Editing 5th century BC

{{Short description|One hundred years, from 500 BC to 401 BC}}
{{redirect|400s BC|the decade|400s BC (decade)}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2015}}
{{Centurybox|-5}}
The '''5th century BC''' started the first day of [[500 BC]] and ended the last day of [[401 BC]].
[[File:The Parthenon in Athens.jpg|thumb|300x300px|The [[Parthenon]] in Athens, a symbol of Ancient Greece and Western Philosophy.]]
This century saw the establishment of [[Pataliputra]] as a capital of the [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]] Empire. This city would later become the ruling capital of different Indian kingdoms for about a thousand years. This period saw the rise of two great philosophical schools of the east, [[Jainism]] and [[Buddhism]]. 
This period saw [[Mahavira]] and [[Buddha]] spreading their respective teachings in the northern plains of India. This essentially changed the socio-cultural and political dynamics of the region of [[South Asia]]. Buddhism would later go on to become one of the major world religions.

This period also saw the work of [[Yaska]], who created [[Nirukta]], that would lay the foundation stone for [[Sanskrit]] grammar and is one of the oldest works on grammar known to mankind.
 
This century is also traditionally recognized as the classical period of the [[Greeks]], which would continue all the way through the [[4th century BC|4th century]] until the time of [[Alexander the Great]]. The life of [[Socrates]] represented a major milestone in [[Greek philosophy]] though his teachings only survive through the work of his students, most notably [[Plato]] and [[Xenophon]]. The tragedians [[Aeschylus]], [[Sophocles]], and [[Euripides]], as well as the comedian [[Aristophanes]] all date from this era and many of their works are still considered classics of the western theatrical canon.

The [[Persian Wars]], fought between a coalition of Greek cities and the vast [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] [[Persian Empire]] was a pivotal moment in Greek politics. The Greeks successfully prevented the annexation of Greece by the Persians in [[Battle of Plataea]], [[Battle of Mycale]], and further counter attacks. Afterwards, Sparta, the dominant power in the coalition, had no intention of further offensive action and considered the war over. Meanwhile, Athens counter-attacked, liberating Greek subjects of the Persian Empire up and down the Ionian coast and mobilizing a new coalition, the [[Delian League]]. Tensions between Athens, and its growing imperialistic ambitions as leader of the Delian League, and the traditionally dominant Sparta led to a protracted stalemate in the [[Peloponnesian War]].

==The world in the 5th century BC==

[[File:East-Hem 500bc.jpg|thumb|550px|centre|Map of the Eastern Hemisphere in 500 BC, the beginning of the fifth century BC.]]

[[File:World in 400 BCE.png|thumb|550px|centre|Map of the world in 400 BC, the end of the fifth century BC.]]

==Events==
*[[Demotic Egyptian|Demotic]] becomes the dominant script of [[history of Egypt|ancient Egypt]].

