490s BC

Centuries: 6th century BC - 5th century BC - 4th century BC

Decades: 540s BC - 530s BC - 520s BC - 510s BC - 500s BC - 490s BC - 480s BC - 470s BC - 460s BC - 450s BC - 440s BC

499 BC 498 BC 497 BC 496 BC 495 BC 494 BC 493 BC 492 BC 491 BC 490 BC

Events and trends

499 BC - Aristagoras, acting on behalf of the Persian Empire, leads a failed attack on the rebellious island of Naxos.
499 BC - Aristagoras instigates the Ionic Revolt, beginning the Persian Wars between Greece and Persia.
499 BC - Sardis destroyed by Athenian and Ionian troops.
498 BC - Leontini subjugated by Hippocrates of Gela.
498 BC - Alexander I succeeds his father Amyntas I as king of Macedonia.
497 BC - Potidaea is struck by a tsunami.
496 BC - Battle of Lake Regillus: A legendary early Roman victory, won over either the Etruscans or the Latins.
496 BC - King Gon Jian of Yue defeats and banishes King Fucha of Wu, gaining a temporary hegemony in ancient China during the Spring and Autumn Period.
495 BC - Temple to Mercury on the Circus Maximus in Rome is built.
494 BC - The Battle of Lade, where Persians take back Ionia.
494 BC - Two tribunes of the plebs and two plebeian aediles are elected for the first time in Rome: the office of the tribunate is established.
494 BC - The year Rome changed from an Aristocratic Republic to a Liberalized Republic.
493 BC - Battle of Lake Regillus fought by the Romans.
493 BC - Piraeus, the port town of Athens, is founded.
493 BC - Coriolanus captures the Volscian town of Corioli for Rome.
492 BC - First expedition of King Darius I of Persia against Greece, under the leadership of his son-in-law Mardonius. This marks the start of the campaign which culminated in the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC.
491 BC - Leotychidas II succeeds his cousin Demaratus as king of Sparta.
491 BC - Gelo becomes Tyrant of Gela.
September 12, 490 BC - The Battle of Marathon, where Darius I of Persia is defeated by the Greeks under Miltiades.
490 BC - Phidippides runs 40 kilometers from Marathon to Athens to announce the news of the Greek victory; origin of the marathon long-distance race.

Births

496 BC - Sophocles, Athenian dramatist and statesman.
495 BC - Pericles, Athenian politician (+ 429 BC).
495 BC - Zeno of Elea, Greek philosopher (+ circa 430 BC) (estimated date).
490 BC - Empedocles, Greek philosopher (+ circa 430 BC) (estimated date).
490 BC - Phidias, Greek sculptor (+ circa 430 BC) (estimated date).
490 BC - Zeno of Elea, Greek philosopher (+ circa 430 BC) (estimated date).

Deaths

498 BC - Amyntas I, king of Macedonia.
496 BC - Pythagoras, Greek philosopher and mathematician.
496 BC - Sun Tzu, military philosopher and author of The Art of War (most likely a colloquial date).
491 BC - Hippocrates, Tyrant of Gela.

490s BC

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Events and trends

Births

Deaths