Chronology of Ancient Greece

The chronology of ancient Greece can be divided into several periods, often known under different names. These periods can be seen as general guides at some times, while at other times they are very precise. Each area had its own type of dating, which has led to confusion. What follows is a general and rough outline of dating and chronology of terms that was common in the Greek world.

The earliest period was the Neolithic, a time when humanoids consistently moved and settled throughout the region. Many of these inhabitants crossed into the area from Asia and spread throughout the Danube basin into Greece and the islands from the area north of the Black Sea.

The more datable period arrives with the Bronze Age, roughly dating from 2800 to 1050. The Bronze Age dating mainly has been done through archaeological sites and observing how pottery changed in style and fineness from one period to the next. The general period of the Bronze Age can be viewed by comparing the periods on Crete (Minoan), Greece (Helladic), and Aegean Islands (Cycladic), which roughly correspond to one another. These periods are broken into subgroups, which are often further divided as illustrated in the following table.

Chronological Periods across the Greek World

The Late Bronze Age on Crete is comparable to, but not exactly corresponding with, the Mycenaean period. However, it is within the same general time frame. It is also close to the time of the expulsion of the Hyksos from Egypt and the creation of the New Kingdom. The close connection of Crete with the mainland and the islands is very clear in the Late Bronze Age as seen with the development of Linear B on Crete and the mainland, which occurred in this period.

This later period is what the Greeks also called their Heroic Age. During this period, there is also evidence for the destruction of Troy and Mycenaean palaces on the mainland. The histories in these Heroic stories, especially in the Iliad and the Odyssey, often produced a compression of time.

The period following the Bronze Age, dating from 1050 to 850, has been called the Iron Age and is also known as the Dark Ages. The period began with the invasions of the Dorians, who destroyed Mycenae, and it ended when Athens emerged as a new cultural force as shown via the influential Geometric style of pottery. It is also called the Proto-Geometric period based on the geometric patterns on this pottery. This period witnessed the destruction of the old fabric of the Mycenaean period and a population influx.

The Geometric period lasted from 875 to 750, sometimes extending from 900 to 700. It was during this time that the population of Greece increased, bringing conflict and changes, especially an increase in colonization. This age also witnessed the development of writing, shown in the Semitic script from the Phoenicians. The period also saw the creation of the Homeric poems.

The Archaic Age was from 750 to 480 and is often further delineated into the Near Easter period from 750 to 620 and the Archaic period from 620 to 480. The Near Eastern period witnessed the influence of Near Eastern art, especially from Assyria to the Greek world. This often led to the importation not only of physical remains such as pottery, which had changed styles and art patterns, but also Asian philosophy, most notably the gods and goddesses from the mythology of the east.

The Archaic Age was a period of expansion of the Greek colonies and settlements on the Greek mainland. Sparta in the Peloponnese created a league, while Athens won supremacy of the Saronic Gulf. It was during this period, after the period of the tyrants, that the great constitutional reforms of Solon and Cleisthenes occurred in Athens. The Archaic Age also witnessed the rise of the hoplite warriors and the age of tyrants in southern Greece. This period ended with the first Persian invasion of Greece, the Battle of Marathon, and the second Persian invasion.

The period following the Archaic Age was the Classical Age (480-336). It began with the second Persian invasion and the battles at Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea, and it ended with Alexander the Great’s accession to the throne and his invasion of Persia. It was during this time that the Greek cultural achievement reached its height. With the Battle of Chaeronea and the rise of Alexander, the Classical Age came to an end, to be replaced by the Hellenistic Age.