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The chronology of this period has been the subject of much disagreement. The important questions are these: When did the great earthquake at Sparta take place? When did the Messenians rebel and when was their rebellion put down? When did the Athenians begin their Egyptian campaign and when did it end? How are these events in foreign affairs related chronologically to such domestic events as the attack on the Areopagus and the ostracism of Cimon? My answers are essentially the ones that may be derived by putting together the chronological reconstructions of Gomme, Hist. Comm., I, 389–413, the ATL, III, 158–180, and Hignett, 337–341. I believe that the earthquake came in 464, that the helot rebellion took place at the same time, and that it came to an end in 461/60. (See p. 79, n. 5.) W. Scharf (Historia, III [1954/5], 153–162) and N. G. L. Hammond (Historia, IV, [1955], 371–381) believe that the rebellion of the Messenians began in 469/8. Reece (JHS, LXXXII [1962], 111–120) thinks it ended in 455. I think the Egyptian uprising occurred in the winter of 461/60, that the Athenians became involved in the spring of 460, and that the great disaster occurred in the summer of 454. J. Barns (Historia, II [1953–4], 163–176) and W. Scharf (Historia, III [1954–5], 308–325) argue for dating the Egyptian campaign from 462 or 461 to 456. W. Wallace (TAPA, LXVII [1936], 252–260) places it from 459 to 453. On the domestic scene, I believe that Ephialtes’ attacks on the Areopagites began in 463 and continued until the final victory of the democrats. All this time I believe that he and Pericles were speaking in favor of their democratic program and against the extraordinary powers of the Areopagus. In 462 the Spartans asked for Athenian help, and Cimon persuaded the Athenians to send him at the head of four thousand hoplites. In his absence the democrats carried the reform of the Areopagus. On his return he tried to restore the old order but failed. In the spring of 461 he was ostracized. Not until the next year did the Athenians begin their involvement in Egypt.