Chapter IV: From the Accession of Xerxes the Great to the Period of the Punic

WARS, 485-264, B. C.

GREAT EVENTS OF THE PERIOD. 500-400: Zenith of Persia; and glorious
century of Greece. Struggles of Patricians and Plebeians at Rome.
400-300: Decline and fall of Persia before Alexander the Great;
Greek language and Greek civilization extended all through the
Levant. Roman wars with the Samnites. Internal quarrels of the
Romans diminish. 300-200: Semi-Greek Kingdoms built on the ruins of
the Persian Empire; in Egypt the Ptolemies; in Syria, the Antiochi.
Many Jews at Alexandria.

+-------+---------------------+---------------------+---------------------+
|=B. C.=| =Carthage= | =Rome= | =China-Japan-India= |
+-------+---------------------+---------------------+---------------------+
| |Carthage became in- | | |
| |dependent of Phœnicia| | |
| |in 530. |481-475. Wars with | |
| | |Veii. |478. China: Death of |
| |480. Carthaginians | |Confucius. China dis-|
| |invaded Sicily; de- | |tracted by internal |
| |feated at Himera by | |wars. |
| |Gela. | | |
| =475= | | | |
| |471. First Publilian | | |
| |Laws. | | |
| | | | |
| |451-449. The Decem- | | |
| |virate. | | |
| | | | |
| =450= | |450. The Twelve |450. India: Brick and|
| | |Tables. |stone buildings in |
| | | |existence. |
| | | | |
| | |448. Valerian and | |
| | |Horatian Laws. | |
| | | | |
| | |445. Canuleian Laws. | |
| | | | |
| | |444. Consular | |
| | |Tribunes. | |
| =425= | | | |
| |410. HANNIBAL | | |
| |and Hamilcar invade | | |
| |Sicily. | | |
| | | | |
| |405. Treaty between | | |
| |Carthage and Syra- | | |
| |cuse. Landed aristoc-| | |
| |racy created at | | |
| |Carthage. | | |
| =400= | | | |
| | |390. GAUL’S INVASION | |
| | |OF ITALY. Rome | |
| | |burned. | |
| | | | |
| | |377-367. Licinian | |
| =375= | |Laws. | |
| | | |372. China: MENCIUS |
| | |366. First Plebeian |born. |
| |360. Carthaginians |Consul. | |
| =350= |form settlements in | | |
| |Spain. |348. Treaty of com- | |
| | |merce with Carthage. | |
| | | | |
| |343. Greek cities of |343-341. FIRST | |
| |Sicily freed from |SAMNITE WAR. | |
| |Carthage. | | |
| | |340-338. Great Latin | |
| | |War. | |
| | | | |
| | |326-304. SECOND |326. India: |
| | |SAMNITE WAR. |Alexander’s invasion.|
| | | | |
| =325= |_Carthage rises in | |325-315. India: |
| |wealth and political |321. The Samnites de-|MAURYA DYNASTY, most |
| |importance._ |feat the Romans at |brilliant of old |
| | |the Caudine Forks and|Hindu dynasties. |
| |317. Carthage and |send them under the | |
| |Syracuse at war. |yoke. |312-306. India: |
| | | |Seleucus attempts to |
| |310. Agathocles in- | |recover provinces of |
| |vades Carthaginian |309. Fabius Maximus |Alexander. |
| |territory in Africa. |defeats the Etrurians| |
| | |at the Vadimonian | |
| | |Lake. | |
| | | | |
| | |307. The Carthagini- | |
| |306. Peace with |ans defeat Agathocles| |
| =300= |Syracuse. |and besiege Syracuse.|300. India: Brahmanic|
| | | |system of caste |
| | |298-290. THIRD |instituted. |
| | |SAMNITE WAR. | |
| | |_These wars pave the | |
| | |way to the subjuga- | |
| | |tion of Italy, and | |
| | |the future greatness | |
| | |of Rome._ | |
| | | | |
| | |286. LAW OF | |
| | |HORTENSIUS, by which | |
| | |the decrees of the | |
| | |Plebs are made abso- | |
| | |lute in the state. | |
| | |The end of the long | |
| | |struggle between | |
| | |Patricians and | |
| | |Plebeians. | |