===[[490s BC]]===
* [[499 BC]]: [[Aristagoras]], acting on behalf of the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian Empire]], leads a failed attack on the rebellious island of [[Naxos, Greece|Naxos]].
* [[499 BC]]: Aristagoras instigates the [[Ionian Revolt]], beginning the [[Persian Wars]] between [[Greece]] and [[Persia]].
* [[499 BC]]: [[Sardis]] sacked by [[Athenian]] and Ionian troops.
* [[498 BC]]: [[Lentini|Leontini]] subjugated by [[Hippocrates of Gela]].
* [[498 BC]]: [[Alexander I of Macedon|Alexander I]] succeeds his father [[Amyntas I of Macedon|Amyntas I]] as king of [[Macedon]].
* [[496 BC]]: [[Battle of Lake Regillus]]: A legendary early [[Roman Republic|Roman]] victory, won over either the [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]]s or the [[Latin]]s.
* [[496 BC]]: [[Sophocles]] is born.
* [[495 BC]]: [[Temple]] to [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]] on the [[Circus Maximus]] in [[Rome]] is built.
* [[494 BC]]: The [[Battle of Lade]], where [[Achaemenid Empire|Persians]] take back [[Ionia]].
* [[494 BC]]: Two [[tribunes of the plebs]] and two [[aedile|plebeian aediles]] are elected for the first time in [[Ancient Rome|Rome]]: the office of the [[tribunate]] is established.
* [[494 BC]]: The year Rome changed from an Aristocratic Republic to a Liberalized Republic.
* [[493 BC]]: [[Piraeus]], the port town of [[Athens]], is founded.
* [[493 BC]]: [[Gaius Marcius Coriolanus|Coriolanus]] captures the [[Volsci]]an 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 (general)|Mardonius]]. This marks the start of the campaign that culminated in the [[Battle of Marathon]] in [[490 BC]].
* [[492 BC]]: [[Ajatashatru|Ajatashartu]] overthrows his father [[Bimbisara]] to become king of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]].
* [[491 BC]]: [[Leotychidas]] succeeds his cousin [[Demaratus]] as king of [[Sparta]].
* [[491 BC]]: [[Gelo]] becomes [[Tyrant]] of [[Gela]].
* [[490 BC]]: The [[Battle of Marathon]], where Darius I of [[Persia]] is defeated by the [[Athenians]] and [[Plataeans]] under [[Miltiades the Younger|Miltiades]]
* [[490 BC]]: [[Phidippides (Marathon runner)|Phidippides]] runs 40 kilometers from [[Marathon, Greece|Marathon]] to [[Athens]] to announce the news of the Greek victory; origin of the [[marathon (sport)|marathon]] long-distance race.

===[[480s BC]]===
* [[489 BC]]: Cities of [[Rhodes]] unite and start construction of the new city of Rhodes.
* [[488 BC]]: [[Leonidas I]] succeeds his brother [[Cleomenes I]] as king of [[Sparta]] after Cleomenes is judged insane.
* [[487 BC]]: [[Egypt]] revolts against the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persians]].
* [[487 BC]]: [[Aegina]] and [[Athens]] go to war.
* [[487 BC]]: Athenian Archonship becomes elective by lot, an important milestone in the move towards radical [[Athenian democracy]].
* [[487 BC]]: [[Siaspiqa]] becomes ruler of the [[Kingdom of Kush|Kushite kingdom of Meroe]].
* [[486 BC]]: First part of the [[Grand Canal of China]] is built.
* [[486 BC]]: [[Xerxes I]] succeeds [[Darius I]] as Great King of [[Persia]].
* [[486 BC]]: Egypt revolts against Persian rule.
* [[486 BC]]: [[First Buddhist Council]] at Rejgaha, under the patronage of King [[Ajatashatru]]. Oral tradition established for the first time.
* 
* [[484 BC]]: Athenian playwright [[Aeschylus]] wins a poetry prize.
* [[484 BC]]: Xerxes I abolishes the [[Neo-Babylonian empire|Kingdom of Babel]] and removes the golden statue of [[Bel (mythology)|Bel]] ([[Marduk]], [[Merodach]]).
* [[484 BC]]: Persians regain control of Egypt.
* [[483 BC]]: [[Gautama Buddha]] dies.
* [[483 BC]]: Xerxes I of Persia starts planning his expedition against [[Greece]]
* [[481 BC]]: The [[Isthmus of Corinth]] ends a war between Athens and Aegina.
* [[480 BC]]: King Xerxes I of Persia sets out to conquer Greece.
* [[480 BC]]: [[Cimon]] and his friends burn horse-bridles as an offering to [[Athena]] and join the marines
* [[480 BC]]: [[Pleistarchus]] succeeds his father Leonidas I as king of [[Sparta]].
* August, [[480 BC]]: [[Battle of Artemisium]]—The [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian]] fleet fights an inconclusive battle with the Greek allied fleet.
* August 11, [[480 BC]]: The [[Battle of Thermopylae]], a costly victory by Persians over the Greeks.
* September 23, [[480 BC]]: [[Battle of Salamis]] between Greece and Persia, leading to a Greek victory.
* [[480 BC]]: [[Battle of Himera (480 BC)|Battle of Himera]]—The [[Carthage|Carthaginians]] under [[Hamilcar]] are defeated by the Greeks of [[Sicily]], led by [[Gelon of Syracuse]].
* [[480 BC]]: [[Roman Republic|Roman]] troops march against the [[Veii|Veientines]].

