The Epic Cycle (Poems of the Trojan cycle: Cypria, Aethiopis, Little Iliad, etc., c. 7th–4th century BCE)

1. Archaic Greek epic tradition coalesces

   Jan 1, 700 BCELabels: Archaic Greece, Dactylic Hexameter

   • Britannica

2. Cypria composed (lost Trojan War prelude)

   Jan 1, 700 BCELabels: Cypria, Stasinus

   • Cypria
   • Photios 239

3. Aethiopis composed (Achilles after the Iliad)

   Jan 1, 700 BCELabels: Aethiopis, Arctinus

   • Aethiopis
   • Livius

4. Little Iliad composed (events toward Troy’s fall)

   Jan 1, 650 BCELabels: Little Iliad, Lesches

   • Little Iliad
   • Cyclic Poets

5. Iliou Persis composed (sack of Troy)

   Jan 1, 650 BCELabels: Iliou Persis, Sack of

   • Iliupersis
   • Cyclic Poets

6. Nostoi composed (returns of Greek heroes)

   Jan 1, 600 BCELabels: Nostoi

   • Nostoi
   • Epic Cycle

7. Telegony composed (post-Odyssey sequel)

   Jan 1, 570 BCELabels: Telegony, Eugammon

   • Telegony
   • Eugamon

8. Herodotus references Cypria; disputes Homeric authorship

   Jan 1, 450 BCELabels: Herodotus, Cypria

   • Epic Cycle
   • Herodotus

9. Aristotle critiques cyclic plotting in Poetics

   Jan 1, 330 BCELabels: Aristotle, Poetics

   • Epic Cycle
   • Poetics

10. “Epic Cycle” named as a set in Roman-era sources

    Jan 1, 150Labels: Epic Cycle, Roman sources

    • Epic Cycle
    • West OUP

11. Eutychius Proclus compiles Chrestomathy summaries

    Jan 1, 160Labels: Proclus, Chrestomathy

    • Eutychius Proclus
    • West OUP

12. Photios preserves notice of Proclus on cyclic epics

    Jan 1, 850Labels: Photios, Bibliotheca

    • Photios 239
    • Photios

13. Venetus A manuscript preserves key Epic Cycle summary

    Jan 1, 950Labels: Venetus A, Iliad scholia

    • Venetus A
    • Epic Cycle