c 3,000 BC
Bronze is introduced into Greece
c 2,500 BC
A sophisticated society arises on Crete
c 1,900 BC
Writing is invented in Crete
c 1,600 BC
Civilization spreads to mainland Greece
c 1.450 BC
Minoan culture declines
c 1,200 BC
Mycenaean civilization goes into decline
c 800
A new civilization arises in Greece
490 BC
The Persians invade Greece but are defeated
480 BC
The Persians invade again but are defeated again
477 BC
Athens forms the Delian League
431-404 BC
Athens and Sparta fight the Peloponnesian War
371 BC
Thebes wins the battle of Leuctra
338 BC
Philip of Macedon defeats the Greeks in battle
336 BC
Alexander the Great succeeds his father
333 BC
Alexander defeats the Persians at the battle of Issus
168 BC
The Romans defeat Macedon
86 BC
The Romans capture Athens
395 AD
The Roman Empire permanently splits
610-641 AD
Emperor Heraclius rules
1054 AD
The Eastern Orthodox Church separates from the Catholic Church
1204
Crusaders capture Constantinople
1261
The emperor recaptures Constantinople
1453
The Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople
1683
The Turkish Empire starts to decline
1814
The Filiki Eteria is founded
1827
The Turkish fleet is destroyed at the battle of Navarino
1829
Greece becomes independent
1833
Prince Otto of Bavaria becomes king of Greece
1863
King George I succeeds him
1893
The Corinth Canal opens
1896
The Olympic Games are revived in Greece
1912
The First Balkan War is fought
1913
The Second Balkan War is fought
1917
Greece joins the allies in the First World War
1922
The Greeks capture Smyrna in Turkey
1923
Greece signs the treaty of Lausanne with Turkey. Afterwards there is a huge exchange of population
1936
Metaxas becomes dictator of Greece
1940
The Italians invade Greece but they are repulsed
1941
The Germans invade Greece
1944
The Germans withdraw from Greece
1944-49
A civil war is fought in Greece
1967
Generals stage a coup
1974
Democracy is restored in Greece
2001
Greece joins the euro
2012
Greece faces a severe economic crisis