Historical and Political Snippets in Time
The following entries mark events of historical or political significance
over the period 600 B.C. through 501 B.C.
- -600 to -501
- Mayan civilization in Mexico (authenticated by carbon tests
in 1956)
- Nebuchadnezzar II burns Jerusalem (-581)
- The Phoenicians in Corsica
- Croesus, last king of Lydia (-561 to -546), overthrown by
Cyrus the Great of Persia in -547
- Cyprus under Egyptian rule
- Peisistratus usurps government in Athens; known as tyrant,
but also introduces the great musical and theatrical
Dionysia; upon his death -527, his sons, Hippias and
Hipparchus, continue tyranny until overthrown in -510
by Cleisthenes
- Amasis II of Egypt (-569 to -526), friend of Polycrates
of Greece, furthers trade with Greece; patron of the arts
- Cyrus II, the Great, of Persia (-553 to -529) conquers
Lydia, the Medes, and Babylonia, transforming Persia into
vast empire; in -536 he frees Jews from Babylonian Captivity
and aids their return to Israel
- Cyrus II is succeeded by his son Cambyses II (-529 to -522),
who conquers Egypt and has himself crowned Pharoah
- Darius I (-522 to -485), his successor, divides empire into
20 provinces (satrapies), introduces far-reaching reforms
including a common currency, regular taxes, a standing army
- Servius Tullius, last king of Rome but one: fortifies city
and establishes class system based on property (-578 to
-534)
- Themisticles, Athenian statesman and general (-525 to -459)
- Xerxes, future king of Persia (-485 to -465), b. -519
- Rome declared a republic; last king, Tarquin the Proud,
expelled; Lucius Junius Brutus and Collantinus become
first consuls
- Cleisthenes introduces sweeping democratic reforms in
Athens -510
- Etruscans defeat Romans; the legends of Horatius Cocles
and Muscius Scaevola
To History Main Page