===[[470s BC]]===
* [[479 BC]]: The [[Battle of Plataea]], the [[Ancient Greece|Greek]]s defeat the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persians]], ending the [[Persian Wars]].
* [[479 BC]]: [[Battle of Mycale]].
* [[479 BC]]: [[Potidaea]] is struck by a [[tsunami]].
* [[479 BC]]: Chinese philosopher [[Confucius]] dies.
* [[478 BC]]: Establishment of the [[Temple of Confucius]] at (modern-day) [[Qufu]].
* [[477 BC]]: The [[Delian League]] is inaugurated.
* [[476 BC]]: [[Archidamus II]] succeeds his grandfather [[Leotychides]], who is banished to [[Tegea]], as king of [[Sparta]].
* [[475 BC]]: [[King Yuan of Zhou|King Xuan of Zhou]] becomes King of the [[Zhou dynasty]].
* [[474 BC]]: [[Battle of Cumae]]—The [[Syracuse, Italy|Syracusans]] under [[Hiero I]] defeat the [[Etruscans]] and end [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]] expansion in [[southern Italy]].
* [[474 BC]]: [[Greek literature|Greek]] [[poet]] [[Pindar]] moves to [[Thebes, Greece|Thebes]].
* [[473 BC]]: The [[China|Chinese]] [[Wu (state)|State of Wu]] is annexed by the [[Yue (state)|State of Yue]].
* [[472 BC]]: [[Carystus]] in [[Euboea]] is forced to join the [[Delian League]] (approximate date).
* [[472 BC]]: The [[tragedy]] ''[[The Persians]]'' is produced by [[Aeschylus]].
* [[471 BC]]: Athenian [[politician]] [[Themistocles]] is [[ostracism|ostracized]].

===[[460s BC]]===
* [[469 BC]]: Philosopher [[Socrates]] is born in Attica, Athens, Greece.
* [[468 BC]]: [[Sophocles]], [[Theatre of ancient Greece|Greek]] [[playwright]], defeats [[Aeschylus]] for the [[Athenian Prize]].
* [[468 BC]]: [[Antium]] captured by [[Roman Republic|Roman]] forces.
* [[468 BC]]: [[King Zhending of Zhou]] becomes King of the [[Zhou dynasty]] of [[China]].
* [[466 BC]]: [[Delian League]] defeats [[Persia]] at the [[Battle of Eurymedon]].
* [[466 BC]]: The [[ancient Greece|Greek]] [[colony]] of [[Taranto|Taras]], in [[Magna Graecia]], is defeated by ''[[Iapyges]]'', a native population of ancient [[Apulia]]; [[History of Taranto|Tarentine]] [[monarchy]] falls, with the installation of a [[democracy]] and the expulsion of the [[Pythagoreanism|Pythagoreans]].
* [[465 BC]]: King [[Xerxes I]] of the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian Empire]] is murdered by [[Artabanus of Persia|Artabanus the Hyrcanian]]. He is succeeded by [[Artaxerxes I of Persia|Artaxerxes I]], possibly with Artabanus acting as [[Regent]].
* [[465 BC]]: [[Thasos]] revolts from the [[Delian League]].
* [[464 BC]]: An [[464 BC Sparta earthquake|earthquake]] in ancient [[Sparta]], [[Ancient Greece|Greece]] leads to a [[Helots|Helot]] uprising and strained relations with [[Athens]], one of the factors that lead to the [[Peloponnesian War]].
* [[464 BC]]: [[Regent]] King [[Artabanus of Persia]] is killed by his charge [[Artaxerxes I of Persia|Artaxerxes I]].
* [[464 BC]]: Third [[Messenian war]].
* [[462 BC]]: The revolt of [[Thasos]] against the [[Delian League]] comes to an end with their surrender.
* [[461 BC]]: [[Athens|Athenian]] [[politician]] [[Cimon]] is [[ostracism|ostracized]].
* [[460 BC]]: [[Egypt]] revolts against [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]], starting a six-year war. An [[Athens|Athenian]] force sent to attack [[Cyprus]] is diverted to support this revolt.
* [[460 BC]]: [[Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus|Cincinnatus]] becomes [[Roman consul|consul]] of the [[Roman Republic]].
* [[460 BC]]: Physician [[Hippocrates]] is born in Kos, Greece.
* [[460 BC]]: [[Udayin]] succeeds his father [[Ajatashatru|Ajatashartu]] to become king of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]]. Third king of [[Haryanka dynasty]].
*

