480s BC

This article concerns the period489 BC – 480 BC.

Events

489 BC

By place

Greece

After his great victory in theBattle of Marathon,Miltiadesleads a naval expedition toParosto pay off a private score. However, the expedition is unsuccessful and, on his return, he is fined in a prosecution led byXanthippusand put in prison where he dies of wounds received at Paros.
The Athenian soldier and statesman,Aristides(the Just), is made chief archon ofAthens.

488 BC

By place

Sicily

TheronbecomestyrantofAcragasinSicily.

Rome

Gaius Marcius CoriolanusandAttius Tullus Aufidius,leading an army of theVolsci,besiege Rome.Coriolanus' mother and wife convince him to break off the siege. In recognition of the service of these women, a temple is erected in Rome dedicated toFortuna.Subsequently, theVolsciand their allies theAequihave a falling out, and their armiesfightas a result, significantly diminishing the strength of each of them.

Greece

Astylos of Crotonwins thestadion raceat the 73rdOlympic Games.

487 BC

By place

Greece

The island ofAeginaand the city ofAthensgo to war. The island has earned the enmity of Athens by earlier submitting to the Persians. The Spartan King,Leotychidas,tries unsuccessfully to arrange a truce in the war.
TheAthenianArchonship becomes elective by lot from all thecitizens,an important milestone in the move towards radicalAthenian democracy.There are ninearchonsand a secretary. Three of the archons have special functions: thebasileus,or sovereign; thepolemarch(originally a military commander); and the archon eponymous (chief magistrate), who gave his name to the year.
First known use ofostracism,an instrument created in 508 byCleistheneswhich enabled the electorate to banish for ten years any citizen deemed to be a threat to democracy. It was intended, therefore, as a safeguard against tyranny. An ostracism could be held annually providing a quorum of 6,000 was achieved but, apparently, the Assembly declined to invoke it until 487 when there was a popular reaction against Hipparchos the Pisistradid who had been the peace party archon in 496. He was the first of several citizens to be ostracised through the fifth century.^[1]

Rome

Wars are fought betweenRomeand each of theVolsciand theHernici.Rome prevails in both disputes.

Kush

Siaspiqabecomes ruler of theKushite kingdom of Meroe,likely succeedingAmaniastabarqa.

486 BC

By place

Persian Empire

Egyptrevolts againstPersianrule upon the death of kingDarius I.The revolts, probably led byLibyansof the western Delta, are crushed the next year byXerxes,who reduces Egypt to the status of a conquered province.

Roman Republic

Romeenters into a new treaty with theHernici.
During his third consulate, theRoman consul Spurius Cassius Vecellinusproposes anagrarian lawto assist needyplebeians.The proposal is vehemently opposed by thepatriciansincluding the other consulProculus Verginius Tricostus Rutilus,and the plebs turn against the patricians. In the following year Cassius is condemned and executed forhigh treason.

China

The first part of theGrand Canal of Chinais built during the reign ofKing Fuchai of Wu.^[2]It links theYangtze Riverwith theHuai River,and is a measure to ship ample amount of supplies north for intended wars with the northern states ofSongandLu.

By topic

Art

The construction of a relief in theApadana,a ceremonial complex atPersepolis,is finished. It shows Darius and Xerxes receiving tribute and is now kept in the Iranbustan Museum inTehran.

485 BC

By place

Persian Empire

Xerxes Iis just beginning his reign after the death of his fatherDarius the Greatin 486 BC.^[3]During this time the Persian empire extends as far west asMacedoniaandLibyaand as far east as theHyphasis(Beas) River; it stretches to theCaucasus Mountainsand theAral Seain the north and to thePersian Gulfand theArabian Desertin the south.

Sicily

Gelo,the tyrant ofGela,takes advantage of an appeal by the descendants of the first colonist ofSyracuse,the Gamoroi, who had held power until they were expelled by the Killichiroi, the lower class of the city. He makes himself master of that city, leaving his brotherHieronto control Gela.

