Chronological Tables [cont.]

323/318 B.C. The successors of Alexander divide his vast empire. The death of Aristotle. Theophrastus succeeds him at the Lyceum. The administration of Athens is undertaken by Demetrius Phalereus for a period of ten years.

315/306 B.C. Wars between the successors of Alexander. Menander and the New Comedy flourish. Zeno founds a school in Athens. Demetrius Poliorcetes occupies Athens.

305/293 B.C. Demetrius Poliorcetes unsuccessfully besieges Rhodes. Pyrrhus is king of Epirus and Demetrius of Macedonia

285/271 B.C. Death of Demetrius. Ptolemy I Philadelpheus becomes king of Egypt. The poets Callimachus and Theocritos flourish. Aristarchus makes astronomical observations in Alexandria. The Achaean League is established. Pyrrhus invades Italy. Antigonus Gonatas, son of Demetrius, becomes king of Macedonia. The Chreimonidean Peace. Victory of Antigonus against the combined forces of Athenians and Spartans. The Romans occupy Tarantum

215 B.C. Alliance of Philip V with Hannibal and the Aetolians against the Romans [1st macedonian War]
212 B.C. Siege of Syracuse by the Romans and death of Archimedes.
200 B.C. War between Philip and the Romans [2nd Macedonian War]. Defeat of Philip at Cynoscephalae. King Attalus I of Pergamus dedicates many statues to the Acropolis of Athens.

196 B.C. Treaty of peace between Macedonia and Rome. Flamininus proclaims the freedom of Greece.
178/167 B.C. Perseus becomes the king of Macedonia [3rd Macedonian War]. Perseus is victorious at Callinicus. Roman victory at Pydna [168]. Perseus taken prisoner. The historian Polybius visits Rome.

148/146 B.C. After the victories of Metellus and Mommius, Greece and Macedonia become subject provinces of Rome.

87/63 B.C. The three Mithridatic Wars and death of Mithridates
31 B.C. Naval battle of Actium between the forces of Anthony and Cleopatra Gospel before the Areopagus. Dionysius the Areopagite Flourishes.

54/68 A.D. Nero becomes emperor. He plunders statues from Delphi, Olympia and other Greek cities. He tours Greece and participates in all the games and contests, always carrying away the first prize. Gratified by his victories in th country he proclaims Greece free and begins the digging of the Isthmus canal.

74 A.D. The emperor Vespasian revokes the freedom granted to the Greeks. Plutarch flourishes [text?] and those of Octavius ending in victory for the latter

29/19 B.C. Strabo's description of Greece. Augustus visits Sparta, then Athens [19 B.C.] where Virgil is staying. The historians Diodorus Siceliotes and Dionysius of Halicarnassus flourish.

Christian Era
14 A.D. Emperor Tiberius gives many favours to Macedonia and Greece.
37 A.D. The Emperor Caligula demands that the Greeks deify his person. He seizes many statues and works of art. Apollonius or Tyana flourishes

44 A.D. The Emperor Claudius restores to Greece many of the statues plundered by Caligula
45/53 A.D. Apostle Paul travels through Greece. In 53 A.D. he preaches the . . .[text missing]
114/116 A.D. Building of the Philopappus monument in Athens. Age of Epictetus
117/118 A.D. Hadrian regins. He becomes archon eponymos of Athens. Haddrian visits Asia Minor then returns to Athens where he remains for a long period [125]. He again returns to Athens [129] and generously builds [p. 21] many projects throughout the country, especially in Athens where he builds the temples of Hera and of the Panhellenic Zeus, the Gymnasium, a stoa with library, an aqueduct, completes the temple of Olympian Zeus, and founds a new quarter of the city that extends from the gate bearing his name. The historian Arrian flourishes.

155/190 A.D. Lucian, the physician Galen, the novelist Longus, the Christian writers Athenagoras, Irenaeus, Theophilus, and Clement of Alexandria flourish, as well as the the traveller Pausanias.

198/251 A.D. Age of the writers Dio Cassius, Diogenes Laertius, and Claudius Aelian, the philosopher Plotinus, and the church father Origen.

253 A.D. Incursion of the Gauls
267 A.D. Defeat of the Goths at Chrysopolis. They occupy Athens but are soon after routed by Poplius Dexippus

286/305 A.D. Emperor Diocletian reorganizes the empire. The philosopher Iamblichus flourishes. Christians are persecuted in what is now Greece. Death of St. George the Miracle- worker

312/323 A.D. Victory of Constantine the Great over Maxentius at Rome. The Edict of Milan giving freedom of worship is issued. Eusebius is bishop of Caesaria.