===[[450s BC]]===
*[[459 BC]]: [[Pleistoanax]] succeeds his father [[Pleistarchus]] as king of [[Sparta]].
*[[459 BC]]: Destruction of the [[Sicily|Sicilian]] town of [[Morgantina]] by [[Ducetius|Douketios]], leader of the [[Sicels|Sikels]], according to [[Diodorus Siculus|Diodoros Siculus]].
*[[459 BC]]: [[Ezra]] leads the second body of [[Jews]] from [[Babylon]] to [[Jerusalem]].
*[[458 BC]]: [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] [[playwright]] [[Aeschylus]] completes the [[Oresteia]], a [[trilogy]] that tells the story of a family blood feud. The plays will have a great influence on future writers.
*[[458 BC]]: [[Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus|Cincinnatus]] is named [[Roman dictator|dictator]] of the [[Roman Republic]] in order to defend it against [[Aequi]]. Sixteen days later, after defeating the invaders at the [[Battle of Mount Algidus]], he resigns and returns to his farm.
*[[457 BC]]: [[History of Athens|Athenian]] [[Politician|statesman]] [[Pericles]]' greatest reform, allowing common people to serve in any state office, inaugurates [[Fifth-century Athens|Golden Age]] of Ancient [[Athens]].
*[[457 BC]]: [[Battle of Tanagra (457 BC)|Battle of Tanagra]]—The [[Sparta]]ns defeat the [[Athens|Athenians]], near [[Thebes, Greece|Thebes]].
*[[457 BC]]: [[Battle of Oenophyta]]—The [[Athens|Athenians]] defeat the [[Thebes, Greece|Thebans]] and take control of [[Thebes, Greece|Boeotia]].
*[[457 BC]]: Decree of [[Artaxerxes I of Persia|Artaxerxes I]] to re-establish the city government of [[Jerusalem]]. See Ezra 7, Daniel 9 and Nehemiah 1 in [[Old Testament]].
*[[455 BC]]: A thirty years' [[truce]] concluded between [[Athens]] and [[Lacedaemon]].
*[[455 BC]]: [[Euripides]] presents his first known [[tragedy]], ''[[Peliades]]'', in the [[Athens|Athenian]] [[festival]] of [[Dionysia]].
*[[454 BC]]: [[Athens]] loses a fleet and possibly as many as 50,000 men in a failed attempt to aid an [[Egypt]]ian revolt against [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]].
*[[454 BC]]: The [[treasury]] of the [[Delian League]] is moved from [[Delos]] to [[Athens]].
*[[454 BC]]: Hostilities between [[Segesta]] and [[Selinunte]], two [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] cities on [[Sicily]].
*[[453 BC]]: [[Taiyuan]], a city in [[China]], gets flooded.
*[[451 BC]]: [[Athens]] makes peace with [[Sparta]] and wages a war against [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]].
*[[451 BC]]: The [[decemviri]] come to power in the [[Roman Republic]]. They enact the [[twelve tables]], the foundation of [[Roman Law]].
*[[450 BC]]: [[Wars of the Delian League]]: [[Athenians]] under [[Cimon]] defeat the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian]] fleet.
*[[450 BC]]: [[Perdiccas II of Macedon|Perdiccas II]] succeeds [[Alexander I of Macedon|Alexander I]] as king of [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonia]] (approximate date).
*[[450 BC]] to [[325 BC]]: [[Olmec]]s leave [[La Venta]], and it becomes depopulated by 325 BC.