484 BC

By place

Persian Empire

Xerxes Iquells the Egyptian revolt againstPersianrule. He ravages the Delta region in the process and then appoints his brotherAchaemenes satrap(governor) ofEgypt.
Despite an attempt at rebellion, the land and city ofBabylonremains solidly under Persian rule.

Greece

The Athenian general and statesman,Xanthippus,isostracised.
Astylos of Crotonwins thestadion racefor a second time at the 74thOlympic Games.

Rome

The RomansdefeattheVolsciandAequiin battle.
Dedication of theTemple of Castor and Pollux^[4]

= By topic =

Literature

The Athenian playwright,Aeschylus,wins first prize in drama at theDionysiafestival.^[5]

483 BC

By place

Persian empire

Xerxes I of Persiais encouraged by his cousin and brother-in-law,Mardonius,supported by a strong party of exiled Greeks, to take revenge for the defeat thatDarius Isuffered at the hands of theGreeksatMarathonin490 BC.In response, Xerxes prepares for a major expedition to crush the Greeks. To avoid a repeat of the significant losses to the Persian fleet that occurred in492 BC,Xerxes has a canal cut through the promontory ofMount Athos.

Greece

The Athenianarchon Themistoclesrealises that the Greeks need to be able to beat the Persians at sea. To carry out this strategy, however,Athensneeds far more warships (that is to say the newly developed, specialisedtriremes) than the 70 it has. Themistocles is initially opposed by other Athenian leaders. However, when the state-owned silver mines atLauriumbecome the site of a rich strike, Themistocles persuades the assembly, instead of "declaring a dividend," to devote the whole surplus to increasing the navy to a proposed 200 ships.

India

Following the death ofGautama Buddha,therelicsassociated with his cremation were divided amongst royal families and his disciples, then interned in 8 reliquaries. Eachreliquarywas then encased in its own burial mound, called astupa(approximate date).^{[citation needed]}

Sicily

Gelo,thetyrantofSyracuseconquers the nearby Sicilian cities ofEuboeaandMegara Hyblaea,selling their common people into slavery and bringing their oligarchs to Syracuse.

482 BC

By place

Greece

The Athenianarchon Themistoclessecures theostracismof his opponents and becomes the political leader ofAthens.The Athenian soldier and statesman,Aristides,is one of those ostracised due to his opposition to Themistocles' naval policy.^[6]^[7]

China

WhileKing Fuchai of Wuattends a meeting inHuangchi,in an attempt to gain hegemony over all the other duchies ofZhou dynastyChina, his capital city in theState of Wuis captured in a surprise assault byKing Goujian of Yue.In473 BCthe State of Wu will be annexed by theState of Yue.^[8]^[9]

Rome

Continuation ofhostilitieswith theAequi.^[10]
Continuation ofhostilitieswithVeii.The Veientine army enters Roman territory and ravages the countryside.^[11]

481 BC

By place

Persian Empire

ThePersianKingXerxes Iarrives atSardisand begins to build up his great army and navy for the invasion ofGreece.Egyptcontributes 481 ships.

Greece

TheCongress at the Isthmus of Corinth,under the presidency ofSparta,brings together a number of the Greek city states, who agree to the end of the war betweenAthensandAegina.They also discuss the threat from thePersians.Athens is unwilling to place her forces under Sparta and its kingLeonidas.Gelo,tyrantofSyracuse,wants high command, but Sparta and Athens refuse. However, during the Congress, Gelo has to withdraw due toCarthage's plans to invadeSicily.Finally, Themistocles agrees that Athens' navy serve under a Spartan admiral to achieve the unity of the Greek states. Nevertheless,ThebesandThessalyare unwilling to support Athens against the Persians andCretedecides to remain neutral.

China

TheSpring and Autumn period,which had begun in722 BC,ends and compilation of theSpring and Autumn Annalsceases.^[12]It gives way to theWarring States period.

Rome

TheAequi lay siegetoOrtonabut are defeated by the Romans. Tensions between the Roman classes flare during the battle.
Continuation ofhostilitieswithVeii.The Veientine army threatens to besiege Rome but nothing notable occurs.
The tribuneSpurius Liciniusunsuccessfully advocates anagrarian law.

