456
The Temple of Zeus is open for the 90th Olympiad.
ca. 432
Phidias installs the Statue of Zeus in the temple at Olympia.
ca. 425
The historian Herodotus dies.
356
13–14 October: Herostratos burns down the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus; Alexander the Great is born the same night. The temple is subsequently rebuilt.
ca. 350
The Mausoleum is built at Halicarnassus.
331
The city of Alexandria is founded in Egypt by Alexander the Great.
323
Alexander the Great dies at Babylon.
298
The Celtic warlord Cimbaules makes incursions against the Macedonians and is repelled.
ca. 290
The Colossus is completed at Rhodes.
ca. 280
The Pharos Lighthouse is built at Alexandria.
281-79
The Celts make a second incursion against Macedonia; Brennus attacks Delphi.
227
The Colossus falls.
ca. 170
Antipater of Sidon is born.
146
The Roman general Mummius sacks Corinth, but spares Olympia; Carthage is destroyed by Rome.
ca. 135
Posidonius is born in Syria.
133
Attalus III of Pergamon bequeaths his kingdom to Rome, which establishes the province of Asia.
ca. 115
Posidonius studies under Panaetius the Stoic in Athens.
110
23 March (Martius): Gordianus is born at Rome.
ca. 106
Bethesda is born at Alexandria.
ca. 90
After travels in Spain, Gaul, Italy, Sicily, Dalmatia, North Africa, and Greece, Posidonius settles in Rhodes.
95
Rome sides with Nicomedes of Bithynia in his war against Mithridates of Pontus.
93
23 March (Martius): Gordianus turns seventeen and puts on his manly toga.
92
Rome aids Nicomedes of Bithynia against Mithridates for the second time.
23 March (Martius): The novel begins in Rome on this day—the birthday of Gordianus and the funeral day of Antipater.
April (Aprilis): Gordianus and Antipater visit Ephesus during the Artemisia festival and see the Temple of Artemis (“Something to Do with Diana”).