| | | | |
| | |282-272. ROMAN WAR | |
| | |WITH TARENTUM. | |
| | |Tarentum seeks the | |
| | |aid of PYRRHUS, king | |
| | |of Epirus. | |
| | | | |
| | |278. Pyrrhus lands in| |
| | |Sicily, and makes | |
| =275= | |himself master of all| |
| | |the Carthaginian |270. India: ASOKA |
| | |towns. |descendant of |
| | | |Chandragupta, reigns |
| | |266. Roman subjuga- |in Magadha; he is a |
| | |tion of Italy is |friend of Buddhism. |
| | |completed. | |
| | | | |
| |264-241. FIRST PUNIC WAR. Contest over | |
| |Sicily. | |
+-------+---------------------+---------------------+---------------------+

+-------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|=B. C.=| =The Greeks= |
+-------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| | _ÆSCHYLUS_ (525-456).|
| | |
| |481-480. Third expedition of the Persians against Greece, under |
| |Xerxes. |
| | |
| |480. Battle of the Greeks under Leonidas, at Thermopylæ. Naval |
| |battle of Salamis saved Athens. |
| | |
| |479. Fourth expedition of the Persians against Greece. Greek |
| |victories at Platæa and Mycale. Persian army destroyed. |
| | |
| | _SOPHOCLES_ (495-406).|
| =475= | |
| |465. Battle of the Eurymedon. |
| | |
| |464-456. THIRD MESSENIAN WAR. |
| | |
| |457-445. War of the Spartans and Bœotians against Athens. |
| =450= | |
| |449. Battle of Salamis in Cyprus. |
| | |
| | _HERODOTUS_ (484-408).|
| | |
| | _EURIPIDES_ (480-406).|
| | |
| |445. End of Persian war. Thirty years’ peace between Athens and |
| |Sparta. |
| | |
| | =IV. Age of Pericles and Greek Luxury= |
| | |
| | _PERICLES_ (499-429).|
| | |
| |444-429. Athens under the administration of Pericles, reached the|
| |zenith of its greatness. |
| | |
| | _PHIDIAS_ (fl. 448-440).|
| | |
| |431-404. PELOPONNESIAN WAR--between Athens and Sparta. |
| | |
| | _SOCRATES_ (469-399).|
| =425= | |
| |421. ALCIBIADES in power at Athens. |
| | |
| | _THUCYDIDES_ (471-402).|
| | |
| |415-413. Expedition of the Athenians against =Syracuse=. Greek |
| |defeat. Decline of Athenian power. |
| | |
| |405. LYSANDER of Sparta destroyed Athenian fleet. |
| | |
| | =The Spartan Supremacy= (405-371). |
| | |
| |404. Surrender of Athens and end of Peloponnesian War. Sparta |
| |supreme in Greece. |
| =400= | |
| |399-394. War between the Spartans and Persians. Fall of Spartan |
| |power in Asia. |
| | |
| | _PLATO_ (429-347).|
| | |
| |379-362. War between Thebes and Sparta. Thebes freed. |
| =375= | |
| |359. Rise of the Macedonian power. PHILIP OF MACEDON. |
| | |
| | _DEMOSTHENES_ (382-347).|
| | |
| |357-355. The Social War. |
| | |
| |355-346. Second Sacred War against the Phocians, who seized |
| |Delphi. |
| | |
| | _ARISTOTLE_ (384-322).|
| =350= | |
| | =V. The Macedonian Period= |
| | (338-146) |
| | |
| |339-338. THIRD SACRED WAR. Macedonians against Athens and Greece.|
| | |
| |338. Macedonia supreme under PHILIP II. |
| | |
| |336. Philip assassinated. |
| | |
| |336-323. ALEXANDER THE GREAT, King of Macedonia. Great extension |
| |of power. |
| | |
| |334-328. WARS OF ALEXANDER IN ASIA. |
| | |
| |334. Battle at Granicus. |
| | |
| |333. Founded Alexandria in Egypt. Occupied Babylon, subdued |
| |Persia and Darius III. Invaded India in 327. |
| +-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| | =The Immense Greek Empire of Alexander The Great= |
| +-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| =325= | :
