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| b. Asia Minor and the Aegean Islands |
| c. 800–680 |
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| Rise of the Ionian cities. The Ionian cities of Asia Minor were the wealthiest and most advanced Greek city-states in Archaic times and served as conduits for Near Eastern technology and culture entering Greece. The Ionian cities, particularly Miletus and Phocaea, were also leaders in the colonization movement. | 1 |
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| 757 |
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| Miletus colonized Cyzicus on the southern shore of the Propontus. | 2 |
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| 680–652 |
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| Beginnings of Lydian Conflict. King Gyges turned Lydia into the leading power in Asia Minor. He frequently attacked the Ionian cities but was unable to conquer them. | 3 |
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| 675 |
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| The Milesians send a colony to Abydos on the Hellespont. | 4 |
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| 630 |
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| The southern Aegean island of Thera colonized Cyrene in North Africa. | 5 |
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| 610 |
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| With permission of the Pharaoh Psammetichus I, Miletus founded a trading post in the Nile Delta, which developed into the Greek city of Naucratis (See Economy, Society, and Culture). | 6 |
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| 609–560 |
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| Alyattes of Lydia conquered Smyrna, but Miletus and Clazomenae continued to resist. Ionian culture reached its height, particularly in philosophy: Thales, Anaximenes, and Anaximander were all active at Miletus. | 7 |
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| 600 |
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| Phocaea settled Massalia (Marseilles) on the southern coast of Gaul. | 8 |
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| 560–546 |
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| The Lydian king Croesus conquered Ionia, though Miletus maintained its privileged position. Tyrants ruled most of the cities and paid tribute to Lydia. | 9 |
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| 546–499 |
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| Persian rule. Cyrus defeated Croesus in 546. The Persian general Harpagus subdued Ionia and installed pro-Persian tyrants. Miletus continued to enjoy a favored status. The Ionian cities were placed together with Lydia and Mysia in a single satrapy and ruled from Sardis. | 10 |
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