This timeline is based off of dusk's timeline from the Cythera Web Board. Several dates from the Cythera Hintbook have been added, along with a short explanation of the events associated with each date.
There is very little factual information known about Cythera before the humans arrived. During this period, the land was maintained as a balance between the four elements: North (Air), East (Sea), South (Fire), and West (Earth). One event that is known is that an Undine (beings of the sea) named Jinrai fled from her people with a Seldane (beings of the earth) named Jhiaxis. Together, they had one son, Bahoudin, a mixture of two of the four pillars. Jhiaxis' and Jinrai's union of earth and sea was heresy to their people. They were hunted down, and Jinrai was slain.
At some point, a war erupted between the elements. The Sylphs (beings made of air) were all but destroyed, the last Sylph imprisoned by the others for all eternity. The battle between the East and the West resulted with the Undine taking the upper hand. The Seldane were forced out of their cities by the corruption of the Undine's most powerful artifact: the Crolna. The balance of the four elements had been destroyed. Then, somehow, the humans arrived.
-- The Elementals
The origin of the humans in Cythera is mostly legend. It is believed that they came from Earth, from the island of Thera during the Minoan era. They were forced to flee their home by the Minoan eruption. En route to the island of Cythera, there was a massive storm. When the humans awoke, shipwrecked on the shore, they thought they had arrived on Earth's Cythera (as it was named), but they soon learned otherwise.
-- Cythera Hintbook, History of Kythera
After five years, the settlers had built a large enough city to give it a name, Cademia. Also in this year, a small hunting village was started on the eastern shore of the island, named Odemia.
For the past five years, the people had no longer had their ancient gods of Thera. During this time they were ruled by their priests. In 5 A.T., one young priest rose to absolute power -- the First Tyrant.
-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa
The First Tryant died around the age of 100 years, due to the shorter Cytheran years and the increased longevity somehow caused by the land. Despite his title, the First Tyrant was beloved by the people. Upon his death, his regent took power, becoming the Second Tyrant.
-- Cythera Hintbook
The Second Tyrant was not as kind and much-loved as his predecessor had been. Catamarca began as a retreat for the Second Tryant. Around this time, some people began to realize that they had the ability to perform magical wonders, a talent previously only found in members of the now-gone priest class, yet, these people were commoners. No one understood why only some had these powers, but those with powers began to meet to explore their abilities. As tensions grew between the classes, the Second Tyrant had a fortified castle built in Cademia.
-- Cythera Hintbook, Spas of Catamaraca, Magess Anisa
Although Odemia started as a small hunting village, it had grown over time to become an important supplier for Cademia. The Second Tyrant had the city heavily fortified to protect it from possible attacks.
-- Cythera Hintbook
As the mages became increasingly more organized, the Second Tyrant saw a growing threat. He exiled all of those with powers from any of the regions in his domain.
(Note: Magess Anisa states that the First Tyrant exiled the mages, but this is impossible, given the other dates we have. Therefore, her statement will be assumed to be an error.)
-- Cythera Hintbook, History of Kythera, Magess Anisa
Many of the exiled mages fled over the Titan's Spine mountains to the west of Cademia. There, outside of the Tyrant's reach, they founded the town of Pnyx.
-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa
Chrysothemis is born in Catamarca.
-- Catamarca gravestone
After the Second Tyrant's death, he was buried in an underground tomb beneath his castle in Cademia. His regent immediately took power as the Third Tyrant, who was even more merciless than those before.
-- Cythera Hintbook
There is some debate over when exactly the citadel in Catamarca was built. Some sources suggest that it had been built during the Second Tyrant's reign only shortly after the founding of Catamarca. Others say that it was not built until 174 A.T. Either way, the Catamarca Citadel served as a heavily guarded vacation home for the tyrants.
(Note: The Spas of Catamarca also states that the Second Tyrant was in power in 174 A.T., but this does not match the other dates. As with the exiling of the mages, this statement is assumed to be erroneous.)
-- Cythera Hintbook, Spas of Catamarca
By this time, Pnyx had become a well-known safe haven for the exiled mages. Some exiles, seeking to found a second mage-colony, began a new settlement along the coast south of Pnyx. The mage Tavara led the movement to start the new colony.
-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa
A charred manuscript was discovered in Pnyx in the bottom of a chest in this year. No one understood the language that the document was written in, but through experimenting with magic, some of the mages were able to piece together a rough translation of the document.
