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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.
4500 BCE: First settlement on Thera.
3000 BCE - 2000 BCE: First human presence recorded on Kos.
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.
2300 BCE: Bronze is used in the Aegean.
2200 BCE - 1700 BCE: Evidence of town planning and more sophisticated architecture in the Cylades.
2000 BCE - 1450 BCE: Minoan civilization in Crete and the Aegean.
2000 BCE: Akrotiri becomes an important Aegean trading centre.
2000 BCE - 1650 BCE: Akrotiri on Thera reaches its peak of prosperity and becomes a flourishing Mediterranean trading centre.
1900 BCE - 1100 BCE: Mycenaean civilization in Greece and the Aegean.
1850 BCE - 1450 BCE: The Linear A script of the Minoan civilization is in use.
1700 BCE: Second Palace of Knossos on Crete.
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.
1600 BCE - 1200 BCE: The Mycenaean settlement of Serayia flourishes on Kos.
1600 BCE: Rhodes has significant contact with Minoan Crete.
1400 BCE: Rhodes has significant contact with the Mycenaean civilization.
1400 BCE - 1100 BCE: Culture in the Cyclades is increasingly influenced by the Mycenaean civilization of mainland Greece.
1100 BCE: Dorian peoples occupy Greece.
1100 BCE: Evidence of settlement destruction and abandonment across the Cyclades.
700 BCE: Settlers from mainland Greece, possibly Samos, settle on Samothrace.
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.
499 BCE: Naxos is attacked by Darius' Persian forces.
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.
412 BCE: The Spartan general Astyochus sacks Kos.
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 gives dominion over the Cyclades to Athens.
88 BCE: Mithridates attacks and detroys the island of Delos.