490s BC

This article concerns the period 499 BC – 490 BC.

499 BC

This section is transcluded from 499 BC. (edit | history)

By place

Greece

• After a failed attack on the rebellious island of Naxos in c. 501 BC (on behalf of the Persians), Aristagoras, tyrant of Miletus, to save himself from the wrath of Persia, plans a revolt with the Milesians and the other Ionians. With the encouragement of Histiaeus (his father-in-law and former tyrant of Miletus), Aristagoras induces the Ionian cities of Asia Minor to revolt against Persia, thus instigating the Ionian Revolt and beginning the Greco-Persian Wars between Greece and Persia.^[1][2] The pro-Persian tyrant of Mytilene is stoned to death.
• Miltiades the Younger, the ruler of the Thracian Chersonese, which has been under Persian suzerainty since approximately 514 BC, joins the Ionian revolt. He seizes the islands of Lemnos and Imbros from the Persians.
• Aristagoras seeks help with the revolt against the Persians from Cleomenes I, king of Sparta, but the Spartans are unwilling to respond.

Births

Transcluding articles: 499 BC, 498 BC, 497 BC, 496 BC, 495 BC, 494 BC, 493 BC, 492 BC, 491 BC, and 490 BC

496 BC

• Sophocles, Athenian dramatist and statesman (d. 406 BC)^[24]

495 BC

• Pericles, Athenian politician (d. 429 BC)

490 BC

• Empedocles, Greek philosopher (d. c. 430 BC)
• Zeno of Elea, Greek philosopher (d. c. 430 BC)

Deaths

Transcluding articles: 499 BC, 498 BC, 497 BC, 496 BC, 495 BC, 494 BC, 493 BC, 492 BC, 491 BC, and 490 BC

498 BC

• Amyntas I, king of Macedonia (b. c. 540 BC)
• Cleander, tyrant of Gela

497 BC

• Onesilus, King of Salamis

496 BC

• Sun Tzu, military philosopher and author of The Art of War (most likely a colloquial date) (b. 544 BC)^[25]
• King Helü of Wu, king of the Chinese State of Wu
• Marcus Valerius Volusus and Titus Herminius Aquilinus, both former Roman consuls died at the Battle of Lake Regillus
• Octavius Mamilius, ruler of Tusculum also died at the Battle of Lake Regillus
• Iccus of Epidaurus, Olympic boxer, died while boxing Cleomedes of Astypalaea

495 BC

• Pythagoras of Samos
• Tarquinius Superbus, former king of Rome died in exile in Cumae

494 BC

• Histiaeus, tyrant of Miletus

493 BC

• Agrippa Menenius Lanatus, former Roman consul.^[26]
• Cleisthenes^[27]

491 BC

• Hippocrates, tyrant of Gela^[28]

490 BC

• Hippias, tyrant of Athens
• Callimachus, war-archon of Athens
• Appius Claudius Sabinus Regillensis, legendary founder of the gens Claudia
• Pheidippides, messenger and soldier of Athens