===[[440s BC]]===
* [[449 BC]]: The [[Peace of Callias]] between the [[Delian League]] and [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]] ends the [[Persian Wars]].
* [[449 BC]]: Construction begins on the [[Temple of Hephaestus]] in [[Athens]].
* [[449 BC]]: The [[Twelve Tables]] are promulgated to the people of [[Rome]]—the first public laws of the [[Roman Republic]].
* [[449 BC]]: [[Roman Republic|Romans]] revolt against the [[decemvirate]]. The [[decemvirs]] resign and the [[tribunate]] is re-established.
* [[449 BC]]: [[Herodotus]] completes his ''[[The Histories of Herodotus|History]]'', which records the events concerning the [[Greco-Persian Wars|Persian War]].
* [[448 BC]]: [[Phidias]] finishes a 9 meter high statue of [[Athena]] on the [[Acropolis, Athens|Acropolis]].
* [[447 BC]]: [[Athens]] begins construction of the [[Parthenon]], at the initiative of [[Pericles]].
* [[447 BC]]: [[Battle of Coronea (447 BC)|Battle of Coronea]]—The [[Athens|Athenians]] are driven out of [[Boeotia]].
* [[447 BC]]: [[Achaeus of Eretria]], a [[Greece|Greek]] [[playwright]], shows his first play.
* [[445 BC]]: [[Pericles]] declares [[Thirty Years' Peace]] between [[Athens]] and [[Sparta]].
* [[445 BC]]: [[Artaxerxes I]] gives [[Nehemiah]] permission to rebuild [[Jerusalem]].
* [[445 BC]]: The [[Lacus Curtius]] is created by a lightning strike in [[Rome]]. It is consecrated by [[Gaius]], [[Mettius]] or [[Marcus Curtius]].
* [[443 BC]]: The [[Roman Republic]] creates the office of [[Roman censor|censor]], initially exclusive to [[Patrician (ancient Rome)|patrician]]s.
* [[443 BC]]: Foundation of the [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] [[colony]] of [[Thurii]] in [[Italy]]. Its [[colonist]]s include [[Herodotus]] and [[Lysias]].
* [[442 BC]]: [[Sophocles]] writes ''[[Antigone (Sophocles)|Antigone]]''.
* [[441 BC]]: [[King Ai of Zhou]] becomes King of the [[Zhou dynasty]] of [[China]] but dies before the year's end.
* [[440 BC]]: [[Famine]] in [[Rome]].
* [[440 BC]]: [[King Kao of Zhou]] becomes King of the [[Zhou dynasty]] of [[China]].
* [[440 BC]]: [[Democritus]] proposes the existence of indivisible particles, which he calls [[atom]]s.