| |323. Death of Alexander at Babylon. His empire split up among his:
| |generals after his death. Perdiccas became regent in Asia for :
| |Alexander’s half brother and his posthumous son. Antipater and :
| |Craterus shared the regency of the west. The other generals re- :
| |ceived lieutenancies: Ptolemæus, Egypt; Antigonus, Pamphylia, :
| |Phrygia and Lycia; Eumenes, Alexander’s secretary, Paphlygonia :
| |and Cappadocia; and Cassander, Caria; Leonnatus, Phrygia on the :
| |Hellespont. :
| | :
| |323-301. WARS OF ALEXANDER’S SUCCESSORS FOR HIS ASIATIC :
| |DOMINIONS. The first partition of the empire was made 322, but :
| |twenty-two years elapsed before peace was concluded between the :
| |contending claimants. :
| | :
| |_KINGDOMS AND STATES which arose upon the DIVISION OF THE :
| |MACEDONIAN EMPIRE AT THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT._ :
| | :
| | /-----------------\ /-----------------\ /-----------------\ :
| | =Macedonia= =Greece= =Thrace= :
| +---------------------+---------------------+---------------------+
| |323. Perdiccas ap- :323-322. Lamian War; :323. LYSIMACHUS is :
| |pointed regent; slain:Phocian at head of :appointed governor of:
| |321. :affairs. Death of :Thrace. :
| | :Demosthenes. : :
| | : : :
| | :321. Antipater, : :
| |319. Polysperchon :regent of the empire.: :
| |succeeds Antipater, : : :
| |and proclaims liberty:317. Phocion put to : :
| |to the Grecian :death by the Athe- : :
| |cities. :nians. : :
| | :Demetrius Phalereus : :
| | :governs Athens. : :
| | : : :
| | :315. Cassander re- : :
| | :builds Thebes. : :
| | : :307. Lysimachus :
| | :303. Demetrius :seizes the throne. :
| | :Poliorcetes, general : :
| |302. CASSANDER, king :of the Grecian :302. Invades Asia. :
| |of Macedonia. :states, opposes : :
| | :Cassander. : :
| | : : :
| |301. AFTER THE BATTLE OF IPSUS ALEXANDER’S EMPIRE WAS AGAIN |
| |DIVIDED INTO FOUR CHIEF PARTS. |
| +--------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| | =Macedonia= | =Greek States= |
| =300= +--------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| |296. Death of Cassander. Quar- | |
| |rels of his two sons, Antipater | |
| |and Alexander. | |
| | | |
| |287. Demetrius expelled by |287. Athens revolts from |
| |Pyrrhus. Lysimachus drives |Demetrius. |
| |Pyrrhus out of Macedonia. | |
| | | |
| |283. Death of Demetrius. | |
| | |281. Lysimachus defeated and |
| | |slain by Seleucus. |
| | | |
| | |281. The ACHÆAN LEAGUE created. |
| |280. Sosthenes ascends the |Lysimachus defeated and slain by|
| |throne and liberates his |Seleucus in the battle of |
| |country; but falls, 278. |Korupedion. |
| | | |
| |277. ANTIGONUS GONATAS, King of | |
| =275= |Macedonia, descendant of one of | |
| |Alexander’s generals, master of |274. Pyrrhus invades Macedonia, |
| |all Greece except Sparta. |defeats Antigonas, and is pro- |
| | |claimed king. |
| | | |
| | |272. Pyrrhus besieges Sparta and|
| | |Argos--is slain, and Antigonus |
| | |is restored. |
| | |266. The Chremonidean War. |
| | |Athens and Sparta allied in |
| | |revolt against Macedonia. |
+-------+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+

+-------+---------------------+---------------------+---------------------+
|=B. C.=| =Egypt= | =Hebrews= : =Persia= |
+-------+---------------------+---------------------+---------------------+
| |485. Xerxes quelled a| :485-465. XERXES I. |
| |revolt. | : |