480 BC

By place

Greece

May – King Xerxes I of Persia marches from Sardis and onto Thrace and Macedonia.
The Greek congress decides to send a force of 10,000 Greeks, including hoplites and cavalry, to theVale of Tempe,through which they believe the Persian army will pass. The force includesLacedaemoniansled by Euanetos andAtheniansunderThemistocles.Warned byAlexander I of Macedonthat the vale can be bypassed elsewhere and that the army of Xerxes is overwhelming, the Greeks decide not to try to hold there and vacate the vale.
August 20orSeptember 8-10 – TheBattle of Thermopylaeends in victory for thePersiansunder Xerxes. His army engulfs a force of 300Spartansand 700Thespiaeunder theSpartanKing,Leonidas I.TheGreeksunder Leonidas resist the advance throughThermopylaeof Xerxes' vast army. For two days Leonidas and his troops withstand thePersianattacks; he then orders most of his troops to retreat, and he and his 300-member royal guard fight to the last man.
Pausaniasbecomes regent for King Leonidas' son,Pleistarchus,afterLeonidas Iis killed atThermopylae.Pausanias is a member of theAgiadroyal family, the son of KingCleombrotusand nephew of Leonidas.
Phocisand the coasts ofEuboeaare devastated by thePersians.Thebesand most ofBoeotiajoin Xerxes.
KingAlexander I of Macedonis obliged to accompany Xerxes in a campaign throughGreece,though he secretly aids the Greek allies. With Xerxes' apparent acquiescence, Alexander seizes the GreekcolonyofPydnaand advances his frontiers eastward to theStrymon,taking inCrestoniaandBisaltia,along with the rich silver deposits of Mount Dysorus.
TheAthenian soldierandstatesman,Aristides,as well as the formerAthenian archon Xanthippus,return from banishment inAeginato serve underThemistoclesagainst thePersians.
August – ThePersiansachieve a naval victory over theGreeksin anengagementfought nearArtemisium,a promontory on the north coast ofEuboea.The Greek fleet holds its own against thePersiansin three days of fighting but withdraws southward when news comes of the defeat atThermopylae.
Breaking through the pass atThermopylaefromMacedoniaintoGreece,thePersiansoccupyAttica.
September 21– ThePersianssackAthens,whose citizens flee toSalamisand thenPeloponnesus.
September 22– TheBattle of Salamisbrings victory to theGreeks,whoseAtheniangeneralThemistocleslures thePersiansinto the Bay of Salamis, between theAthenianport-city ofPiraeusand the island ofSalamis.The Greektriremesthen attack furiously, ramming or sinking manyPersian vesselsand boarding others. TheGreekssink about 200Persian vesselswhile losing only about 40 of their own. The rest of thePersianfleet is scattered, and as a result Xerxes has to postpone his planned land offensives for a year, a delay that gives the Greek city-states time to unite against him.Aeschylusfights on the winning side.
An eclipse of the sun discourages the Greek army from following up the victory ofSalamis.Xerxes returns toPersialeaving behind an army underMardonius,which winters inThessaly.

Rome

The Romans achieve a significantvictoryagainstVeiiafter a close-fought battle. Tensions between the Roman classes flare during the battle.Quintus Fabiusand the consulManliusperish in the fighting.
The tribuneTitus Pontificiusunsuccessfully advocates anagrarian law.

Sicily

Xerxes encourages the Carthaginians to attack the Greeks in Sicily. Under the Carthaginian military leader,Hamilcar,Carthagesends across a large army.
The Greek city ofHimerainSicily,in its quarrel withAkragas,enlists Carthaginian support. With the help ofGelo,thetyrantofSyracusae,and Theron of Akragas, the Carthaginians are defeated in theBattle of Himera.After the defeat, Hamilcar kills himself.

Persian empire

The Imperial treasury at thePersepolisPalace is completed after a building time of thirty years.

