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5000 BCE
4500 BCE
4000 BCE
3500 BCE
3000 BCE
2500 BCE
2000 BCE
1500 BCE
1000 BCE
500 BCE
5000 BCE: The Cyclades are first inhabited by settlers from Asia Mnior.
3200 BCE - 1100 BCE: The Cycladic Civilization in Greece.
3000 BCE - 2200 BCE: The first archaeological evidence of organised communities in the Cyclades.
3000 BCE - 2000 BCE: Distinctive minimalistic standing marble figurines are produced in the Cyclades.
3000 BCE - 2000 BCE: First rock-cut burial chambers at Akrotiri.
2700 BCE - 2300 BCE: The first depiction in art of the aulos musical instrument appears in Cycladic sculpture.
2200 BCE - 1700 BCE: Evidence of town planning and more sophisticated architecture in the Cylades.
2000 BCE - 1650 BCE: Akrotiri on Thera reaches its peak of prosperity and becomes a flourishing Mediterranean trading centre.
1700 BCE - 1400 BCE: The culture in the Cyclades is increasingly influenced by Minoan Crete.
1650 BCE - 1550 BCE: Eruption of Thera and consequent tidal waves, destruction of Akrotiri and other Aegean centres.
1400 BCE - 1100 BCE: Culture in the Cyclades is increasingly influenced by the Mycenaean civilization of mainland Greece.
1100 BCE: Evidence of settlement destruction and abandonment across the Cyclades.
700 BCE: The temple of Apollo is built on the island of Delos.
700 BCE - 600 BCE: Temples are built in honour of Apollo, Demeter and Dionysos on the island of Naxos.
700 BCE: Paros begins to export its Parian marble across the Greek world and it is widely used in temples and sculpture.
631 BCE: Greek colonists from the island of Thera found the city of Cyrene in North Africa.
550 BCE: The silver drachma of Delos depicts a lyre - symbolic of Apollo - on its reverse side.
550 BCE: Oldest surviving sculpture of a winged Nike found on Delos.
540 BCE: Athens removes and prohibits further burials on Delos to purify the sacred island.
499 BCE: Naxos is attacked by Darius' Persian forces.
490 BCE: Naxos is attacked for a second time by Persian forces.
480 BCE: Cycladic states contribute to the victorious Greek forces against the Persians at the Battle of Salamis.
479 BCE: Cycladic city states contribute to the victorious Greek forces against the Persians at the battle of Plataea.
478 BCE: Many Cycladic states join the Athenian led Delian League as a defence against Persian agression.
478 BCE - 454 BCE: The treasury of the Delian League is kept on Delos until its removal to Athens.
467 BCE: The island of Naxos rebels against Athenian dominance of the Delian League.
431 BCE - 404 BCE: The Cycladic city states side with Athens in the Peloponnesian war against Sparta and her allies.
417 BCE - 415 BCE: Melos, after supporting Sparta in the Peloponnesian War, is attacked by Athens.
377 BCE - 355 BCE: The Cycladic city states join Athens in the Second Athenian League against Sparta .
363 BCE: A rebellion against Athenian dominance of the Second Athenian League on Keos is quashed by Athens.
166 BCE: Rome puts Delos under the jurisdiction of Athens and makes the island a free port.
166 BCE: Rome gives dominion over the Cyclades to Athens.
88 BCE: Mithridates attacks and detroys the island of Delos.
69 BCE: Delos is sacked by pirates.
41 BCE: Rome takes control over Naxos in the Cyclades.