323 A.D. Constantine the Great becomes sole emperor of the Roman Empire
325 A.D. The First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea. The credo of faith is adopted.

The Byzantine Period
The name Byzantine was unknown to the inhabitants of that Empire who never used the name for themselves or for their Empire, although it has now come into common usage. The Empire was always Roman, even to the end, when the last emperor of Byzantium Constantine XI signed his name to documents as "Faithful in Christ by the Grace of God Emperor of the Romans".

330 A.D. Constantine the Great officially inaugurates Constantinople or the New Rome as the new capital of the Roman Empire [ May 11]

337 A.D. Death of Constantine
361 A.D. Reign of Julian the Apostate
363 A.D. JulianÍs expedition against the Persians, and his death. Paganism receives a fatal blow. The philosopher Salustius flourishes. The Roman Empire loses a large part of Armenia and Mesopotamia

379 A.D. Theodosius reigns. Death of St. Basil the Great
381 A.D. Ecumenical Council of Constantinople
390 A.D. A mutiny in Thessaloniki is crushed by Theodosius. St. Gregory of Nazianzus dies. The obelisk of Theodosius is set up in the Hippodrome. [p. 22]

393 A.D. Olympic Games are abolished. The gold and ivory statue of Zeus sculpted by Phidias is transported to Constantinople

395 A.D. Arcadius begins his reign.
404 A.D. Dethronement and exile of the Patriarch Chrysostom because he opposed the Empress Eudocia. The church of St. Sophia burns.

408 A.D. Theodosius II the Small begins his reign
413 A.D. Theodosius builds the triple walls of Constantinople
425 A.D. Foundation of the university of Constantinople
426 A.D. Theodosius condemns paganism
429 A.D. The gold and ivory statue of Athena in the Parthenon is carried to Constantinople
438 A.D. An earthquake fells a section of the walls of Constantinople. The age of the philosopher Proclus
441 A.D. Attila and the Huns invade the Empire
447 A.D. Attila advances as far as Thessaly.
457 A.D. Leo becomes emperor. The custom of crowning the emperor by the patriarch begins
461/463 A.D. Great fire in Constantinople. The Monastery of St. John Studius is built.
499/518 A.D. Anastasius reigns. He builds the Great Wall of Constantinople. Age of Romanos the hymnodist
518 A.D. Justin I, son of an Illyrian peasant, becomes emperor
527 A.D. Justinian I becomes emperor with his wife Theodora. The empire reaches its pinnacle of power. The church of SS. Sergius and Bacchus is built

529 A.D. The Justinianic Code. The pagan schools of Athens are closed
532 A.D. The Nike riots are crushed by the general Belissarius and Theodora. Construction of the church of the Holy Wisdom begins

533 A.D. Publication of the Pandects and Institutes
534 A.D. Publication of the Novelae
536 A.D. Ecumenical Council at Constantinople
537 A.D. The church of the Holy Wisdom is formaly dedicated [architects Anthemius and Isidore]
540 A.D. Belissarius conquers Ravenna
547 A.D. Church of St. Vitalius is dedicated at Ravenna
548 A.D. Death of Theodora
549 A.D. Dedication of the church of St. Apollinaire at Ravenna
553 A.D. The Fifth Ecumenical Council at Constantinople. The historians and chronicers Procopius and Peter Patricius flourish

565 A.D. Justin II becomes emperor
568 A.D. The Lombards occupy the northern half of Italy
578 A.D. Tiberius II becomes emperor. Age of the physician Alexander of Tralles [p. 23]
582 A.D. Maurice occupies the throne
585 A.d. The church of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki is completed
597 A.D. The Avars besiege Constantinople
602 A.D. The Phocas insurrection and execution of Maurice. Phocas begins reign of terror
610 A.D. Revolt of Heraclius and death of Phocas
614 A.D. The Persians occupy Jerusalem and carry off the True Cross to Ctesiphon
616 A.D. The Persians occupy Egypt
622 A.D. Heraclius begins his campaign against Persia
626 A.D. Avars and Persians lay siege to Constantinople. Age of Patriarch Sergius. The Acathistos Hymn is composed. The poet G. Pisides and the writer Theophylact of Simocatta flourish

627 A.D. Heraclius defeats the Persians at Nineveh. The Greek title basileus is mentioned for the first time in the title of the emperor "Faithful in Christ in Christ Basileus by the Grace of God". Greek is established as the official language. This is the dawn of the Greek Empire of the East.

