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5000 BCE
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4000 BCE
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3000 BCE
2500 BCE
2000 BCE
1500 BCE
1000 BCE
500 BCE
5000 BCE: The first aulos musical instruments are carved from bone.
2700 BCE - 2300 BCE: The first depiction in art of the aulos musical instrument appears in Cycladic sculpture.
2000 BCE: The first examples of the lyre in the Bronze Age Aegean occur in the Cyclades and on Minoan Crete.
1500 BCE - 1450 BCE: The 'Harvester Vase' of Minoan origin depicts a sistrum player.
1420 BCE - 1300 BCE: Clay dancing figures including a rare female lyre player are made in Minoan Palaikastro.
1400 BCE: Lyres across the Aegean assume S-shaped arms and become more decoratively carved, most often with sculpted birds.
1250 BCE - 1200 BCE: A Linear B tablet from Greek Thebes mentions lyre players as members of the royal palace staff.
700 BCE: The study of music theory begins in ancient Greece.
700 BCE: Sparta, Argos and Paros hold the first documented musical competitions in Greece.
550 BCE: The silver drachma of Delos depicts a lyre - symbolic of Apollo - on its reverse side.
548 BCE - 544 BCE: Birth of Greek lyric poet Lasus of Hermione.
400 BCE: Theban musicians invent a more sophisticated aulos with metal keys.
350 BCE: Aristoxenos writes his theory of music treatise 'Harmonic Elements'.
328 BCE: Herodoros of Megara wins the first of ten consecutive trumpet competitions at the Olympic Games.
100 BCE: Coins of Kos and Thespiai depict a lyre on their reverse side.