DATES:

1250 BCE (?): Trojan War

1150-750 BCE: Greek "Dark Ages"

753 BCE Legendary Founding of Rome.

750s-500s BCE: Era of Colonization, Tyrannies

750 BCE: Iliad composed

740 BCE Sparta conquered neighboring city-state of Messenia

590s BCE: Reforms of Solon

560 BCE In Athens, Pisistratus set himself up as a tyrant, turning to the lower classes for support

509 BCE Rejection of the monarchy, establishment of Republic.

508 BCE A factional leader, Cleisthenes, won power by promising lower classes equality before the law; he created democratic institutions such as generalship by election.

490 BCE Persian invasion repulsed at Marathon

480-479 BCE Another Persian invasion defeated by a Spartan-led Greekcoalition at Salamis and Plataea.

478 BCE Delian League founded by Athens

470 BCE Athens crushed Naxos, first city to try to leave the Delian League

454 BCE Delian League treasury moved to Athens, Pericles uses funds for Athenian expenses (e.g. pay for jury service)

431 BCE Peloponnesian War broke out.

404 BCE Defeat and surrender of Athens; Rule of the Thirty Tyrants.

399 BCE Trial and death of Socrates

287 BCE Victory of Plebeians in Rome.

264-201 BCE First and Second Punic Wars.

146 BCE Rome sacked Carthage, conquered Macedonia and Greece.

133 BCE Tiberius Gracchus attempted land reforms for poor and was killed.
123-122  BCE Gaius Gracchus attempted similar land reforms and was also killed.
107-99  BCE Marius dominated Rome with mercenary armies
88-79  BCE Sulla dominated Rome.
73 BCE Slave revolt of Spartacus.
60-49  BCE 1st Triumvirate (Pompey, Julius Caesar, Crassus)
49-44  BCE Julius Caesar dominated Rome, defeating Pompey in Civil War
44  BCE Julius Caesar assassinated on March 15.

31 BCE: Battle of Actium at which Augustus defeated Antony and Cleopatra.

27 BCE: Augustus proclaimed "princeps senatus"

Program to practice these dates (download here):