628 A.D. Victory of Heraclius at Ctesiphon
629 A.D. Recovery and elevation of the True Cross at Jerusalem by Heraclius [September 14]
635 A.D. Arab occupation of Persia begins
637 A.D. Surrender of Jerusalem to the Arabs under the Caliph Omar I
638 A.D. Heraclius issues the "Ecthesis" on the Monothelite creed
641/667 A.D. Arabs begin the occupation of Egypt. Reigns of the emperors Constantine III, Heracleonas, and Constans II [641]. The Arabs seize Cyprus, Rhodes, Crete, and Chalcedon. The emperor Constans is Assassinated in the baths of Syracuse

668 A.D. Constantine IV Pogonatus becomes emperor
673 A.D. The Arabs besiege Constantinople but are repulsed by the Greek Fire of Callinicus
697 A.D. The Arabs occupy Carthage, last outpost of Byzantium in Africa
717 A.D. Arabs again besiege Constantinople but are repelled by the emperor Leo III the Isaurian
726 A.D. Beginning of the Iconoclastic controversy
751 A.D. The Lombards occupy Ravenna bringing an end to the Byzantine exarchate
780 A.D. Constantine VI becomes emperor
787 A.D. The Seventh and last Ecumenical Council at Nicaea condemns iconoclasm
797 A.D. Irene dethrones and blinds her son Constantine VI and becomes sole empress. The church of Panagia Gorgoepecoos [St. Eleftherios] is built in Athens [p. 24]

802 A.D. Irene is dethroned and Nicephorus I becomes emperor
809 A.D. Invasion by the Bulgar King Krum
813 A.D. Leo V the Armenian becomes emperor
815 A.D. The synod at Constantinople ratifies the iconoclastic decisions of 754
824 A.D. Saracen pirates conquer Crete
829 A.D. Theophilus becomes emperor. The age of Cassia [Cassiani], poetess and hymnodist
832 A.D. Imperial decree issued against icon worship
842 A.D. Michail III, the Drunkard, becomes emperor. The synod at Constantinople restores the icons. A renaissance in letters and the arts occurs in Constantinople

860 A.D. The Russians attack Constantinople but are repulsed
863 A.D. The monks Cyril and Methodius are sent to Moravia [the beginning of the Cyrillic alphabet]
867 A.D. Basil I, founder of the Macedonian dynasty, begins his reign
875 A.D. Victory of the Byzantine admiral Ooriphas in Italy and the destruction of the fleets of the Arabs at the Hellespont and Corinth

886 A.D. Leo Vi, the Wise, begins his reign
904 A.D. The Arabs plunder Thessaloniki
913 A.D. Constantine VII Porphyrogennetus, emperor and man of letters reigns
919 A.D. Romanos Lecapenus becomes co-emperor
927 A.D. Peace treaty between Byzantines and Bulgars
941 A.D. Repulse of Russians before Constantinople
944 A.D. Lecapenus is dethroned by his sons. He becomes a monk, is exiled, and dies in exile [p. 25]
959 A.D. Romanos II is emperor with his wife Theophano
961 A.D. Nicephorus Phocas recovers Crete from the Arabs
962 A.D. The monk Athanasius founds the Laura on Mt. Athos
963 A.D. Nicephorus II Phocas becomes emperor and marries Theophano
969 A.D. Theophano and John Tsimisces plot the murder of Phocas. John becomes emperor. The age of Leo Diaconus

976 A. D. Basil II the Bulgar-Slayer ascends the throne
977/986 A.D. Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria occupies Macedonia and Thessaloniki and advances down to the Peloponnese. The Byzantines and Basil are defeated at TrajanÍs Gate

995 A.D. Campaign of Basil in Syria and occupation of Aleppo
996 A.D. The Bulgars are defeated at the Spercheios river
1000/1014 Macedonia is recovered by the Byzantines who advance as far as the Danube
1014 A.D. Defeat of the Bulgars near Serres. Bulgar prisoners are blinded and Tsar Samuel dies
1018 A.D. Subjugation of Bulgaria. Basil II visits Athens and worships as the Church of our Lady [Parthenon]
1025 A.D. Death of Basil on eve of preparations for campaign against Italy. End of the heroic period of the Byzantine Empire

1029 A.D. The church of the Saviour Pantepoptes is built and the mosaics of St. Sophia are restored
1045 A.D. Founding of a law university at Constantinople
1050 A.D. Renovation of the church of SS. Theodore in Athens and building of the church of Our Lady of Kapnikarea in the same city

1054 A.D. Disruption of ties between Eastern and Western churches. Cerularius is patriarch
1067 A.D. Romanos IV Diogenes becomes emperor. Attempts to reorganize the Empire. His empress wife is the poetess Eudocia Macrembolitissa. Age of the chronicler M. Attaleiates and the foremost of the philosophers M. Psellos

