Era/Date: Greek myth
Event: Trojan War
Location: Troy
Play: Troilus and Cressida
Era/Date: Greek myth
Event: Theseus King of Athens
Location: Athens
Play: The Two Noble Kinsmen
Era/Date: c. tenth–ninth century BC?
Event: Leir King of Britain (legendary)
Location: Britain
Play: King Lear
Era/Date: 535–510 BC
Event: Tarquin II King of Rome
Location: Rome
Play: The Rape of Lucrece
Era/Date: 493 BC
Event: Caius Martius captures Corioli
Location: Italy
Play: Coriolanus
Era/Date: 431–404 BC
Event: Peloponnesian war
Location: Greece
Play: Timon of Athens
Era/Date: Mar. 17, 45 BC
Event: Battle of Munda: Caesar’s victory over Pompey’s sons
Location: Munda, Spain
Play: Julius Caesar
Era/Date: Oct. 45 BC
Event: Caesar returns to Rome for triumph
Location: Rome
Play: Julius Caesar
Era/Date: Mar. 15, 44 BC
Event: Assassination of Caesar
Location: Rome
Play: Julius Caesar
Era/Date: Nov. 27, 43 BC
Event: Formation of Second Triumvirate
Location: Rome
Play: Julius Caesar
Era/Date: Oct. 42 BC
Event: Battle of Philippi
Location: Philippi, Macedonia
Play: Julius Caesar
Era/Date: Winter 41–40 BC
Event: Antony visits Cleopatra
Location: Egypt
Play: Antony and Cleopatra
Era/Date: Oct. 40 BC
Event: Pact of Brundisium; marriage of Antony and Octavia
Location: Italy
Play: Antony and Cleopatra
Era/Date: 39 BC
Event: Pact of Misenum between Pompey and the triumvirs
Location: Campania, Italy
Play: Antony and Cleopatra
Era/Date: 39–38 BC
Event: Ventidius defeats the Parthians in a series of engagements
Location: Syria
Play: Antony and Cleopatra
Era/Date: 34 BC
Event: Cleopatra and her children proclaimed rulers of the eastern Mediterranean
Location: Alexandria
Play: Antony and Cleopatra
Era/Date: Sep. 2, 31 BC
Event: Battle of Actium
Location: On the coast of western Greece
Play: Antony and Cleopatra
Era/Date: Aug. 30 BC
Event: Death of Antony
Location: Alexandria
Play: Antony and Cleopatra
Era/Date: Aug. 12, 30 BC
Event: Death of Cleopatra
Location: Alexandria
Play: Antony and Cleopatra
Era/Date: Early first century AD
Event: Cunobelinus/Cymbeline rules Britain (and dies before AD 43)
Location: Britain
Play: Cymbeline
Era/Date: During the reign of a fictional (late?) Roman emperor
Location: Rome
Play: Titus Andronicus
Era/Date: c. ninth–tenth century AD
Event: Existence of legendary Amleth?
Location: Denmark
Play: Hamlet
Era/Date: Aug. 15, 1040
Event: Death of Duncan I of Scotland
Location: Bothnguane, Scotland
Play: Macbeth
Era/Date: 1053
Event: Malcolm invades Scotland
Location: Scotland
Play: Macbeth
Era/Date: Aug. 15, 1057
Event: Death of Macbeth
Location: Lumphanan, Scotland
Play: Macbeth
Era/Date: Oct. 7, 1571
Event: Naval battle of Lepanto between Christians and Turks
Location: The Mediterranean, off the coast of Greece
Play: A context for Othello