Cyclades Timeline

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  • c. 5000 BCE
    The Cyclades are first inhabited by settlers from Asia Mnior.
  • c. 3200 BCE - 1100 BCE
    The Cycladic Civilization in Greece.
  • 3000 BCE - 2000 BCE
    First rock-cut burial chambers at Akrotiri.
  • 3000 BCE - 2200 BCE
    The first archaeological evidence of organised communities in the Cyclades.
  • 3000 BCE - 2000 BCE
    Distinctive minimalistic standing marble figurines are produced in the Cyclades.
  • 2700 BCE - 2300 BCE
    The first depiction in art of the aulos musical instrument appears in Cycladic sculpture.
  • 2200 BCE - 1700 BCE
    Evidence of town planning and more sophisticated architecture in the Cylades.
  • 2000 BCE - 1650 BCE
    Akrotiri on Thera reaches its peak of prosperity and becomes a flourishing Mediterranean trading centre.
  • 1700 BCE - 1400 BCE
    The culture in the Cyclades is increasingly influenced by Minoan Crete.
  • 1650 BCE - 1550 BCE
    Eruption of Thera and consequent tidal waves, destruction of Akrotiri and other Aegean centres.
  • 1400 BCE - 1100 BCE
    Culture in the Cyclades is increasingly influenced by the Mycenaean civilization of mainland Greece.
  • c. 1100 BCE
    Evidence of settlement destruction and abandonment across the Cyclades.
  • c. 700 BCE
    The temple of Apollo is built on the island of Delos.
  • 700 BCE - 600 BCE
    Temples are built in honour of Apollo, Demeter and Dionysos on the island of Naxos.
  • c. 700 BCE
    Paros begins to export its Parian marble across the Greek world and it is widely used in temples and sculpture.
  • 630 BCE
    Greek colonists from the island of Thera found the city of Cyrene in North Africa.
  • c. 550 BCE
    Oldest surviving sculpture of a winged Nike found on Delos.
  • c. 550 BCE
    The silver drachma of Delos depicts a lyre - symbolic of Apollo - on its reverse side.
  • c. 540 BCE
    Athens removes and prohibits further burials on Delos to purify the sacred island.
  • c. 499 BCE
    Naxos is attacked by Darius' Persian forces.
  • 490 BCE
    Naxos is attacked for a second time by Persian forces.
  • 480 BCE
    Cycladic states contribute to the victorious Greek forces against the Persians at the Battle of Salamis.
  • 479 BCE
    Cycladic city states contribute to the victorious Greek forces against the Persians at the battle of Plataea.
  • 478 BCE
    Many Cycladic states join the Athenian led Delian League as a defence against Persian agression.
  • 478 BCE - 454 BCE
    The treasury of the Delian League is kept on Delos until its removal to Athens.
  • c. 467 BCE
    The island of Naxos rebels against Athenian dominance of the Delian League.
  • 431 BCE - 404 BCE
    The Cycladic city states side with Athens in the Peloponnesian war against Sparta and her allies.
  • 417 BCE - 415 BCE
    Melos, after supporting Sparta in the Peloponnesian War, is attacked by Athens.
  • 377 BCE - 355 BCE
    The Cycladic city states join Athens in the Second Athenian League against Sparta .
  • 363 BCE
    A rebellion against Athenian dominance of the Second Athenian League on Keos is quashed by Athens.
  • 166 BCE
    Rome gives dominion over the Cyclades to Athens.
  • 166 BCE
    Rome puts Delos under the jurisdiction of Athens and makes the island a free port.
  • 88 BCE
    Mithridates attacks and detroys the island of Delos.
  • 69 BCE
    Delos is sacked by pirates.
  • 41 BCE
    Rome takes control over Naxos in the Cyclades.