6 moments

1. Birth at Eleusis

   0525-01-01 BC · Eleusis, Attica, Greece

   

   Aeschylus was born at Eleusis, the Attic town associated with the Mysteries of Demeter and Kore. This was his family’s deme and remained central to his identity. The source gives an approximate birth year; 525/524 BC is also commonly reported.

2. Fought at Marathon

   0490-01-01 BC · Battlefield of Marathon, Attica, Greece

   

   Aeschylus fought alongside his brother Cynegeirus in the Athenian defense against Darius I’s invading army at Marathon. His participation became the achievement emphasized by his epitaph. Coordinates are a representative point for the Marathon battlefield.

3. Military service at Salamis

   0480-01-01 BC · Strait of Salamis, Attica, Greece

   

   Aeschylus was called into military service against Xerxes I’s invasion and took part in the Battle of Salamis with his younger brother Ameinias. Coordinates represent the central Strait of Salamis rather than a precisely documented ship position.

4. Fought at Plataea

   0479-01-01 BC · Battlefield of Plataea, Boeotia, Greece

   

   Aeschylus fought in the Greek infantry victory at Plataea, completing the sequence of Persian-War engagements attributed to him by ancient biographical tradition. Coordinates are a representative point for the ancient battlefield area near Plataea.

5. Final Sicilian visit to Gela

   0458-01-01 BC · Gela, Sicily, Italy

   

   After the production of the Oresteia at Athens, Aeschylus made his final documented move to Sicily, visiting Gela, where he spent his final years.

6. Death at Gela

   0456-01-01 BC · Gela, Sicily, Italy

   

   Aeschylus died while visiting Gela in Sicily. Ancient and modern accounts differ slightly between 456 and 455 BC for the year of death. The source gives 456/455 BC; 456 BC is used as the conventional chronological year.