WORLD HISTORY MAKERS

Ancient and Classical Greece: 1700 BC - 100 BC

PERSEUS

1370-1320

Greek Hero

MINOS

1340-1290

King of the Minoans

 

DAEDELUS

1305-1240

Minoan Architect

HERCULES

1305-1210

Greek Hero*

 

MINOS II

1280-1230

King of the Minoans

THESEUS

1260-1210

Greek Hero

MENALAUS

1255-1180

King of Sparta

AGAMEMNON

1235-1175

King of Mycenae

 

ACHILLES

1230-1183

Greek Warrior

HELEN

1220-1170

Spartan Princess

ODYSSEUS

1210-1150

King of Ithaca

 

HOMER

The blind bard who may not have existed but probably did, who may not have written but probably did write the massive epic poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey", which form the cornerstones of Greek education and literature. In actuality, he probably dictated the epics to writers who consigned them to paper. The power in influence of Homer excels that of the gods he wrote about, and the human stories unfolded by him touch the hearts of human beings in Greece and beyond, 2,700 years after they were written. (ZB)

800-700

Greek Writer

LYCERGUS

700-630

King of Sparta

DRACO

675-610

Ruler of Athens

SOLON

625-575

Ruler of Athens

 

THALES

620-555

Greek Scientist

 

ANAXAMANDER

611-547

Greek Scientist

 

SAPPHO

610-580

Greek Poet

 

PISISTRATUS

600-527

Ruler of Athens

 

CLESTHENES

575-525

Ruler of Athens

AESOP

Although most people have heard of Aesop's Fables, very little is actually known about the man who wrote them. A slave who became a freedman in Greece, Aesop both generated original fables, and codified existing ones. The fables have been contemplated by Socrates and Plato and others down the ages. Outspoken and a gadfly, he was murdered in Delphi. Still, his legacy is unmistakable and has a special place in the history of the Western tradition.

572-522

Greek Writer

 

PYTHAGORUS

560-510

Greek Mathemetician

 

LEONIDAS

525-480

Spartan General

 

AESCHYLUS

525-456

Greek Dramatist

 

THEMISTICLES

523-458

Athenian General

PINDAR

518-438

Greek Poet

 

PARMENIDES

510-440

Greek Scientist

ANAXAGORAS

500-428

Greek Scientist

HERACLITUS

510-460

Greek Scientist

 

SOPHOCLES

He wrote 120 plays, and mere 7 of which survive, but what wonders they are. His mighty impact on theater in Athens was felt in his own time (writing Antigone and Oedipus Rex) as his plays spoke to people in a unique way.

496-406

Greek Dramatist

 

PERICLES

495-429

Leader of the Athenians

 

PHIDIAS

490-434

Greek Sculptor

HERODOTUS

The father of history, Herodotus collected his materials systematically and after travels to Egypt and the Middle East, and around the Greek world, and after fighting in the Persian Wars, undertook to pen it all down in a book called "History of the Persian Wars". He mixed in a travelogue detailing the history of the places he visited in vivid narrative, which makes for great reading even today. (KS)

485-425

Greek Historian

 

PROTAGORAS

481-420

Greek Sophist

 

MYRON

A masterworker of bronze sculpture, some of Myron's work depicted heroes and gods, as well as athletes done with appreciation of the pose. Discobolus, the Discus Thrower is his masterpiece. Other work was done of a cow (some athletic pose?), a Satyr and Ladas, a runner who died at the moment of his greatest fame. Myron brought great motion and life to his work, but did not portray emotions in them. (AT)

480-440

Greek Sculptor

EURIPIDES

480-406

Greek Dramatist

APOLLODORUS

475-425

Greek Writer

 

SOCRATES

469-399

Greek Philosopher

 

THUCIDIDES

460-400

Greek Historian

 

HIPPOCRATES

The Father of Medicine. We still take the Hippocratic Oath today. His revolutionary view of clinical medicine differed entirely from what came before: The Hippocratic Theory postulated that prognosis was more important than diagnosis. No supernatural causes or mystical intereference. Disease and sickness were caused by natural forces.

