Region: West Asia · Coordinates: 41.006, 28.974 · 24 events
| Year | Source | Account |
|---|---|---|
| 493 BC | Herodotus, Histories | The Phoenician fleet takes the Hellespont's left side; the Byzantines flee without fighting |
| 478 BC | Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War | Returning from Cyprus, he forces Byzantium, held by the Medes, to surrender |
| 471 BC | Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War | Pausanias goes again to Byzantium on a private ship and is besieged and expelled by Athens |
| 411 BC | Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War | Of Clearchus' 40 ships, 10 that escaped a storm reach the Hellespont and bring about Byzantium's defection |
| 410 BC | Diodorus Siculus, Library of History | Nearly the entire Athenian army entered Byzantium and fought fiercely. |
| 408 BC | Plutarch's Parallel Lives | He captures Byzantium |
| 408 BC | Xenophon, Hellenica | The Athenian army encircles Byzantium with a palisade and attacks. The governor Clearchus crosses over to meet Pharnabazus. |
| 408 BC | Xenophon, Hellenica | At night the traitors in Byzantium open the gate by the Thracian square to the Athenian army. Helixus and Koiratadas surrender and are sent to Athens. |
| 405 BC | Xenophon, Hellenica | After settling Lampsacus, Lysander goes to Byzantium and Chalcedon, receives their surrender, and withdraws the Athenian garrisons. |
| 400 BC | Xenophon, Anabasis (March of the Ten Thousand) | The whole army crosses to Byzantium. Anaxibius announces that they will be sent home, but without pay; they must leave the city with their weapons and baggage, and the soldiers, having no means for the journey, are furious. |
| 358 BC | Diodorus Siculus, Library of History | Chios, Rhodes, Cos and Byzantium defected, and the Social War against Athens broke out. |
| 340 BC | Diodorus Siculus, Library of History | When Philip besieged Byzantium, Athens declared the peace broken. |
| 340 BC | Plutarch's Parallel Lives | While Philip is off attacking Byzantium, sixteen-year-old Alexander serves as regent of Macedonia |
| 340 BC | Plutarch's Parallel Lives | Philip goes to the Hellespont aiming at the Chersonese, Perinthus and Byzantium |
| 220 BC | Polybius, Histories | Peace through the mediation of the Gallic king Cavarus |
| AD 53 | Tacitus, Annals and Histories | An envoy from Byzantium complains of heavy burdens and recalls its history |
| AD 193 | Cassius Dio, Roman History | Byzantium held out for three years against the armies of the world with ingenious defenses, such as divers cutting anchor cables and towing off enemy ships |
| AD 193 | Herodian, History of the Empire | Byzantium, which had sided with Niger, surrenders after a long siege. Its walls and ornaments are torn down, it is reduced to an open village, and its people are made subject to Perinthus. |
| AD 193 | Historia Augusta | Niger, who already holds Byzantium, moves against the legion Severus sent to occupy Greece and Thrace, aiming at Perinthus, and kills many |
| AD 193 | Zosimus, New History | When Severus is chosen emperor, Niger and Albinus oppose him and civil war breaks out. The people of Byzantium, who had taken Niger in, side with him and endure danger until Niger is defeated and killed. |
| AD 195 | Cassius Dio, Roman History | Starving Byzantines fled by ship during a storm, but the Roman fleet slaughtered them at sea; the sea was covered with corpses and wreckage |
| AD 196 | Cassius Dio, Roman History | Byzantium surrendered: soldiers and officials were executed, the city lost its independence and was made subject to Perinthus, and its walls were demolished (Dio himself saw the fallen walls) |
| AD 211 | Herodian, History of the Empire | A proposal to divide the empire: Antoninus would camp at Byzantium in Europe and Geta at Chalcedon in Asia. It fails because of their mother's opposition. |
| AD 324 | Zosimus, New History | While Licinius is inside Byzantium, Constantine follows, builds an earth rampart and wooden towers, brings siege engines, and surrounds the city. |