Browsing People by period: 1000 – 500 BCE (40 records)
  • fl. 550 BCE, Greek

    Storyteller. His fable "The Tortoise and The Hare" taught that modesty, patience, hard-work, and perseverance will outlast the contrary qualities and ultimately triumph. Other fables taught similar lessons.

  • fl. 850 BCE

    King of Israel. His marriage to the Phoenician princess Jezebel and abandonment of monotheism incurred the wrath of the prophet Elijah and led to his eventual downfall.

  • fl. 620 BCE, Greek

    Poet. He celebrated both physical love and wine.

  • 835 – 765 BCE, Biblical

    Old Testament prophet. He expressed the value of monotheism, of obedience to God's Laws, and of the right to speak out against the transgressions of the powerful.

  • 611 – 547 BCE, Greek
  • 585 – 525 BCE, Greek

    Archaic Greek Pre-Socratic philosopher

  • fl. 650 BCE, Assyrian

    King of Assyria. The kings of Assyria were noted for their ruthlessness and cruelty, and several were assassinated. Assurbanipal, however, also promoted the arts and brought together texts for the first great ancient near-eastern library that we know of.

  • fl. 500 BCE, Roman

    Political leader. He was the founder of the Roman republic.

  • fl. 510 BCE, Roman

    Citizen soldier. An exemplar of courage, he stood alone on a bridge facing an entire Etruscan army until the city gates could be closed.

  • ? – 546 BCE, Lydian

    King. A symbol of wealth, he overreached and fell.

  • ? – 529 BCE, Persian

    King. He founded the Persian Empire. When King Croesus attacked him, he defeated him, but magnanimously spared his life and permitted him to live in comfort. As part of his policy of religious tolerance, he also ended the Babylonian captivity of the Jews and allowed them to reestablish their religion in Jerusalem.

  • 1040 – 970 BCE, Biblical

    King of Israel. In his battle with the Jewish giant Goliath, he exemplified youthful daring and courage. In his lust for the beautiful married woman, Bathsheba, he exemplified human weakness.

  • fl. 650 BCE, Greek

    Athenian archon. His Athenian laws were so severe they inspired the term "draconian."

  • fl. 850 BCE, Hebrew
  • fl. c. 750 – c. 650 BCE, Hebrew
  • 622 – 570 BCE, Biblical
  • ? – 514 BCE, Greek

    Political figure. With Aristogeiton, he killed the brother of the local tyrant Hippias and won fame as a freedom fighter.

  • fl. 750 BCE, Greek
  • fl. 850 BCE, Greek

    Poet. Legendary author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, which appear to have been oral poems handed down and modified by many generations of performers. The values represented are simple and bold. Competition is everything. Winning is everything. The prizes are mainly material. Strength and skill are important, but so are strategy and sometimes guile. We see these same values exemplified today in professional sports.

  • fl. 750 BCE, Biblical