4th century BC

Millennium: 1st millennium BC
Centuries: 5th century BC · 4th century BC · 3rd century BC
Decades: 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC
340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC
Categories: Births – Deaths
Establishments – Disestablishments

The 4th century BC started the first day of 400 BC and ended the last day of 301 BC. It is considered part of the Classical era, epoch, or historical period.

Contents

Overview

This century marked the height of Classical Greek civilization in all of its aspects. By the year 400 Greek philosophy, art, literature and architecture had spread far and wide, with the numerous independent Greek colonies that had sprung up throughout the lands of the eastern Mediterranean.

Arguably the most important series of political events in this period were the conquests of Alexander, bringing about the collapse of the once formidable Persian Empire and spreading Greek culture far into the east. Alexander dreamed of an east/west union, but when his short life ended, his vast empire was plunged into civil war as his generals each carved out their own separate kingdoms. Thus began the Hellenistic age, a period characterized by a more absolute approach to rule, with Greek kings taking on royal trappings and setting up hereditary successions. While a degree of democracy still existed in some of the remaining independent Greek cities, many scholars see this age as marking the end of classical Greece.

Events

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

Decades and years

4th century BC
6th century BC←5th century BC← ↔ →3rd century BC→2nd century BC

409–400 BC 409 BC 408 BC 407 BC 406 BC 405 BC 404 BC 403 BC 402 BC 401 BC 400 BC
390s BC 399 BC 398 BC 397 BC 396 BC 395 BC 394 BC 393 BC 392 BC 391 BC 390 BC
380s BC 389 BC 388 BC 387 BC 386 BC 385 BC 384 BC 383 BC 382 BC 381 BC 380 BC
370s BC 379 BC 378 BC 377 BC 376 BC 375 BC 374 BC 373 BC 372 BC 371 BC 370 BC
360s BC 369 BC 368 BC 367 BC 366 BC 365 BC 364 BC 363 BC 362 BC 361 BC 360 BC
350s BC 359 BC 358 BC 357 BC 356 BC 355 BC 354 BC 353 BC 352 BC 351 BC 350 BC
340s BC 349 BC 348 BC 347 BC 346 BC 345 BC 344 BC 343 BC 342 BC 341 BC 340 BC
330s BC 339 BC 338 BC 337 BC 336 BC 335 BC 334 BC 333 BC 332 BC 331 BC 330 BC
320s BC 329 BC 328 BC 327 BC 326 BC 325 BC 324 BC 323 BC 322 BC 321 BC 320 BC
310s BC 319 BC 318 BC 317 BC 316 BC 315 BC 314 BC 313 BC 312 BC 311 BC 310 BC
309–300 BC 309 BC 308 BC 307 BC 306 BC 305 BC 304 BC 303 BC 302 BC 301 BC 300 BC
290s BC 299 BC 298 BC 297 BC 296 BC 295 BC 294 BC 293 BC 292 BC 291 BC 290 BC