===[[430s BC]]===
* [[439 BC]]: [[Cincinnatus]] again becomes [[Roman dictator|dictator]] of the [[Roman Republic]]; during his term he defeats the [[Volsci]].
* [[439 BC]]: According to [[legend]], [[Gaius Servilius Ahala]] saves [[ancient Rome|Rome]] from [[Spurius Maelius]].
* [[438 BC]]: [[Ictinus]] and [[Callicrates]] finish construction of the [[Parthenon]], located on [[Athens]]' [[Acropolis]].
* [[435 BC]]: The [[Statue of Zeus at Olympia]] by [[Phidias]], one of the seven [[wonders of the world]], is completed.
* [[434 BC]]: Conflict occurs between the [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] island of [[Corfu|Kerkyra]] and its mother-city [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]].
* [[434 BC]]: [[Anaxagoras]] tries to [[Squaring the circle|square the circle]] with a [[straightedge]] and [[compass]].
* [[433 BC]]: [[Battle of Sybota]] between [[Corfu|Kerkyra]] and [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]].
* [[433 BC]] (or later): [[Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng|Burial of Marquis Yi of Zeng]] in [[China]].
* [[432 BC]]: [[Athens]] adopts a 19-year cycle of synchronizing [[solar calendar|solar]] and [[lunar calendar]]s.
* [[432 BC]]: [[Athens]] defeats [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]] in the [[battle of Potidaea]].
* [[432 BC]]: The [[Greece|Greek]] [[colony]] of [[Heraclea (Lucania)|Heraclea]] is founded by [[Taranto|Tarentum]] and [[Thurii]].
* [[431 BC]]: The [[Peloponnesian War]] begins between [[Sparta]] and [[Athens]] and their allies.
* [[431 BC]]: Defeat of the [[Aequi]] by the [[Roman Republic|Romans]] under the [[Roman dictator|dictator]] [[Aulus Postumius Tubertus]].
* [[431 BC]]: The [[ancient Greece|Greek]] [[physician]] and [[philosopher]] [[Empedocles]] articulates the notion that the human body has [[the four humors|four humors]]: [[blood]], [[bile]], [[black bile]], and [[phlegm]], a belief that dominates [[medicine|medical]] thinking for centuries.
* [[430 BC]]: [[Athens]] suffers a major [[Epidemic|pestilence]], believed to be caused by [[epidemic typhus]].
*[[430 BC]]: The philosopher [[Xenophon]] is born.
* c. [[430 BC]]: First performance of [[Sophocles]]'s ''[[Oedipus Rex]]''.

===[[420s BC]]===
* [[429 BC]]: [[Battle of Chalcis]]—[[Chalcidians]] and their allies are defeated by [[Athens]].
* [[429 BC]]: [[Battle of Naupactus (429 BC)|Battle of Naupactus]]—[[Phormio]] defeats the [[Peloponnesian]] fleet.
* [[429 BC]]: An [[Plague of Athens|outbreak of a plague]] kills over one-third of the population of [[Athens]].
* [[429 BC]]: King [[Sitalkes]] of [[Thrace]] invades [[Macedon]]ia.
* [[428 BC]]: [[Mytilene]] rebels against [[Athens]] but is crushed.
* [[428 BC]]: [[Sparta]] attempts to crush a rebellion on [[Corcyra]], but cancels the effort when the Athenians try to intercept them.
* [[428 BC]]: The Greek colony of [[Cumae]] in [[Italy]] falls to the [[Samnites]].
* [[427 BC]]: The leaders of the Mytilenian revolt are executed.
* [[427 BC]]: [[Plataea|Platea]] surrenders to the Spartans, who execute over 200 prisoners and destroy the city.
* [[427 BC]]: The Athenians intervene in [[Sicily]] to blockade Sparta from the island.
* [[428 BC]]: The philosopher [[Plato]] is born.
* [[426 BC]]: [[Demosthenes]] unsuccessfully besieges the [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]]ian colony of [[Leukas]].
* [[426 BC]]: When [[Ambracia]] invades [[Acarnania]], they seek help from the Spartans and Athenians respectively. The Athenians then defeat the Spartans in the [[Battle of Olpae]].
* [[425 BC]]: Demosthenes captures the port of [[Pylos]] in the [[Peloponnesus]].
* [[425 BC]]: The Athenians invade [[Sphacteria]] and defeat the Spartans in the [[Battle of Pylos]].
* [[424 BC]]: [[Sicily]] withdraws from the war and expels every foreign power. Thus, [[Athens]] is forced to withdraw from the island.
* [[424 BC]]: The Athenians try to capture [[Megara]], but are defeated by the Spartans.
* [[424 BC]]: The Spartan general [[Brasidas]] captures [[Amphipolis]], which is a setback for Athens. [[Thucydides]] is held responsible for the Athenian failure and is ostracised. This gives him time to start writing his [[History of the Peloponnesian War|history book]].
* [[423 BC]]: The Athenians propose a cease-fire, which the Spartan general Brasidas ignores.
* [[422 BC]]: The Spartans defeat the Athenians in the [[Battle of Amphipolis]], where the Athenian [[Cleon]] and the Spartan [[Brasidas]] are both killed.
* [[421 BC]]: The [[Peace of Nicias]] puts a temporary end to the hostilities between [[Athens]] and [[Sparta]].
* [[420 BC]]: [[Alcibiades]] is elected [[strategos]] of Athens and begins dominating Athenian politics.

