CriticaLink | Plato: Phaedrus | Times

BCE (Before the Common Era)

1300 - 1200
The Linear B alphabet is in use.

1184
Traditional date of the destruction of Troy.

1000-961
During the reign of King David the first written evidence of Biblical texts appear.

814
The city of Carthage in North Africa is founded by the Phoenicians.

circa 800-700
Homer and Hesiod are active.

776
The first Olympiad takes place.

753
Rome is founded.

circa 750-650
Writing becomes widespread in the Greek world.

733
The Greek colony of Syracuse is established in Sicily.

circa 650-600
The poet Archilochos is active on the island of Paros.

circa 600 -575
The poet Sappho is active in Lesbos.

587 - 538
The period of the Babylonian Exile, when Jewish scholars engage in major collation and editing of the Pentatuch.

circa 580 - 500
The mystic and philosopher Pythagoras develops a theory of metempsychosis--the transmigration of souls--perhaps inspired by ideas from India.

546 - 427
Peisistratus rules as tyrant of Athens.

circa 534
The first Dionysia festival is at Athens, including a competition in tragedy.

520 -515
The period of the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.

509
The Roman Republic is established.

508
Cleisthenes introduces democratic government in Athens.

486
A comedy is first performed in the Dionysia of Athens.

484
Aeschylus wins the tragedy competition in the Dionysia for the first time.

468
Sophocles wins the tragedy competition in the Dionysia for the first time.

456
Aeschylus dies.

430 - 399
Socrates active in Athens.

428
Euripides wins the tragedy competition at the Dionysia.

427
Plato is born into a wealthy family in Athens.

423
Aristophanes's play The Clouds parodies the philosophy of Socrates.

406
Sophocles and Euripides die.

404
Sparta defeats Athens in the Peloponnesian War.

404
The texts of the Pentateuch (Torah) are established.

399
Accused of corrupting the youth of Athens, Socrates is put to death.

387
Plato returns to Athens from Syracuse, where he served as an advisor to the tyrant Dionysius, and founds the Academy.

384
Aristotle is born.

359 - 336
Philip II reigns in Macedon.

356
Alexander the Great born to Philip of Macedon.

347
Plato dies in Athens.

333 -332
Alexander the Great conquors Palestine

335
Aristotle establishes the Lyceum in Athens

322
Aristotle dies in Athens.

300 - 198
Ptolomies of Egypt rule in Palestine (Hellenistic Period).

200
By this date, the books of the Prophets (Nevi`im) of the Hebrew Bible are established.

198 - 142
Seleucids (Macedonian Greeks) of Syria rule in Palestine.

175 - 164
Antiochus IV (Ephiphanes) of Syria imposes Hellenization on Jews of Palestine; the Temple is defiled, Book of Daniel is written (set during the Babylonian Exile of 587 - 538)

167
The Hasmonean (Maccabean) revolt begins in Palestine.

164
The Temple in Jerusalem is rededicated.

142 - 37
Hasmonean period in Palestine.

135
The Book of Ecclesiasticus mentions both the Prophets (Nevi`im) and the Writings (Kethuvim) of the Hebrew Bible.

63
Pompey conquors Judaea, beginning the Roman period in Palestine.

63 - 40
Hyrcanus II is high priest in Jerusalem.

65
Horace is born in southern Italy.

55 - 54
Roman colonization of Britain begins under Julius Caesar

44
Julius Caesar is assassinated

43
Ovid is born.

37- 4
Herod the Great rules in Palestine.

31
Augustus becomes supreme over Roman empire.

8
Horace dies.

circa 4
Birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

CE (Common Era)

4 - 6
Archelaus rules as ethnarch of Judea

8
Ovid is banished to Tomis on the Black Sea.

4 - 39
Antipas tetrarch, rules in Galilee and Peraea.

14
Tiberius succeeds Augustus as emperor.

17
Ovid dies.