from Athens to Sparta to request help at Marathon against the Persians, completes the journey in two days
At Marathon the Athenian hoplites, heavily outnumbered, win a spectacular victory against the Persians – of whom the survivors escape in their ships
Ostracism is introduced in Athens as a way of getting rid of unpopular politicians
Aeschylus wins the prize for tragedy at the City Dionysia in Athens
Themistocles persuades the Athenians to build up their fleet against the expected renewal of the threat from Persia
Xerxes I, renewing the campaign of his father Darius against the Greeks, leads a large army round the Aegean and through Thrace
The Greek city-states meet in Corinth to devise a joint strategy against the Persians
Kritios sculpts a naturalistic male nude, now the earliest surviving masterpiece in a central tradition of Greek art
300 Spartans, led by Leonidas, die attempting to hold the pass of Thermopylae against the advancing Persian army
Athens, abandoned to the advancing Persians, is looted and destroyed
The Athenian fleet defeats a considerably larger Persian force in the narrow strait between Salamis and the mainland
A Spartan army, led by Pausanias, wins a victory at Plataea, completing the rout of the Persians on the Greek mainland
An Athenian force destroys at Mykale the remainder of the Persian fleet, ending the threat from them at sea
In the last joint campaign by Sparta and Athens the strategically important city of Byzantium is liberated from Persian rule
Representatives of Athens and other Aegean city-states meet in Delos to form a coalition, later known as the Delian League
The Delian League is formed for mutual defence, but also to liberate the Greek cities of Ionia from Persian rule
A life-size bronze of a racing chariot, with its driver and horses, is presented to Delphi to commemorate a victory in the games
The Olympic games are extended to five days, the first and last of which are taken up with religious ceremonies