By topic

Arts

Thearchaic periodofsculptureends inGreeceand is succeeded by the Severe (EarlyClassical) period (approximate date).
A sculpture of theDying Warrioris made in the left corner of the east pediment of theTemple of AphaeainAegina(approximate date). Today, it is preserved at theStaatliche Antikensammlungen und GlyptothekinMunich,Germany.
The sculpture of theKritios Boyis made onAcropolis,Athens(approximate date). It is now preserved in theAcropolis MuseuminAthens.
Work begins on the detailMusicians and Dancerson a wall painting in the Tomb of the Lionesses inTarquinia.It is finished someten years later.

Births

487 BC

Gorgias,Greek philosopher(approximate date) (d. c.376 BC)

485 BC

Herodotus,Greek historian, is estimated to be born this year.^[13]
Some sources place the birth ofEuripidesin this year, though the more traditional date is 480.^[14]

484 BC

Herodotusof Halicarnassus,Greek historian(approximate date) (died c.425 BC)^[15]
Achaeus of Eretria,Greektragedian

481 BC

Protagoras,Greek presocratic philosopher(d. c.420 BC)

480 BC

September 22(traditional date) –Euripides,Greek playwright(d.406 BC)
Antiphon,Atticorator (d.411 BC)
Ezra,Jewishscribe and priest (d. c.440 BCE)
Hippodamus of Miletus,Greek architect and urban planner (d.408 BC)
Siddhartha Gautama(suggested),wandering asceticand religious teacher (d.400 BC)

Deaths

489 BC

Cleomenes I,king ofSparta(approximate date)
Miltiades,Athenian general (b. c.550 BC)

486 BC

Darius I,king of the PersianAchaemenid Empire(b.550 BCE)^[16]
Spurius Cassius Vecellinus,Roman consul(executed)

485 BC

Spurius Cassius Vecellinus,three timesRoman consul.

484 BC

Wu Zixu,political advisor fromChuwho has been employed at the court of theState of Wuduring the reign ofKing Helü of Wu;allChinese peoplewith the surnameWuconsider him their first ancestor (born526 BC)
Makkhali Gosala(according to historianArthur Llewellyn Basham), Indian ascetic

483 BC

Gautama Buddha,Indian prince, founder ofBuddhism(b. c.563 BC)

481 BC

Sima Niu,the highest rankingaristocratamong the disciples ofConfucius

480 BC

August 11–Leonidas I,Agiad King of Sparta (died atThermopylae)
Xenophanes,Greek philosopher(b.570 BC)
Hamilcar,Carthaginiangeneral (suicide after his defeat in theBattle of Himera)
Heraclitus,Greek philosopher (approximate year)^[17]
Zhong You(Zilu), a prominentdisciple of Confucius(b.542 BC)
Quintus Fabius Vibulanus,a former consul (twice) of Rome, dies in battle againstVeii.
Gnaeus Manlius Cincinnatus,Roman consul, dies in battle againstVeii.
Lady Nanzi,Chinese Duchess ruler.

References

^Bury & Meiggs, page 164.
^Needham, Joseph; Ling, Wang; Lu, Guizhen; Needham, Joseph (2006).Civil engineering and nautics.Science and civilisation in China / by Joseph Needham Vol. 4, Physics and physical technology (Reprint ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. pp. 271–272.ISBN 978-0-521-07060-7.
^Sancisi-Weerdenburg, Heleen; Kuhrt, Amélie (2016-03-07)."Xerxes I".Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics.doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.6916.Retrieved2022-09-22.
^Livy,Ab urbe condita,2.42
^Freeman, Charles (1999).The Greek achievement: the Foundation of the Western World.New York, NY: Viking. p. 241.ISBN 978-0-670-88515-2.
^"Plutarch • Life of Themistocles".penelope.uchicago.edu.Retrieved2024-05-19.
^Richard, Carl J. (2003).Twelve Greeks and Romans who changed the world.Internet Archive. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 60.ISBN 978-0-7425-2790-4.
^Durrant, Stephen W.; Li, Wai-yee; Schaberg, David (2016).Zuo Tradition / Zuozhuan: Commentary on the “Spring and Autumn Annals.”.University of Washington Press.OCLC 950901588.
^1. Handa, 2. Yuzhang, 1. Lin, 2. Cao (2010).Tales from 5000 years of Chinese History, Volume 1.Better Link Press. p. 51.ISBN 978-1-60220-112-5.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^"Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 2, chapter 42".www.perseus.tufts.edu.Retrieved2024-05-19.
^"Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 2, chapter 42".www.perseus.tufts.edu.Retrieved2024-05-19.
^Loewe, Michael; Shaughnessy, Edward L. (1999-03-13).The Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC.Cambridge University Press. p. 546.ISBN 978-0-521-47030-8.
^Baragwanath, Emily; Bakker, Mathieu de (2009-12-14),"Herodotus",Oxford Bibliographies,pp. 9780195389661–0018,doi:10.1093/obo/9780195389661-0018
^"Introduction: The Life of Euripides",Brill's Companion to the Reception of Euripides,BRILL, p. 12, 2015-01-01,retrieved2022-09-23
^Smith, William, ed. (1873)."A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, Hero'dotus".www.perseus.tufts.edu.London: John Murray.Retrieved2023-08-05.
^Boyce, Mary (1982-01-01),"Darius the Great (522-486 B.c.)",A History of Zoroastrianism, Zoroastrianism under the Achaemenians,Brill, pp. 90–131,doi:10.1163/9789004293908_008,ISBN 978-90-04-29390-8,retrieved2023-09-07
^"Heraclitus".Encyclopædia Britannica. February 2, 2024.RetrievedFebruary 24,2024.

