487 BC

Centuries:	6th century BC · 5th century BC · 4th century BC
Decades:	510s BC 500s BC 490s BC 480s BC 470s BC 460s BC 450s BC
Years:	490 BC 489 BC 488 BC 487 BC 486 BC 485 BC 484 BC

Events

The island of Aegina and Athens go to war. The island had earned the enmity of Athens by earlier submitting to the Persians. The Spartan King, Leotychides, tries unsuccessfully to arrange a truce in the war.
Athenian Archonship becomes elective by lot from all the citizens, an important milestone in the move towards radical Athenian democracy. There are nine archons and a secretary. Three of the archons have special functions: the basileus, or sovereign; the polemarch (originally a military commander); and the archon eponymous (chief magistrate), who gave his name to the year.

Burn, A.R., "The Pelican History of Greece", Penguin Books, England, 1987.
Hornblower, S. & Spawforth, T., ed. "Who's Who in the Classical World", Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2000.
Mellersh, H.E.L., "Chronology of the Ancient World", Barrie & Jenkins, London, 1976.
Trager, J., "The People's Chronology", Aurum Press, London, 1992.