-- History of the Cipher Manuscript
Years after its founding, communication with Abydos was suddenly lost. An expedition was sent to investigate, and they found the town completely destroyed and the inhabitants gone. There were no signs of violence, although they reported that the town appeared as though it had been swept into the sea. No one knew what had become of the leader Tavara. There were also stories that the ruins of Abydos were haunted by the spirits of the mages who had lived their.
The Undine Omen later confirms that Abydos was destroyed by Tavara because the people would not follow him. The Air elemental UrSylph tells that Tavara's allies, the Undine, were responsible for wiping out the town.
-- Cythera Hintbook, Lost Settlement of Abydos, Magess Anisa, Omen, UrSylph
Began by the preachings of an unknown priest, a new cult was founded devoted to the worship of Scylla. These sea monsters had long been feared by the inhabitants of Cythera, as they destroyed any ships that sought to leave the coast of the island. The Cult of Scylla priests taught of the powers of these monsters. The cult began to grow, which became a great source of concern for the Third Tyrant.
-- Cythera Hintbook
Chrysothemis, the mother of Alaric and wife of Bahoudin, dies in Catamarca.
-- Catamarca gravestone
Some of the mages from Pnyx, like the Tyrant, had become worried about the teachings of the Cult of Scylla. They began investigating the cult closely. Their agent inside the cult was able to discover the existence of the "Hidden Chiefs" who were the true power behind the religion. They were unable to learn much more, except that there was magic involved beyond the power of human mages, as well as a connection between the Cult of Scylla and the lost settlement of Abydos. This connection was, of course, that the Cult of Scylla had been founded by the former mage Tavara, as confirmed by UrSylph.
-- Report on the Hidden Chiefs and the Cult of Scylla, UrSylph
Eventually, the Third Tyrant had become fearful enough that he sent an army to destroy the Cult of Scylla. It is known that the Outer Temple of the cult, on the western coast of Cythera, was destroyed. However, the Inner Brotherhood strongholds in the mountains remained.
-- Cythera Hintbook
The Age of the Tyrants ended when Alaric appeared in 216 A.T. He entered the court of the Tyrant, unnoticed by the guards, and after simply saying "The rule of Tyrants is over," the Third Tyrant, his family, and all those who had supported him were dead. He told the people that there would be a new age of freedom, but that they must choose the form of government. Once that was decided, he would return to oversee it.
-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa
There were three years of anarchy, as the only form of government Cythera had known for hundreds of years was suddenly gone. Soon, however, six individuals rose to power. These six, with the support of the people, were the founders of the six major houses: Attis, Atussa, Comana, Dodona, Nicander, and Strymon.
The system created by the founders of the houses was a form of democracy. Each house would be represented in the major cities, and the power of each would be determined by the votes of the citizens. Therefore, the citizens chose which house would hold the majority of power in their city. Alaric returned in this year, and enacted the house system. To ensure fairness, he brought the mages out of exile. Using their magic, they would be able to detect treachery and solve disputes. Thus, Judges were selected and placed in each city. They would report to Alaric, who would rule from his hall, Landking Hall, in the mountains. Many hundreds of years would pass peacefully under this system.
-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa
Members of House Comana started a new colony on the coast south of Cademia in 303 A.T. Kosha was the only Cytheran city controlled by only one house. As such, the position of Judge was mostly irrelevant.
-- Cythera Hintbook, Magess Anisa
A mage, experimenting with new magics, managed to create the first golem, creatures made of clay that would do their master's bidding.
-- Magess Anisa
Soon after the creation of the first golem, the mages learned of a major problem with the creatures: after their master died, no one could control them. Effectively, they become hostile and dangerous beings. Despite this problem, golems were still being created by mages as late as 700 A.T.
-- Magess Anisa
Eventually, the mages became sufficiently concerned about the risk posed by golems that they outlawed the creatures. An effort was started to hunt down and destroy the golems that remained. One courageous golem hunter remembered in history was Semius.
-- An Account of Semius the Golem Hunter, Magess Anisa
The golem hunter Semius disappeared in Cademia in 742 A.T. Some believed that he had found one of the mage Machaon's secret workrooms and was slain by the golem there.
