490s BC
Centuries:
6th century BC -
5th century BC -
4th century BCDecades:
540s BC -
530s BC -
520s BC -
510s BC -
500s BC -
490s BC -
480s BC -
470s BC -
460s BC -
450s BC -
440s BC499 BC 498 BC 497 BC 496 BC 495 BC 494 BC 493 BC 492 BC 491 BC 490 BC*
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.
*
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).
*
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.