460-377

Greek Scientist

 

DEMOCRITUS

460-370

Greek Scientist

 

ALCIBIADES

450-404

Greek Navy Commander

 

ARISTOPHANES

448-388

Greek Dramatist

 

ISOCRATES

436-338

Greek Orator

 

XENOPHON

435-354

Greek Historian

PLATO

One of the all time great philosophers and founder of Western thought, Plato spun masterful dialogues featuring his illustrious teacher Socrates. He also evolved the Theory of Perfect Forms, and illucidated the Allegory of the Cave to show people why their personal perspective is really a flawed represenation of reality... unless they can break the chains of the mind to see things as they really are. The Republic described the ideal state. (SS)

427-377

Greek Philosopher

 

DIOGENES

Born in the colony of Sinope, he was exiled for defacing coins and went to Athens, where he lived in the street in a bathtub. He walked with a lamp 'looking for an honest man.' He deficated and masturbated in public, in the Agora. This is a guy who just didn't care. Indeed, he even urinated on someone who trashed his way of living. Plato called him "Socrates gone mad." He was called 'dog', not like the 'dawg' of today's slang, but the dog as in 'behaves like a dog.' He finally had to move to Corinth where Alexander found him laying down in the street and asked if there was "anything he could do for Diogenes." Diogenes replied, "Get out of my light." (EP)

410-320

Greek Hellenistic Philosopher

ARISTOTLE

384-322

Greek Philosopher

DEMOSTHENES

An orator who bridged the Hellenic and Hellenistic periods in Greece. As a child he had an impediment of the speech, which he overcame with the help of an actor after a humiliation. His political speeches (both written and spoken) shook Athens down, at a time when unification was needed to oppose Philip's invasion. His words enlivened a coalition to fight it at Chaeronea, but this did fail. The Philippics remain a classic series of speeches. As Alexander won the world and died young, Demosthenes committed sucide so as not to be arrested. (DM)

383-322

Greek Orator

PHILIP II OF MACEDON

Father of Alexander the Great and reformer of Macedonia (which was on the brink of collapse when he ascended the throne), and reformer of the Macedonian military, Philip dreamed of uniting the ever-divided and independent Greek polei under his rule. He was voracious, a womanizer and an alcoholic. He attacked Greece and was victorious where Persia failed, but was assassinated after the conquest of Greece at his daughter's wedding. His son Alexander was to succeed him. (WM)

382-336

King of Macedonia

 

ANTIGONUS

382-301

Ruler of Hellenistic Greece

 

PRAXITELES

375-325

Greek Sculptor

 

PTOLEMY I

366-283

Ruler of Hellenistic Egypt

 

SELEUCUS I

358-281

Ruler of Hellenistic Asia

 

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

Born in tiny Pella, Macedonia, tutored by Aristotle in Greek culture, and sufficiently engrained with a notion of Greek superiority, as to succeed in a life-mission of world conquest and the spreading of Hellenic culture to its very corners. One of the total surprises in history, Alexander marched 11,000 miles, and showed unbelievable military prowess: he never lost a battle. (ES)

356-323

World Conqueror

 

EPICURUS

341-270

Greek Hellenistic Philosopher

 

ZENO

336-265

Greek Hellenistic Philosopher

 

EUCLID

The mathematician who created the building blocks of geometry. He lived for some time in Hellenistic Alexandria, and taught at the school there. He wrote the longest running textbook in history, called "The Elements," about geometry. His proofs and theorems are still used today, and he sought to show how people can gain knowledge through rational methods.

320-260

Greek Mathematician

 

PYRRHUS

318-272

Greek Warrior

 

ARISTARCHUS

310-230

Greek Scientist

 

ARCHIMEDES

287-212

Greek Mathematician

 

ERATOSTHENES

276-194

Greek Scientist

 

APPOLONIUS

275-225

Greek Mathematician

 

ANTIOCHUS III

242-187

Ruler of Hellenistic Asia

 

ANTIOCHUS IV EPIPHANES

215-163

Ruler of Hellenistic Asia

 

HIPPARCHUS OF NICAEA

180-125

Greek Scientist

 

 

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