A timeline, or chronology, is the representation of  sequence of events, a linear representation and outline of historical events and experiences. In order to be able to understand the Hellenic religion one must understand the timeline of the religion’s development. We saw this in our recent discussion regarding Emperor Julian. Once we have a basic understanding of who lived when, and what happened when, we can actually put to rest many of the sillier debates regarding the Hellenic religion occurring among English speaking polytheists.

3,000 to 1100 BCE Bronze Age Greece

c.3,000 BCE Oracle of Zeus at Dodona founded
c.3000-1500 BCE Minoan civilization
c.2100 BCE Speakers of Proto-Greek entered Greece
c.1700 – 1100 BCE Mycenaean civilization
c.1400 BCE First settlements at Delphi
c.1200 BCE The Trojan War

1,100 to 800 BCE Greece’s Dark Ages:

c.900–700 BCE Agoras began to be used as political and religious centers

800 to 500 BCE Archaic Period

800 BCE Dawn of historical stage of Ancient Greece
776 BCE First Olympic games
c.700 BCE Works of Homer
c.700 BCE Works of Hesiod
c.700 BCE Cult of Poseidon at Sounion
c.624-546 BCE Life of Thales of Miletus
c.640-568 BCE Life of Pittacus of Mytilene
638 BCE Solon born
630 BCE Sappho born
621 BCE Draco’s code of law (Athens)
c.600 BCE Life of Bias of Priene
c.600 BCE Life of Chilon of Sparta
c.600 BCE Life of Cleobulus of Lindus
c.600 BCE Life of Myson of Chenae
594 BCE Solon replaces the Draconian law in Athens
c.594 Solon makes Agora of Athens open to public
580 BCE Pythagoras born
566 BCE Panathenaic festivals established
558 BCE Solon dies
546 BCE Pythagoras established foundation of science and philosophy
511 BCE Altar of the Twelve erected in Athens
510 BCE Pythagoras founds school

500 to 330 BCE Classical Greece (Ancient Greek religion considered fully developed)

c.500 BCE Temple of Zeus built at Olympia
c.497-479 BCE Persian Wars
490 BCE Pythagoras dies, Battle of Marathon
480 BCE Xerxes marches on Greece, Battle of Thermopylae
488 BCE Parthenon completed
485 BCE Herodotus born
469 BCE Socrates born
469 BCE Sophocles born
c.450-440 BCE Sanctuary of Poseidon at Sounion
430 BCE Decree of Diopithes
428 BCE Plato born
425 BCE Herodotus dies
c.408-355 BCE Eudoxus of Cnidus, student of Plato, estimates the distance of the sun from the Earth
406 BCE Sophocles dies
399 BCE Trial and execution of Socrates
380 BCE Plato establishes the Athens Academy
384 BCE Aristotle born
347 BCE Plato dies
336 BCE Alexander the Great begins reign
335 BCE Aristotle founds the Lyceum in Athens
323 BCE Death of Alexander

323 to 146 BCE Hellenistic Greece (Dawn of post-Classical antiquity)

322 BCE Aristotle dies
310 BCE Zeno founds school in Athens
c.310-230 BCE Aristarchus places the Sun, not the Earth, at the center of the known Universe
307 BCE Epicurus founds school in Athens
c.300 BCE Zeno of Citium established the Stoic school
171 BCE Rome declares war on Macedon
c.150 Antikythera mechanism, first know computer, in use

146 BCE Roman Greece

146 BCE Greek peninsula became a Roman protectorate
88 BCE Mithridates of Pontus rebells against Rome with the support of Athens and other Greek cities
46 CE Plutarch born
55 CE Paul preaches in Athens at the Altar of the Unknown God
120 CE Plutarch dies
204 CE Plotinus born
245 CE Iamblichus born
270 CE Plotinus dies
313 CE Constantine legitimizes Christianity
324 CE Constantine declares Christianity the official religion of the Roman
325 CE Iamblichus dies
331 CE Flavius Claudius Iulianus (Emperor Julian) born
353 CE Constantius declares sacrifices and “idol” worship illegal
354 CE Constantius orders “pagan” temples closed
361 CE Julian becomes Emperor, institutes religious freedom, restores the ancient cults
362 CE Oracle states Apollo would no longer speak at Delphi (believed under bribe)
363 CE Julian killed in battle/assassinated
412 CE Proclus born
415 CE Hypatia, female philosopher and head of the Platonist school at Alexandria, is stripped naked and dragged through the streets by Christian mob.
c.440-450 CE Christians destroy all remaining monuments, altars and Temples in Athens, Olympia, and other Greek cities
485 CE Proclus dies
c.500 Dawn of Medieval Greece

While the dates of certain events during and prior to Greece’s Dark Ages must remain a bit flexible, because of the constant influx of new information, most other dates have been relatively firmly established. Of course this is only a basic outline, but right from the get-go we can see the dawn of the religion, the golden age, the decline, and then destruction. One can clearly place the story of Troy in perspective, and its contribution to solidify Greek national and religious identity, much like the Book of Exodus did for the Jewish people.

A timeline, as we know, cannot answer every question, and you will need additional research, but the fact remains many unfounded theories can be immediately discarded with some very basic knowledge. Do not allow “twenty dollar” words, obscure references, fakelore, sources cited out of context, or over-blown and long-winded responses to simple questions, to suck you in. Do not be intimidated by those who only seek to impress and gain power. Your spiritual health depends on your ability to reason.

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Tags: Ancient Greece, Hellenic religion, Timeline