1071 A.D. Normas capture Bari and end Byzantine possessions in Italy. Battle of Manzikert and captivity of Romanos. His blinding and death

1081 A.D. Alexius I Comnenus ascends the throne. He is the founder of the dynasty of the same name. The imperial court moves to the palace of Blachernae

1096 A.D. The First Crusade. The Crusaders pass through Constantinople
1099 A.D. The Crusaders establish the kingdon of Jerusalem
1111 A.D. Trade concessions are given to the Pisans by the emperor of Constantinople
1118 A.D. John II [Good John] Comnenus becomes emperor. Anna Comnena writes the Alexiad, a history of her father. Nicephorus Bryennios, historian and general, flourishes

1120 A.D. The monastery of the Holy Saviour and Pantocrator is built [p. 26]
1143 A.D. Manuel I Comnenus becomes emperor. John Cinnamus the historian flourishes
1147 A.D. The Second Crusade
1149 A.D. The Byzantines reoccupy Corcyra with the aid of the Venetians
1150 A.D. New walls are built at Constantinople to include the palace of Blachernae. The church of the Taxiarchs is built in Athens

1176 A.D. The Byzantines are defeated at Myriocephalum in Phrygia. Critical decline in the history of the empire

1180 A.D. Establishment of the kingdom of Serbia by Stephen Nemania
1183 A.D. Andronicus I Comnenus becomes emperor
1185 A.D. Capture of Thessaloniki by the Normans. Age of the historian Nicetas Choniates and the poet Eustathius Macrembolites. Andronicus is tortured and slain by the mob of Constantinople

1186 A.D. Establsihment of the Second Bulgarian Empire
1187 A.D. Saladin captures Jerusalem
1189 A.D. The Third Crusade
1201 A.D. The Fourth Crusade
1204 A.D. The Latins capture Constantinople. Establishment of the empire of Trebizond by Alexius Comnenus, the empire of Nicaea under Theodore Lascaris, and the Despotate of Epirus under Michael Angelus. The Latins divide the Byzantine empire

1259 A.D. Michael VIII Paleologue becomes emperor at Nicaea
1261 A.D. Constantinople is recovered by Strategopoulos, general of Michael VIII. Michael becomes emperor of Byzantium and begins the dynasty of the Paleologues

1274 A. D. Michael VIII recognizes Papal primacy
1292 A.D. Date of the mosaics of Chora
1300 A.D. Beginning of the Turkish conquests and shrinkage of Byzantine empire
1302 A.D. The Catalan Company plunders Greece.
1329 A.D. Nicaea is captured by the Turks
1337/1338 A.D. Fall of Nicomedia. The Turks advance to the Bosphorus [p. 27]
1346 A.D. Stephen Dushan becomes emperor of the Serbs and the Romans
1354 A.D. The Turks occupy Callipolis then take Didymoteichon
1363 A.D. Sultan MuradÍs fleet is destroyed at Megara. Cretan insurrection against Venetian rule
1389 A.D. The Battle of Kossovo. Serbia is crushed by the Turks
1391 A.D. Manuel II becomes emperor at Byzantium
1393 A. D. The Bulgars bow to the Turks. Thessaloniki is captured and Thessaly occupied by the Turks
1397 A.D. Sultan Bayazid besieges Constantinople but without success
1402 A.D. The Turks are routed by Timur and the Mongols at Ankara
1403 A.D. Emperor Michael II recovers Thessaloniki
1407 A.D. Theodore II becomes Despot at Mistra. The age of the neoplatonic philosopher Plethon Gemistos

1422 A.D. Sultan Murad II unsuccessfully lays seige to Constantinople
1425 A.D. John VIII assumes the throne of Byzantium
1430 A. D. Turks take Thessaloniki
1438 A.D. The Florentine Council decides on the union the churches. The Emperor John VIII and Bessarion, warm advocate of the Union, are present

1440 A.D. The Turks unsuccessfully besiege Blegrade
1444 Af.D. The Battle of Varna and the Destruction of the united Christian armies at the hands of Murad II
1449 A.D. Constantine XI Paleologue is crowned emperor of the Byzantine Empire at Mistra
1452 A.D. The Turks build the fortress at Rumeli Hissar, barring the Bosphorus to Christian ships
1453 A.D. Constantinople is assaulted by Mohammed II. Fall of the city and the death of Constantine Paleologue on May 29. With the capture of Constantinople the curtain comes down on eleven centuries of history of the Eastern Roman Empire, or, as the scholars of the 19th Century preferred to describe it, the Byzantine Empire. [p. 28]