491 BC Chr.

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491 BC Chr.
The Persian great king Darius I demands the submission of the Greek Poleis to the Achaemenid Empire .
491 BC Chr. In other calendars
Buddhist calendar	53/54 (southern Buddhism); 52/53 (alternative calculation according to Buddha's Parinirvana )
Chinese calendar	36th (37th) cycle , year of the metal dog庚戌 ( at the beginning of the year Earth-Rooster 己酉)
Greek calendar	1./2. Year of the 72nd Olympiad
Jewish calendar	3270/71
Roman calendar	from urbe condita CCLXIII (263)
Ongoing events
Persian Wars against Greece (since 500 BC)
Nok culture in Africa (since around 500 BC)
Sa Huynh culture in Central and South Vietnam (since around 500 BC)
27th Dynasty (Persian rule) (since 525 BC) during the Late Period in Egypt (since 664 BC)
Attic vase painting in Greece: Red-figure vase painting (since 530 BC) Black-figure vase painting (since 630 BC)
Iron Age III in Israel (since 587 BC)
Hallstatt period HaD in Europe (since 650 BC)
Eastern Zhou dynasty / period of spring and autumn annals in China (since 770/722 BC)
Dong-Son culture in northern Vietnam and southern China (since around 800 BC)
Middle Preclassic period among the Maya (since approx. 900 BC)
Antiquity in the Mediterranean region (since approx. 1200/800 BC) Classical Age in Greece (since around 500 BC)
La Venta period among the Olmecs in Mesoamerica (since approx. 1500 BC)

The year 491 BC After the only moderately successful campaign of the Persians in the previous year, BC passes mainly with diplomatic maneuvers. The Persian great king Dareios I sends envoys to Greece demanding submission. But even if most of the Poleis bow to the pressure of the Achaemenid Empire , the local powers Athens and Sparta and their respective allies emphatically reject the Persian demands. In Sparta even one of the two kings , Damaratos , was deposed and expelled because of his attitude that was too friendly to Persians.

Events

Politics and world events

Persian Wars

Dareios I (Greek vase painting)

The Persian great king Dareios I sends out envoys who demand the submission of the Greek Poleis to the Achaemenid Empire in the form of a symbolic surrender of earth and water. Many city-states in northern and central Greece are giving in to the pressure for fear of an attack by the Persians . Only a few, especially Athens and also Sparta with its Peloponnesian allies , refuse and kill the embassies. In Athens, the expansion of the fleet and the port of Piraeus started by Themistocles is now being continued.

Sparta

In Sparta , the conflict between the two rulers of the dual kingship , which has been smoldering for years, breaks out: King Cleomenes I of the Agiads would like to lead a punitive expedition against Aegina , which, as a member of the Peloponnesian League , has submitted to the Persians However, he did not enforce resistance from his fellow king Damaratus . He then brings the complaint that Damaratos is not a legitimate member of the ruling dynasty of the Eurypontids and has this statement supported by the bribed priestess of the oracle of Delphi . Damaratos is then deposed and goes into exile in the Persian Empire . He is succeeded by Leotychidas II , who is in league with Cleomenes.

Sicily

Hippocrates , who made Gela the most powerful city in Sicily during his reign , is killed in one of his numerous campaigns during the siege of Hybla Heraia . An uprising broke out among his sons in Gela, which was put down by Gelon , the commander of the cavalry. Gelon uses his success, however, to put himself on the throne as the tyrant of the Greek colony .

Roman Republic

According to legend, Marcus Minucius Augurinus and Aulus Sempronius Atratinus were consuls of the early Roman Republic for the second time after the year 497 . Popular tribunes are Marcus Decius and Lucius Sicinius Vellutus.

Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus , who fiercely opposes the people's tribune, advocates the abolition of this office , is charged with attempting to overturn the constitution and inciting the Senate against the plebeians . The tribunes are calling for the death penalty, but negotiations with the reluctant Senate set its sentence on perpetual eviction. Then Coriolanus goes to warring with Rome Volscians .

Died

Hippocrates of Gela , tyrant of Gela, on a campaign against the Sikelians