timeline of greece
An introduction to Greece history from the Minoan times onwards and an overview of the locations within a time frame.
3100 – 1100 BCE
Minoan civilization
A Bronze Age culture on the island of Crete, generally regarded as the first civilization in Europe with urban settlements. Often characterized by an absence of fortifications, the use of the Linear A script, and various simple styles of pottery. Renowned for its palace complexes, such as Knossos.
1750 – 1050 BCE
Mycenean civilization
Construction of fortified settlements like Mycene, Pylos and Tiryns – organized as city states. Cyclopean masonry. Geometric pottery. Linear B script. Shrines and cult centers.
Examples: Mycenae, Pylos (Nestor’s palace), Nemea, AcropolisAround 1150 BCE
Bronze Age collapse
Triggered by environmental change, mass migration, and destruction of cities through natural disasters or invasions. Major sites like Mycenae, Tiryns, Thebes, and Pylos were abandoned. Theories suggest that invasions by the Sea Peoples, drought, and internal conflicts contributed to the collapse. Further information from the World History Encyclopedia: The Bronze Age Collapse
1100 – 800 BCE
Greek Dark Age (Iron Age)
A period of widespread famine and depopulation. No large cities, no writing system, and a decline in interregional trade. Simple pottery styles replaced earlier elaborate designs. The oral tradition, including Homeric epics, helped preserve Greek cultural heritage during this era. Not much archeological evidence.
800 – 490 BCE
Archaic Greece
Marked by the expansion of Greek culture through settlements across the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Development of the polis (city-state), the Greek alphabet, and the works of Homer. Refinements in pottery decoration emerged. Key states such as Athens, Corinth, and Sparta were established in the 8th century BCE.
Examples: Corinth, Olympia, Eleusis, Athens, Acropolis490 – 323 BCE
Classical Greece
The height of Greek cultural, military, and intellectual achievements, including philosophy, science, and the arts. Notable conflicts like the Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian War took place.
Examples: Bassae, Corinth, Delphi, Eleusis, Ephesus, Epidauros, Olympia, Messene, Nemea, Athens, Acropolis323 – 146 BCE
Hellenistic period
Following the conquests of Alexander the Great and the emergence of the Diadochi states, Greek culture expanded and blended with Persian, Egyptian, and Indian influences. New centers of learning and culture emerged, such as Alexandria in Egypt and Pergamon in Asia Minor.
Examples: Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Eleusis146 BCE – 324 CE
Roman Greece
In the 2nd century BCE, Rome conquered Greece, incorporating it into its empire. Greek culture heavily influenced Roman art, philosophy, and politics. From around 50 CE, Christian missionaries like St Paul began spreading the word of Jesus. By the 4th century, when Christianity became the official state religion of the Roman empire, the traditional Greek religion was systematically suppressed. When the Roman Empire was divided into West and East Rome, Greece became part of the Eastern (Byzantine) empire.
Examples: Ephesus, Messene, Eleusis, Corinth324 – 1453 CE
Byzantine Greece
Greece was under the influence of the Byzantine emperors of Constantinople. Orthodox Christianity became dominant, shaping Greek religious and cultural life.
Examples: Lousios Gorge, Mystras, Ithomi, Meteora, Moni Elonis, Monemvasia480 - 700 CE
Invasions from the North
Greece faced invasions by various non-Christian tribes, including the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, and Slavs. These groups conquered large parts of the Greek mainland but never established full control over the region.
1204 – 1797 CE
Frankish and Venetian influence
Following the Crusades, Franks, Venetians, Byzantines, and Ottomans struggled for control over Greece. Notable fortresses and strongholds were constructed during this time.
Example: Methoni, Mystras, Acrocorinth, Palamidi, Monemvasia1453 – 1821 CE
Ottoman Greece
Greece fell under Ottoman rule. Many members of the Orthodox Church retreated to the mountains to preserve their traditions. Unlike in Spain or Turkey, the Muslim rulers did not construct major works of Islamic art or architecture in Greece. This was due to strong Orthodox resistance, Greece’s relatively small urban centers, and the destruction of Ottoman structures during the Greek War of Independence.
Example: Palamidi, Meteora , Methoni, MonemvasiaSince 1821
Modern Greece
The Greek War of Independence (1821–1830) led to the establishment of the modern Greek state in 1833. Greece continued to develop politically, culturally, and economically into the present day.