To navigate the timeline, click and drag it with your mouse, or click on the timeline overview on the bottom.
1200 BCE
1100 BCE
1000 BCE
900 BCE
800 BCE
700 BCE
600 BCE
500 BCE
400 BCE
300 BCE
200 BCE
100 BCE
1200 BCE - 800 BCE: First wave of Phoenician colonization where largely trading-posts are founded throughout the Mediterranean.
1110 BCE: Traditional founding date for the Phoenician colony of Gades (Cadiz).
1101 BCE: Traditional founding date for the Phoenician colony of Utica by Sidon (or Tyre).
814 BCE: Traditional founding date for the Phoenician colony of Carthage by Tyre.
800 BCE - 600 BCE: Second stage of Phoenician colonization where trading-posts become full colonies throughout the Mediterranean.
800 BCE - 500 BCE: Greek colonization of the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
750 BCE: Phoenicians found the colony of Motya on Sicily.
740 BCE - 433 BCE: Greek poleis or city-states establish colonies in Magna Graecia.
740 BCE: Chalcis and Kyme found the colony of Cumae in Magna Graecia.
734 BCE: Chalcis founds the colony of Naxos on Sicily.
733 BCE: Traditional date when Corinth founds a colony on Corcyra.
733 BCE: Corinth founds the colony of Syracuse in Sicily.
720 BCE: Metapontum in Magna Graecia is found by Achaeans.
720 BCE: Chalcis founds the colony of Rhegium in Sicily.
720 BCE: Sybaris in Magna Graecia founded by Archaean settlers.
710 BCE: Croton in Magna Graecia founded by Archaean settlers.
706 BCE: Sparta founds the colony of Tarentum in Magna Graecia.
700 BCE: Settlers from mainland Greece, possibly Samos, settle on Samothrace.
689 BCE: Rhodes and Cretans found Gela in Sicily.
685 BCE: Megara founds the colony of Chalcedon.
675 BCE: Miletos founds the colony of Kyzikos in the Black Sea area.
668 BCE: Megara founds the colony of Byzantium.
631 BCE: Miletos founds the colony of Sinope in the Black Sea area.
631 BCE: Greek colonists from the island of Thera found the city of Cyrene in North Africa.
630 BCE: Messana founds the colony of Himera on Sicily.
630 BCE: Selinus is founded by colonists from Megara Hyblaea, Sicily.
600 BCE: Phocaea founds the colony of Massilia.
600 BCE: Paestum is founded by colonists from Sybaris.
600 BCE: Miletos founds the colony of Pantikapaion in the Black Sea area.
580 BCE - 376 BCE: Carthage and Greece fight for dominance in Sicily.
580 BCE: Agrigento in Sicily is founded by colonists from Gela, Crete and Rhodes.
575 BCE: Massalia founds the colony of Emporion in Spain.
560 BCE: Megara founds the colony of Herakleai Pontike in the Black Sea area.
550 BCE: Miletos founds the colony of Olbia in the Black Sea area.
540 BCE: Phocaea founds Elea in Magna Graecia.
525 BCE: Second wave of emigration of Greeks to Massilia.
500 BCE: Carthage expands into southern Spain.
443 BCE: Thurii in Magna Graecia founded by Athenian settlers.
437 BCE: Athens founds the colony of Amphipolis in northern Macedonia.
433 BCE: Tarentum founds Heraclea in Magna Graecia.
420 BCE: Herakleia founds the colonies of Chersonesos in the Crimea.
415 BCE: Athens launches an expedition against Sicily, the pretext being protection of Segesta.
396 BCE: The Carthaginian city of Lilybaeum is founded on Sicily.
300 BCE - 200 BCE: Greek colonists set up an emporion (trade centre) at Salona.
44 BCE: Julius Caesar founds the Roman colony of Corinth.