===[[410s BC]]===
* [[419 BC]]: The [[Peace of Nicias]] is broken when Sparta defeats [[Argos, Peloponnese|Argos]].
* [[418 BC]]: The Spartans win a major victory over the Athenians in the [[Battle of Mantinea (418 BC)|Battle of Mantinea]], the biggest land battle of the [[Peloponnesian War]].
* [[416 BC]]: The Athenians capture the island of [[Melos]] and treat the inhabitants with great cruelty.
* [[416 BC]]: The Athenians adhere to a plea of help from [[Sicily]] and start planning an invasion of the island.
* [[415 BC]]: The sacred [[Herma]]e busts in Athens are mutilated just before the expedition to Sicily is sent away. One of the culprits, [[Andocides]], is captured and is forced to turn informer. He names the other mutilators, among them Alcibiades, who are sentenced to death in their absence.
* [[415 BC]]: Alcibiades defects from Athens to Sparta after having learned about his death sentence.
* [[414 BC]]: The Athenians try to make a breakthrough in [[Sicilian Expedition|their siege]] of [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]] but are defeated by the Spartans.
* [[413 BC]]: [[Nāgadāsaka|Nagadaska]] is deposed by people of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]]. Thus, ending [[Haryanka dynasty]]. He succeeded by [[Shishunaga]] who founded [[Shaishunaga dynasty]].
* [[413 BC]]: [[Demosthenes (general)|Demosthenes]] suggests the Athenians leave Syracuse in order to return to Athens, where help is needed. However, [[Nicias]] refuses and they are again [[Battle of Syracuse (415 BC)|defeated in battle]] by the Spartans. Both Demosthenes and Nicias are killed.
* [[413 BC]]: [[Caria]] allies itself with Sparta.
* [[412 BC]]: The [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian Empire]] starts preparing an invasion of [[Ionia]] and signs a treaty with [[Sparta]] about it.
* [[411 BC]]: The democracy in Athens is overthrown and replaced by the oligarchic [[The Four Hundred (oligarchy)|Council of Four Hundred]]. This council is itself soon defeated and order is almost restored, when the Five Thousand start ruling. Early next year, they are also overthrown and the old democracy is restored.
* [[410 BC]]: Athens regains control over its vital grain route from the [[Black Sea]] by defeating Sparta in the [[Battle of Cyzicus]].

