Bithynia

685 BCE

Settlers from Megara found Kalchedon.

650 BCE

Approximate foundation of Myrleia by settlers from Kolophon.

627 BCE

Kios founded.

627 BCE

Kios is founded by settlers from Miletos.

600 BCE

Approximate founding of Kallatis by settlers from Herakleia Pontika.

560 BCE

Herakleia Pontika founded by colonists from Megara and named after Herakles, who it was believed entered the underworld through a nearby cave.

512 BCE

Otanes, satrap of Phrygia, captures Antandros, Lamponeia, Imbros, Kalchedon, and Hephaistia and Myrina on Lemnos.

512 BCE

Darius the Great builds a bridge of boats from Kalchedon to Thrace.

499 BCE

The Persians burn Sardis, then take Kios.

480 BCE
August 7

The Greek allies are forced to withdraw against the Persians in the Battle of Artemisium. Afterwards the Persians occup Histaia. The Greek fleet is supplied by Athens, Chalkis, Sparta, Troizen, Opuntian Lokris, Corinth, Megara, Epidauros, Aegina, Sikyon, and Kios.

416 BCE

Byzantion and Kalchedon wage war against Bithynia and plunder it.

412 BCE

Chios, Kalchedon, Erythrai, and Klazomenai revolt against Athens and is besieged until relieved by Sparta.

410 BCE

Pharnabazos orders ships built at Antandros. At the same time, Syracuse helps Antandros finish its city wall, resulting in citizen privileges for Syracusans there. When the ships are complete, Pharnabazos sails for Kalchedon.

387 BCE

Peace of Antalkidas, arranged by Artaxerxes II, is signed in Susa, ending the Corinthian War. Abydos, Aigai, Kalchedon, Kaunos, Klazomenai, Kyzikos, Parion, Samos, and Adramytteion become part of the Persian Empire.

377 BCE

Eresos, Byzantion, Chios,Mytilene, Methymna, Rhodes, Thebes, Korkyra, Eretria, Kios, Samos, Naxos, Andros, Myrina (Lembos), Hephaistia, Imbros, and Thasos join the Second Athenian League, reaffirming its alliance with Athens in response to the growing threat of Persian interference and internal Greek conflicts.

365 BCE

Klearchos obtains a band of mercenaries and takes control of Herakleia Pontika.

353 BCE

Klearchos is murdered at Herakleia Pontika by Chion and Leon. His brother Satyros takes over.

353 BCE

Satyros murders the families, including the children, of all who took part in the assassination of his brother, Klearchos, in Herakleia Pontika. However, he protects his brothers’ children, including Dionysios.

346 BCE

Death of Satyros of Herakleia Pontika. Timotheos, the son of Klearchos, takes over and makes his brother Dionysios a joint ruler.

338 BCE

Death of Timotheos of Herakleia Pontika. His brother Dionysios is now the sole ruler.

334 BCE
July

After the Battle of the Granicus, Dionysios of Herakleia Pontika increases his power and the size of his kingdom.

333 BCE

Exiles from Herakleia Pontika beg Alexander to remove Dionysios and restore their city to democracy. To protect his interests, Dionysios reaches out to Kleopatra, and on her behalf Alexander leaves him in place.

322 BCE

Dionysios puts up a statue of joy in Herakleia Pontika after the death of Alexander. Exiles attempt to persuade Perdikkas to remove him, but through flattery he is able to remain in power.

322 BCE

Dionysios of Herakleia Pontika marries Amastris, after her first husband Krateros divorces her to marry Phila, the daughter of Antipater.

322 BCE

Demetrios of Phaleron purchases the debts of the philospher Xenokrates of Kalchedon, saving him from slavery.

320 BCE

Antigonos Monophthalmos sails to and secures Cyprus. He is given aid by Dionysios of Herakleia Pontika. Antigonos thus marries his nephew Ptolemaios to Dionysios’ daughter.

320 BCE

Birth of son Klearchos to Amastris and Dionysios of Herakleia Pontika.

319 BCE

Birth of son Oxyathres to Amastris and Dionysios of Herakleia Pontika.

319 BCE

Polyperchon issues a decree to restore democratic governments in all cities to reduce the allure of Kassander. Those exiled due to this may return, with the exception of Amphissa, Pharkadon, Herakleia Pontika, Trikka, and Megalopolis.

315 BCE

Antigonos Monophthalmos destroys the original city of Nikaia and renames it Antigoneia.

306 BCE

Death of Dionysios at Herakleia Pontika. The kingdom is left to his wife Amastris.

302 BCE

Lysimachos takes control of Herakleia Pontika and marries Amastris.

302 BCE

Demetrios Poliorketes blockades the Hellespont, forcing Pleistarchos to turn back. Pleistarchos’ ship is destroyed in a storm on the way to Herakleia and he survives by clinging to the wreckage.

302 BCE

Mithridates I is slain in Kios after appearing to shift his allegiance from Antigonos Monophthalmos to Kassander. He had also ruled Myrleia.

301 BCE

Amastris travels to Sardis with Lysimachos, who turns his attention to Arsinoe II. Amastris returns to Herakleia Pontika.

301 BCE

Antigoneia is captured by Lysimachos and renamed Nikaia, in honor of his recently deceased wife.

300 BCE

The city of Amastris is founded by Amastris, a Persian princess and the niece of the Persian king Darius III. She establishes the city by combining four smaller settlements: Sesamos, Kytoros, Tios, and Kromna.

284 BCE

Amastris is drowned by her two sons, Klearchos and Oxyathres. The two brothers take over Herakleia Pontika.

283 BCE

Lysimachos returns to Herakleia Pontika and is initially warm to Klearchos and Oxyathres, then kills them for drowning their mother and allows the city to return to democracy.

282 BCE

Arsinoe II begs Lysimachos to let her have Herakleia Pontika. He eventually relents, and she installs Herakleides of Kyme, who becomes tyrant.

282 BCE

Tios regains its autonomy.

281 BCE

Nikaia comes under control of the Kingdom of Bithynia.

281 BCE
March

When news of the death of Lysimachos reaches Herakleia Pontika, they seize the tyrant Herakleides, appoint Phokritos as governor, and make overtures to Seleukos.

281 BCE
July

Zipoetes, the first ruler in the Bithynian dynasty, lays waste to the territory around Herakleia Pontika.

205 BCE

Philip V persuades Kalchedon and Lysimachia to break from the Aetolian League.

205 BCE

Kios and Myrleia destroyed by Philip V, which enrages the Aetolian League.

202 BCE

Myrleia is fortified by Prusias I of Bithynia and renamed to Apamea in Bithynia.

74 BCE

Nikomedes IV bequeaths Bithynia to Rome. Kalchedon and Kios thus become part of the Roman Empire.

72 BCE

Nikaia, along with the rest of Bithynia, comes under Roman control.

123 CE

Hadrian visits Nikaia after it’s damaged by an earthquake.

258 CE

Adramytteion, Ephesos, Smyrna, Magnesia, Pergamon, Nikaia, and Kyzikos suffer damage during an invasion of the Goths.

313 CE
April

Maximinus Daza takes Herakleia from Licinius after a short siege.

325 CE

Council of Nicaea is convened by Constantine to address the Arian controversy. Athanasius, a key figure from Alexandria, emerges as a defender of orthodox Christianity against Arianism.