| | | :480. Xerxes invaded |
| | | :Greece, Thermopylæ, |
| | | :Salamis. Elaborate |
| | | :great palace at |
| | | :Persepolis. Hypostyle|
| | | :Hall, fine bull- |
| | | :capitals, good bas- |
| | | :reliefs with invoca- |
| | | :tions to Ahura Mazda.|
| | | :Propylæa, winged |
| | | :human-headed bulls. |
| | | :Hanging draperies. |
| | | :Xerxes and his eldest|
| | | :son murdered. |
| | | : |
| | | :479. Persians ex- |
| | | :pelled from Greece. |
| =475= | | : |
| | | :465-424. Artaxerxes |
| | | :I. succeeded to the |
| | | :throne. |
| | | : |
| | | :462-455. Second |
| | |458(?). Ezra. :revolt of the |
| |455(?). Herodotus in | :Egyptians. |
| =450= |Egypt. | : |
| | |444. NEHEMIAH, gover-: |
| | |nor of Jerusalem. Re-: |
| =425= | |builds the city : |
| | |walls. :424. Xerxes II. |
| | | :murdered by his |
| | | :brother Sogdianus |
| | | :same year. |
| | | : |
| | | :423. Darius II. |
| | |415. Death of : |
| | |Nehemiah. High :412. Sparta recog- |
| | |priests rule under :nized Persian rule in|
| | |Persian authority. :Asia minor. |
| | | : |
| | | :405. Egypt declared |
| | | :its independence. |
| | | : |
| |404. Egypt indepen- | :404. ARTAXERXES II. |
| |dent of Persia for | :Revolt of his younger|
| |short period. | :brother Cyrus, aided |
| | | :by Greeks. |
| | | : |
| | | :401. Cyrus defeated |
| | | :at Cunaxa and slain. |
| | | :“Retreat of the Ten |
| | | :Thousand.” |
| =400= | | : |
| | | :398. Artaxerxes II. |
| | | :War with Greece. |
| | | :Egypt and Cyprus |
| | | :assisted Greece. |
| | | : |
| | | :394. Persian fleet |
| | | :defeated the Spartans|
| | | :at Cnidus. |
| =375= | | : |
| | |370. Persian satrap :370-363. Renewed re- |
| | |suppressed civil war.:volts in Asia Minor. |
| |361. Treaty with | :Egypt joined the |
| |Sparta vs. Persians. | :rebels and invaded |
| | | :Syria. |
| |359-342. Persian in- | : |
| |vasions of Egypt. | :358. Artaxerxes III. |
| |Nectanebo II. last | :seized the throne. |
| =350= |native king. |350. Temple destroyed:Persians defeated in |
| | |by Persians. Many :Egypt. |
| | |Jews deported. : |
| | | :340. CONQUEST OF |
| | | :EGYPT. |
| | | : |
| | | :337. MITHRIDATES I. |
| | | :of Pontus became in- |
| | | :dependent of Persia. |
| | | : |
| | | :335. Darius III. |
| +---------------------+---------------------+ascended the throne. |
| :334-323. Alexander : :334-332. Alexander |
| :the Great overthrows :333. Palestine under :the Great defeated |
| :Persians, and is :Alexander the Great. :Darius at Granicus |
| :master of Egypt. :Remained under Greek :and Issus. |
| :Greek domination. :domination to 198 +---------------------+
| :Alexandria founded. :B. C. : |
| : : :331. Battle of |
| :EUCLID (Alexandria). : :=Arbela=. The |
| :(fl. 325). : :Persians defeated by |
| : : :the Macedonians and |
| : : :Greeks under |
| : : :Alexander the Great. |
| : : :END OF THE PERSIAN |
| : : :EMPIRE. |
| +-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| | =The Immense Greek Empire of Alexander The Great= |
| +-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| =325= | |
| |323. Death of Alexander at Babylon. His empire split up among his|
| |generals after his death. Perdiccas became regent in Asia for |
| |Alexander’s half brother and his posthumous son. Antipater and |
| |Craterus shared the regency of the west. The other generals re- |
| |ceived lieutenancies: Ptolemæus, Egypt; Antigonus, Pamphylia, |