An unknown event is also associated with this year. Two rings (one in the first stronghold of the Inner Brotherhood and one in the possession of Atreus, the Kosha gemsmith) bear the inscription "742 - Will to Union." The meaning of this phrase is uncertain. There is possibly a connection to the Cult of Scylla or Tavara due to one of the rings being in the Inner Brotherhood. Atreus blushes when the date 742 is mentioned, but he remains silent on the subject.
-- An Account of Semius the Golem Hunter, Magess Anisa, "Will to Union" rings, Atreus
Lycus is born in Catamarca.
-- Catamarca gravestone
Andra is born in Catamarca.
-- Catamarca gravestone
Hapmondis is born in Catamarca.
-- Catamarca gravestone
Andromache is born in Catamarca.
-- Catamarca gravestone
Lycus, the husband of Andra and the father of Hadrian, dies in Catamarca. Also in this year, Freemage and historian Anisa writes a brief history of Cythera. While not found in the game itself, the text of "The History of Cythera" is available in the Cythera Hintbook, serving as a source for a number of dates in this timeline, as well as the old Delver website prior to the release of Cythera.
-- Catamarca gravestone, Cythera Hintbook
Andra, the wife of Lycus and the mother of Hadrian, dies in Catamarca.
-- Catamarca gravestone
Hapmondis, the husband of Andromache and a servant of House Strymon, succumbs to the plague and dies in Catamarca. Likewise, his wife, Andromache, also a servant of House Strymon, dies from the plague.
-- Catamarca gravestone
There are several dates given in the game that are not specific, but some of these can be narrowed down to relatively few potiential times.
The game is likely set in 918 A.T. This can be deduced from several sources. Hadrian says that his mother died recently, and her tombstone gives the year of her death as 917 A.T. Metopes states that the plague in Catamarca only began about a month before the beginning of the game. The two House Strymon servants who died from the plague, Hapmondis and Andromache, died in 918 A.T. If they died within the last month, and that was the year 918, and Andra died 'recently,' then it is highly probable that the game is set in the early months of 918 A.T. Of course, the only problem with this reasoning is that Hadrian may have a broad definition of 'recently,' but if the date of the game were 919, then it would be going on two years since Andra's death.
Assuming 918 A.T. is the year the game is set in, the Freemage Idomeneus passed through Kosha in late 917 or early 918. When exactly he died is unkown, but it is likely only a short time before the plague began in Catamarca.
Milcom claims that he had spoken to Freemage Eioneus only a couple of years before the game. Thus, Eioneus has probably lived in the cave he is in during the game for a year or two.
Also, Canachus, the former elder of House Comana and the father of the three Comana brothers, was murdered three years before the game, probably 915 A.T. During this period, Kosha is referred to as having been a struggling farmtown. After the Comana brothers and their allies, the Undine, took over, Kosha began to prosper.
Stentor left Kosha about four years before the game, meaning probably 914 A.T. This was most likely the same year that Pelagon was murdered and replaced with an Undine and Prusa lost her sanity and left Kosha.
Based on Magess Anisa's words, Mage Machaon lived in Cademia from the early to mid-700's.
She also states that the problem with golems was discovered about twenty years after the first one was created. This suggests a date of around 683 A.T. It should also noted that she specifies that golems were outlawed 'by' 720 A.T., not necessarily in that year.
Polydamas claims that the Citadel in Catamarca was built around 700 years before the game. This would be about 218 A.T. Not only does this date disagree with the information given in the Spas of Catamarca and the Cythera Hintbook, but it also conflicts with the information Magess Anisa gives about when Alaric appeared and ended the Tyrant's rule. The actual number should be closer to 750 to 800 years ago.
Many characters say that Abydos was a colony from some 700 years ago. This is fairly close to accurate, as Magess Anisa confirms that the actual date was about 730 years before the game.
Magess Anisa states that the Sapphire Book of Foundation was traded to an Earth spirit nearly 750 years before the game, or around 168 A.T.
Lastly, there are some even more vague dates given in the game. Tlepolemus and Philinus were friends 'years back,' so that could be a fairly large timeframe, most likely sometime in the 900's or 910's. The Sapphire Book of Understanding was being used by a mage student a few years before the game, also probably in the 910's, after which it disappeared. Neoptolemus talks about the fashion of wearing grapes on belts back when he was a young merchant. This would probably be sometime around the mid to late-800's, depending on his age. Because people live longer and years are shorter in Cythera, Neoptolemus could have a large range of possible ages.
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