WORLD HISTORY · TIMELINE 日本語
The 6th century501–600
What were the key events of the 6th century?
In the 6th century (501–600), Byzantine Emperor Justinian recovered former Roman lands around the Mediterranean, and the Sui dynasty reunified China. In Japan, the Iwai Rebellion broke out, Buddhism arrived from the Korean kingdom of Baekje, and state-building advanced under Empress Suiko.
- Justinian recovers former Roman territoriesEurope
- Iwai, governor of Tsukushi, leads a rebellionAsia
- Volcanic winter strikes the Northern HemisphereWorld
- Buddhism arrives in Japan from BaekjeAsia
- Bubonic plague sweeps the Byzantine EmpireEurope
- Göktürks win independence and destroy the RouranAsia
- Sui reunifies China after about 300 yearsAsia
- State-building advances under Empress SuikoAsia
Summaries are written by the site editors.
Key events of the 6th century (timeline · excerpt)
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The Synodus Palmaris, called by Gothic king Theoderic, absolves Pope Symmachus of all charges, thus ending the schism of Antipope Laurentius.
Alaric II, eighth king of the Visigoths, promulgates the Breviary of Alaric (Breviarium Alaricianum or Lex Romana Visigothorum), a collection of "Roman law".
Clovis I, king of the Franks, is baptized into the Catholic faith at Reims, by Saint Remigius.
Following Byzantine emperor Anastasius' deposition of Chalcedonian patriarchs and attempts to make Monophysite changes to liturgy, riots break out in Constantinople with a mob trying to proclaim Areobindus as emperor.
Justin I is crowned Byzantine Emperor by the patriarch of Constantinople the day after the death of emperor Anastasius.
A catastrophic earthquake hits Antioch, killing several thousands including patriarch Euphrasius.
Iwai, governor of Tsukushi, leads a rebellion
Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne.
Antioch suffers its second major earthquake in two years, killing thousands and destroying its remaining edifice.
First Corpus Juris Civilis, a fundamental work in jurisprudence, is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I.
Battle of Callinicum: A Byzantine army under Belisarius is defeated by the Persians at Raqqa (northern Syria).
Khosrow I becomes king of the Sassanid Empire following the death of his father Kavad I. He starts negotiations with the Byzantine Empire to end the Iberian War.
Nika riots in Constantinople: A quarrel between supporters of different chariot teams—the Blues and the Greens—in the Hippodrome escalates into violence.
The Nika riots break out, during the racing season at the Hippodrome in Constantinople, as a result of discontent with the rule of the Emperor Justinian I.
Byzantine emperor Justinian I lays the foundation stone of a new Orthodox Christian basilica in Constantinople – the Hagia Sophia.
Mercurius becomes Pope John II, the first pope to adopt a new name upon elevation to the papacy.
A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarios sails from Constantinople to attack the Vandals in Africa, via Greece and Sicily.
Belisarius of the Byzantine Empire defeats Gelimer and the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimum, near Carthage, North Africa.
The Byzantine army under Belisarius enters Carthage following their victory over the Vandals at Ad Decimum.
Vandalic War: Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Tricamarum.
The Digest, the great collection of all Roman jurists' law, is issued together with a new official law textbook for legal schools, The Institutes.
The second and final edition of the Code of Justinian comes into effect in the Byzantine Empire.
Byzantine general Belisarius completes the conquest of Sicily, defeating the Gothic garrison of Palermo (Panormos), and ending his consulship for the year.
Volcanic winter strikes the Northern Hemisphere
Gothic War: The Byzantine general Belisarius enters Rome unopposed; the Gothic garrison flees the capital.
Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoth army under king Vitiges begins the siege of the capital. Belisarius conducts a delaying action outside the Flaminian Gate; he and a detachment of his bucellarii are almost cut off.
Siege of Rome: King Vitiges attempts to assault the northern and eastern city walls, but is repulsed at the Praenestine Gate, known as the Vivarium, by the defenders under the Byzantine generals Bessas and Peranius.
Siege of Rome: The Byzantine general Belisarius receives his promised reinforcements, 1,600 cavalry, mostly of Hunnic or Slavic origin and expert bowmen. Despite shortages, he starts raids against the Gothic camps and Vitiges but is forced into a stalemate.
Buddhism arrives in Japan from Baekje
Vitiges, king of the Ostrogoths, ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving the city to the victorious Byzantine general, Belisarius.
Bubonic plague sweeps the Byzantine Empire
Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoths under king Totila plunder the city, by bribing the Eastern Roman garrison.
The Ostrogoths, under King Totila, conquer Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison.
A major earthquake strikes Beirut, triggering a devastating tsunami that affects the coastal towns of Byzantine Phoenicia, causing thousands of deaths.
Göktürks win independence and destroy the Rouran
Battle of Taginae: Byzantine forces under Narses defeat the Ostrogoths in Italy, and the Ostrogoth king, Totila, is mortally wounded.
Emperor Justinian I issues a Pragmatic Sanction in which he organises the renewed Roman rule over the recently re-conquered Italy. All privileges granted to Romans under the Gothic rule until 538 are confirmed, confiscated estates restored and the participation of the Roman Church in civil government increased.
Constantinople is severely damaged by an earthquake, which cracks the dome of Hagia Sophia.
In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses, twenty years after its construction. Justinian I immediately orders that the dome be rebuilt.
Following the death of King Chlothar I at Compiègne, his four sons, Charibert I, Guntram, Sigebert I and Chilperic I, divide the Frankish Kingdom.
Byzantine Emperor Justin II, suffering recurring seizures of insanity, adopts his general Tiberius and proclaims him as Caesar.
Yang Jian declares himself Emperor Wen of Sui, ending the Northern Zhou and beginning the Sui dynasty.
Reccared I opens the Third Council of Toledo, marking the entry of Visigothic Spain into the Catholic Church.
King Authari marries Theodelinda, daughter of the Bavarian duke Garibald I. A Catholic, she has great influence among the Lombard nobility.
Hormizd IV, king of the Sasanian Empire, is overthrown and blinded by his brothers-in-law Vistahm and Vinduyih.
Augustine of Canterbury and his fellow-labourers baptise in Kent more than 10,000 Anglo-Saxons.
Avar–Byzantine wars: The Avars lift the siege at the Byzantine stronghold of Tomis. Their leader Bayan I retreats north of the Danube River after the Avaro-Slavic army is decimated by the plague.
Goguryeo-Sui War: In response to a Goguryeo (Korean) incursion into Liaoxi, Emperor Wéndi of Sui orders his youngest son, Yang Liang (assisted by the co-prime minister Gao Jiong), to conquer Goguryeo during the Manchurian rainy season, with a Chinese army and navy.
Maya king Uneh Chan of Calakmul attacks rival city-state Palenque in southern Mexico, defeating queen Yohl Ik'nal and sacking the city.
Source: Wikipedia date pages ("January 1" … "December 31") / CC BY-SA 4.0. Regions are assigned by the site editors.
Dates and events are based on Wikipedia and other references. Summaries and regions are written by the site editors.