===[[400s BC (decade)|400s BC]]===
* [[409 BC]]: Athens recaptures [[Byzantium]], thereby putting an end to its revolt against Athens and taking control of the whole [[Bosporus]].
* [[409 BC]]: The city of [[Rhodes]] is founded.
* [[409 BC]]: The Carthaginians invade [[Sicily]].
* [[408 BC]]: The Persian king, [[Darius II of Persia|Darius II]], decides to aid Sparta in the war and makes his son [[Cyrus the Younger|Cyrus]] a [[satrap]]. However, Cyrus starts collecting an army to benefit his own interests, rather than his father's.
* [[408 BC]]: [[Alcibiades]] returns to Athens in triumph after an absence of seven years.
* [[407 BC]]: The Athenian fleet is routed by the Spartan one in the [[Battle of Notium]], which gives Alcibiades' opponents a reason to strip him of command. He never returns to Athens again.
* [[406 BC]]: Athens defeats Sparta in the [[Battle of Arginusae]] and the blockade of [[Conon]] is lifted.
* [[406 BC]]: Sparta sues for peace, but Athens rejects this.
* [[406 BC]]: The [[Carthage|Carthaginians]] once again invade Sicily and return to Carthage with spoils of war, but also with the plague.
* [[405 BC]]: The Spartan king [[Pausanias of Sparta|Pausanias]] lays siege to [[Athens]], which makes the city start starving.
* [[405 BC]]: [[Dionysius the Elder]] rises to power in [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]]. He signs a peace with Carthage and starts consolidating and expanding his influence.
* April 25, [[404 BC]]: Athens surrenders to Sparta, ending the [[Peloponnesian War]]. Sparta introduces an oligarchic system, the [[Thirty Tyrants]], in Athens.
* [[404 BC]]: [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]] rebels against Persian rule.
* [[403 BC]]: The Chinese state of [[Jin (Chinese state)|Jin]] is [[Partition of Jin|divided]] into three smaller nations.<ref name=Zhao2004>{{cite journal|last=Zhao|first=Dingxin|year=2004|title=Comment: Spurious Causation in a Historical Process: War and Bureaucratization in Early China|journal=American Sociological Review|volume=69|issue=4|pages=603–607|doi=10.1177/000312240406900407}}</ref>
* [[403 BC]]: The first [[hydraulic engineering]] in [[China]] for a large irrigation canal system is designed by [[Ximen Bao]].
* [[403 BC]]: Some exiled Athenians return to fight the Thirty Tyrants and restore democracy in Athens. They are, however, narrowly defeated by the Spartans in the [[Battle of Piraeus]]. After this, the Spartan king [[Pausanias of Sparta|Pausanias]] allows democracy to be restored in Athens.
* [[403 BC]]: [[Thrasybulus]] restores the Athenian democracy and grants an almost general amnesty.
* [[403 BC]]: The Athenians adopt the Ionian alphabet.
* [[401 BC]]: [[Cyrus the Younger]] rebels against the Persian king [[Artaxerxes II]] but is, however, eventually slain in battle.
* [[400 BC]]: After Cyrus has been killed, his Greek mercenaries make their way back to Greece, where Sparta is so impressed with their feats in and march through [[Persia]] that they declare war on the Persians.
* [[400 BC]]: The Carthaginians occupy [[Malta]].
* [[400 BC]]: The Egyptians successfully revolt against Persian rule.
* [[400 BC]]: [[London]] has its origins as far back as this time.
* [[400 BC]]: [[Jōmon period]] ends in [[Ancient Japan]].
* [[400 BC]]: The [[D'mt|Kingdom of D'mt]] is disestablished.

==Inventions, discoveries, introductions==
*[[Cast iron]] is first used in the Chinese [[Wu (state)|Kingdom of Wu]] with the innovation of the [[blast furnace]], and soon becomes widespread for agricultural tools and weapons during the [[Warring States]].
*[[Trebuchet]] [[catapult]] is first used by followers of the Chinese philosopher [[Mozi]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}
*The Greeks invent the [[Anchor]] with flukes.
*The Greeks start to use [[shear legs|shear-leg]] cranes for construction and loading of ships.
*The Greeks invent [[linear perspective]].
*The Greeks develop an indirect lost wax process for casting [[bronze]].
*The Chinese [[hydraulic]] engineer [[Ximen Bao]] (西門豹) oversees an enormous [[canal]] system for agricultural [[irrigation]], while employed by [[Marquis Wen of Wei]] (文侯) ([[445 BC]]–[[396 BC]]).
*The Chinese philosopher [[Li Kui (legalism)|Li Kui]] writes the ''Book of Law'' (Fajing, 法经) in [[407 BC]], the basis for the law codes of the following [[Qin dynasty]] and partially that of the [[Han dynasty]].
*Scholars commonly accept that the Hindu text the Bhagavad Gita was written.
*Creation of the [[Berlin Foundry Cup]] (early 5th century).
*The oldest known [[Maya calendar]]

==Sovereign states==
See: [[List of sovereign states in the 5th century BC]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Decades and years}}
{{Centuries}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:5th Century Bc}}
[[Category:5th century BC| ]]
[[Category:1st millennium BC|-5]]
[[Category:Centuries|-95]]