6th Century - Events

Events

• Early 6th century – Archangel Michael, panel of a dyptich probably from the court workshop at Constantinople, is made. It is now kept at The British Museum, London.
• Early 6th century – Page with Rebecca at the Well, from "Book of Genesis", probably made in Syria or Palestine, is made. It is now kept at Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna.
• By 6th century – Shilpa Shastras is written.
• Early 6th century – first academy of the east the Academy of Gundeshapur founded in Iran by Khosrau I of Persia.
• Early 6th century – Irish colonists and invaders, the Scots, began migrating to Caledonia (later known as Scotland). Migration from south-west Britain to Brittany.
• Early 6th century – Glendalough monastery, Wicklow Ireland founded by St. Kevin. Many similar foundations in Ireland and Wales.
• Early 6th century – Zen Buddhism enters Vietnam from China.
• Early 6th century – Haniwa, from Kyoto, is made during the Kofun period
• Early 6th century – Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe's apse's mosaic is completed.
• Early 6th century - Cassiodorus founds a cenobitic monastery and scrinium at Vivarium in Italy

• 518: Eastern Roman Emperor Anastasius I dies and is succeeded by Justin I.

• 522: Byzantines obtain silkworm eggs and begin silkworm cultivation
• c.524: Boethius writes his Consolation of Philosophy.
• 525: Having settled in Rome c. 500, Scythian monk Dionysius Exiguus invents the Anno Domini era calendar based on the estimated birth year of Jesus Christ.
• 527: Justinian I succeeds Justin I as Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire.
• 529: Saint Benedict of Nursia founds the monastery of Monte Cassino in Italy.

• 532: Nika riots in Constantinople; the cathedral is destroyed. They are put down a week later by Belisarius and Mundus; up to 30,000 people are killed in the Hippodrome.
• 535: Postulated volcanic eruption in the tropics which causes several years of abnormally cold weather, resulting in mass famine in the Northern Hemisphere. (See Extreme weather events of 535–536.)
• 537: Battle of Camlann, final battle of legendary King Arthur.

• 541-542: First pandemic of bubonic plague (Plague of Justinian) hits Constantinople and the rest of Byzantine Empire.
• 543/544: One of Justinian's edict leads to the Three-Chapter Controversy
• 545: Nubian Kingdom of Nobatia converts to Christianity.

• Mid-6th century – Buddhist Jataka stories are translated into Persian by order of the Zoroastrian king Khosrau.
• Mid-6th century – Cave-Temple of Shiva at Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra, India, is built. Post-Gupta period.
• Mid-6th century – Eternal Shiva, rock-cut relief in the Cave-Temple of Shiva at Elephanta Caves, is made
• Second half of 6th century – Virgin and Child with Saints and Angels, icon, is made. It is now kept at Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt.

• 550: Kingdom of Funan dies out.
• 552: Buddhism introduced to Japan from Baekje during the Asuka period.
• 553: Second Council of Constantinople
• 554: Eviction of the Ostrogoths from Rome, and the re-unification of all Italy under Byzantine rule.

• 561 to 592: Buddhist monk Jnanagupta translates 39 sutras from Sanskrit to Chinese.
• 563: The monastery on Iona is founded by St. Columba.
• 566: Birth of Lǐ Yuān, founder of the Tang Dynasty and Emperor of China under the name of Gaozu (618-626)
• 568: Lombards invade Italy and establish a federation of dukedoms under a king.
• 569: Nubian kingdom of Alodia converts to Christianity.
• 569: Nubian kingdom of Makuria converts to Christianity.

• 570: Birth of Mohammad, founder of Islam.
• 579 to 590: Reign of Persian Shah Hormizd IV.

• 582 to 602: Reign of Byzantine Emperor Maurice.
• 585: Suevi Kingdom conquered by Visigoths in Spain.
• 587: Reccared, king of the Visigoths in Spain, converts to Catholicism.
• 588: Shivadeva ascends the throne of the Lichchhavi dynasty in Nepal.
• 589: Third Council of Toledo adds the "filioque" clause to the Nicene Creed in Spain.
• 589: China reunified under the Sui Dynasty (589 – 618).

• 590: Gregory the Great succeeds Pope Pelagius II (who dies of plague) as the 64th pope.
• 595: Pope Gregory sends Roman monks led by Augustine to England.