2. Aegean Sea The originally Greek world is, properly speaking, in the Aegean Sea area (both mainland Greece, the islands, and the Ionian coast) But in practice, the Greeks (and their myths) spanned all over the Mediterranean World.

3. Aegean Chronology C. 2000: Rise of Minoan Civilization on Crete C. 1600: Rise of Mycenaean Civilization on Mainland Greece C. 1450: First destruction of Minoan Crete C. 1200: Collapse of Mycenaean Civilization C. 1200: Second destruction of Minoan Crete (then controlled by Mycenaeans) 900: End of Greek Dark Age and beginning of Geometric Period C. 750: Spread of Greek colonization throughout Mediterranean 700: Beginning of Archaic Period C. 505: Democracy founded at Athens 490-80: Persians invaded Greece and are defeated twice (Classical Age begins) 404: Sparta finally defeats Athens in Peloponnesian Wars (Greek city- states are crippled by the exhausting 30 years war that spread through all of Greek world) 349-38: Philip of Macedon Conquers Greece (Classical Age ends) 336: Alexander the Great rises to throne of Philip, his father. Hellenistic Age begins as Alexander spreads Greek culture to all areas of the known world (which he conquers) 197-60: Rome Conquers Macedonia; eventually all of Greece. *All dates B.C.E.