The Silver Age of Mortals

After Kronos was banished, the world was ruled by the gods, with Zeus as their king. The Olympians created a second generation of men of silver. They were less noble than their predecessors in body and soul. Zeus beseeched the Horae to shorten the seasons, to allow mortals to leave their primitive caves and come forth and build houses. Demeter and her daughter Persephone taught them to harness the powers of earth and grew grain.
Unknown to the gods and mortals, the Neverborne and imprisoned Titans had lain a great curse upon mortals, a curse only exacerbated by Exaltation. So these new men were imperfect, while thinking themselves equals of the gods. They refused to serve the immortals, and fought amongst themselves. This was an age of argument and men first learned the art of war, something they also perfected. They created powerful artifacts with the help of Heliiadae and employed some of the greatest magic, taught to them by Kirke. Some of these artifacts can be found today but in far less quantity.
The Lunar and Solar Exalts attempted to overthrow Zeus during this time. They attacked and killed their Sidereal cousins who were too few to withstand their powers. Fearing their chosen would be next, the Phoenea attempted to stop the Lunars and Solars themselves. Again, these five gods could not withstand the terrible forces that the Solars could wield. Zeus finally took notice of this and gathered the entirety of the other gods to stand against the Exalted. Combining their powers the Exalted rebellion was put down.
At this Zeus was angry and disappointed, and had Poseidon destroy this generation of men with a great and terrible flood. He hoped this would end the Exalted as well.
The only ones spared were the members of the 7th legion. This ancient order led by several Solar and Lunar Exalted. They were in the Wyld at the time of their generation's destruction, beyond Zeus' reach. These mortals have since perished but their ideals and descendants live on.