[1] Bury & Meiggs, page 164.

[2] Needham, Joseph; Ling, Wang; Lu, Guizhen; Needham, Joseph (2006).Civil engineering and nautics.Science and civilisation in China / by Joseph Needham Vol. 4, Physics and physical technology (Reprint ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. pp. 271–272.ISBN 978-0-521-07060-7.

[3] Sancisi-Weerdenburg, Heleen; Kuhrt, Amélie (2016-03-07)."Xerxes I".Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics.doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.6916.Retrieved2022-09-22.

[4] Livy,Ab urbe condita,2.42

[5] Freeman, Charles (1999).The Greek achievement: the Foundation of the Western World.New York, NY: Viking. p. 241.ISBN 978-0-670-88515-2.

[6] "Plutarch • Life of Themistocles".penelope.uchicago.edu.Retrieved2024-05-19.

[7] Richard, Carl J. (2003).Twelve Greeks and Romans who changed the world.Internet Archive. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 60.ISBN 978-0-7425-2790-4.

[8] Durrant, Stephen W.; Li, Wai-yee; Schaberg, David (2016).Zuo Tradition / Zuozhuan: Commentary on the “Spring and Autumn Annals.”.University of Washington Press.OCLC 950901588.

[9] 1. Handa, 2. Yuzhang, 1. Lin, 2. Cao (2010).Tales from 5000 years of Chinese History, Volume 1.Better Link Press. p. 51.ISBN 978-1-60220-112-5.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[10] "Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 2, chapter 42".www.perseus.tufts.edu.Retrieved2024-05-19.

[11] "Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 2, chapter 42".www.perseus.tufts.edu.Retrieved2024-05-19.

[12] Loewe, Michael; Shaughnessy, Edward L. (1999-03-13).The Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC.Cambridge University Press. p. 546.ISBN 978-0-521-47030-8.

[13] Baragwanath, Emily; Bakker, Mathieu de (2009-12-14),"Herodotus",Oxford Bibliographies,pp. 9780195389661–0018,doi:10.1093/obo/9780195389661-0018

[14] "Introduction: The Life of Euripides",Brill's Companion to the Reception of Euripides,BRILL, p. 12, 2015-01-01,retrieved2022-09-23

[15] Smith, William, ed. (1873)."A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, Hero'dotus".www.perseus.tufts.edu.London: John Murray.Retrieved2023-08-05.

[16] Boyce, Mary (1982-01-01),"Darius the Great (522-486 B.c.)",A History of Zoroastrianism, Zoroastrianism under the Achaemenians,Brill, pp. 90–131,doi:10.1163/9789004293908_008,ISBN 978-90-04-29390-8,retrieved2023-09-07

[17] "Heraclitus".Encyclopædia Britannica. February 2, 2024.RetrievedFebruary 24,2024.

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