| |Phrygia and Lycia; Eumenes, Alexander’s secretary, Paphlygonia |
| |and Cappadocia; and Cassander, Caria; Leonnatus, Phrygia on the |
| |Hellespont. |
| | |
| |323-301. WARS OF ALEXANDER’S SUCCESSORS FOR HIS ASIATIC |
| |DOMINIONS. The first partition of the empire was made 322, but |
| |twenty-two years elapsed before peace was concluded between the |
| |contending claimants. |
| | |
| |_KINGDOMS AND STATES which arose upon the DIVISION OF THE |
| |MACEDONIAN EMPIRE AT THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT._ |
| | |
| | /------------\ /------------\ /--------------\ /-----------\ |
| | =Egypt= =Palestine= =Phrygia, Lycia, =Syria= |
| | Pamphylia= |
+-------+----------------+----------------+---------------+---------------+
| :323. Ptolemy I. :323. Annexed : : |
| :Soter, the son :with Phœnicia to: :321. The King- |
| :of Lagus. :Syria. : :dom of the |
| : : : :Seleucidæ |
| :320. Ptolemy : :320. Phrygia, :founded by |
| :makes himself : :Lycia, Pamphy- :SELEUCUS |
| :master of Cyprus: :lia fell to the:NICATOR, who |
| :and Syria. : :share of Anti- :received Baby- |
| : : :gonus, who de- :lon as his |
| : : :feats Eumenes :province. |
| : : :and makes him- : |
| : : :self master of : |
| : : :all Asia Minor.: |
| : : : : |
| : : :315. Formation : |
| : :312. Capture of :of a league :312. Syria |
| : :Jerusalem by :against Anti- :ruled by |
| : :Ptolemy. Colony :gonus by :Seleucus |
| : :of Jews in :Ptolemy, Cas- :Nicator; he |
| : :Alexandria. :sander, :takes Babylon. |
| : : :Seleucus, and :Era of the |
| : :311-301. Subject:Lysimachus. :Seleucidæ. |
| :305. Ptolemy :to Antigonus. : : |
| :assumes the : : : |
| :regal title of :301. Again under:301. Battle of :301. After the |
| :Egypt. :Egypt. :Ipsus. Anti- :battle of |
| : : :gonus killed. :Ipsus, Seleucus|
| :Alexandria be- : : :gains the pro- |
| :gins a great : : :vinces of |
| :period. : : :Syria, Cappado-|
| : : : :cia, Mesopota- |
| : : : :mia, and |
| : : : :Armenia. |
| : : : : |
| |301. AFTER THE BATTLE OF IPSUS ALEXANDER’S EMPIRE WAS AGAIN |
| |DIVIDED INTO FOUR CHIEF PARTS. |
| +----------------+----------------+-------------------------------+
| | =Egypt= : =Palestine= | =Seleucid Kingdom= |
| +----------------+----------------+-------------------------------+
| =300= :The empire of :300. Canon of | |
| :the Ptolemies :Old Testament, |299. Seleucus built or improved|
| :extended over :under Simon the |a great number of cities in- |
| :Egypt, Libya, :Just. |cluding Antioch, Seleucia, |
| :Cyrene, Arabia : |Apamea, and Laodicea. |
| :Pettræa, Judæa, : | |
| :Phœnicia, Damas-: | |
| :cus, and Cyprus.: | |
| :Golden age of : | |
| :the Ptolemies. : |287. Seleucus defeats Demetrius|
| : :284. The |Poliorcetes and keeps him |
| :283-247. PTOLEMY:_Septuagint_ |prisoner. |
| :II. Philadel- :translation of | |
| :phus, the most :the _Old Testa- |280. Antiochus I. succeeds |
| :magnificent of :ment_, begun at |Seleucus. |
| :the Egyptian :Alexandria, by | |
| :kings, is asso- :order of Ptolemy|278-250. Nicomedes I. |
| :ciated by his :Philadelphus. | |
| :father in the : |277. Gauls (Galatia) invaded |
| :kingdom. : |Asia Minor. |
| :Canal of : | |
| :Arsinoë. : | |
| :Obelisk. : | |
| : : | |
| :273. Ambassadors: | |
| :sent to Rome. : | |
| : : | |
| :272. Roman : | |
| :embassy sent to : | |
| :Egypt. : | |
+-------+----------------+----------------+-------------------------------+