Editing 6th century BC (section)

==Events==

=== [[590s BC]] ===
[[File:Olmeca head in Villahermosa.jpg|thumb|150x150px|'''Monument 1''', an [[Olmec colossal heads|Olmec colossal head]] at La Venta]]

* [[598 BC]]: [[Jehoiachin]] succeeds [[Jehoiakim]] as [[King of Judah]].
* 16 March [[597 BC]]: [[Babylonia]]ns capture [[Jerusalem]], replace Jehoiachin with [[Zedekiah]] as king.
* [[595 BC]]: [[Psammetichus II]] succeeds [[Necho II]] as King of [[History of ancient Egypt|Egypt]].
* [[594 BC]]: [[Solon]] appointed [[Archon]] of [[Athens]]; institutes [[democracy|democratic]] reforms.
* [[590 BC]]: Egyptian army sacks [[Napata]], compelling the [[Kingdom of Kush|Cush]]ite [[royal court|court]] to move to a more secure location at [[Meroe]] near the [[sixth Cataract]].<ref>{{cite web| title = History of the SUDAN| publisher =www.historyworld.net| year = 2007| url =http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa86 | access-date =3 August 2007 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070714044043/http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa86| archive-date= 14 July 2007 <!--DASHBot-->| url-status= live}}</ref>

=== [[580s BC]] ===
[[File:Nebukadnessar II.jpg|thumb|150px|upright|An engraving on an eye stone of onyx with an inscription of [[Nebuchadnezzar II]]]]
[[File:Nuremberg chronicles f 59r 2.png|thumb|150px|upright|Medieval image of [[Thales]]]]
* [[589 BC]]: [[Apries]] succeeds [[Psammetichus II]] as King of [[History of ancient Egypt|Egypt]].
* [[588 BC]]: [[Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon]] begins siege of [[Jerusalem]]; some sources set the date at [[587 BC]].
* [[587 BC]]/[[586 BC]]: Jerusalem falls to the [[Babylonia]]ns, ending the [[Kingdom of Judah]]. The conquerors destroy [[Solomon's Temple]] and exile the land's remaining inhabitants. [[Babylonian Captivity]] for the Jews begins.
* [[586 BC]]: death of [[King Ding of Zhou]], king of the [[Zhou dynasty]] of [[China]]
* 28 May [[585 BC]]: A [[solar eclipse]] occurs as predicted by [[Thales]], while [[Alyattes of Lydia|Alyattes]] is [[Battle of the Eclipse|battling]] [[Cyaxares]]. This leads to a truce. This is one of the cardinal dates from which other dates can be calculated.
* [[585 BC]]/[[584 BC]]: [[Astyages]] succeeds [[Cyaxares]] as King of the [[Medes]].
* [[585 BC]]: [[King Jian of Zhou]] becomes king of the Zhou dynasty.
* [[583 BC]]: The Babylonians begin a siege against [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]].
* [[582 BC]]: [[Pythian Games]] founded at [[Delphi]] (traditional date).
* [[580 BC]]: [[Cambyses I of Anshan|Cambyses I]] succeeds [[Cyrus I of Anshan|Cyrus I]] as King of [[Anshan (Persia)|Anshan]] and head of the [[Achaemenid dynasty]] (approximate date).
* [[580 BC]]: [[Isthmian Games]] founded at [[Corinth, Greece|Corinth]] (traditional date)
*

=== [[570s BC]] ===

* [[579 BC]]: [[Servius Tullius]] succeeds the assassinated [[Lucius Tarquinius Priscus]] as [[King of Rome]] (traditional date).
* [[573 BC]]: [[Nemean Games]] founded at [[Nemea]] (traditional date).
* [[572 BC]]: Death of [[King Jian of Zhou]], king of the [[Zhou dynasty]] of [[China]].
* [[571 BC]]: [[King Ling of Zhou]] becomes king of the [[Zhou dynasty]] of [[China]].
* [[570 BC]]: [[Amasis II]] succeeds [[Apries]] as King of [[History of ancient Egypt|Egypt]].
* [[570 BC]]: [[Pythagoras]] of [[Samos]] is born (approximate date).
* [[570 BC]]: End of the Babylonian siege against the city of Tyre with a partial victory by the Babylonians. It was the longest siege of the city in history, lasting 13 years.

=== [[560s BC]] ===
[[File:Kroisos stake Louvre G197.jpg|thumb|150px|upright|[[Croesus]] on the pyre, Attic red-figure amphora]]
[[File:Persepolis - carved Faravahar.JPG|thumb|150px|upright|[[Faravahar]], a symbol of [[Zoroastrianism]] in [[Persepolis]]]]
* [[568 BC]]: [[Rattle-qo|Amtalqa]] succeeds his brother [[Aspelta]] as [[Monarch|King]] of [[Kingdom of Kush|Kush]].
* [[562 BC]]: [[Amel-Marduk]] succeeds [[Nebuchadnezzar II|Nebuchadnezzar]] as [[King of Babylon]].
* [[560 BC]]: [[Neriglissar]] succeeds [[Amel-Marduk]] as [[King of Babylon]].
* [[561 BC]]/[[560 BC]]: [[Croesus]] becomes [[King of Lydia]].
* [[560 BC]]: [[Pisistratus]] seizes the [[Acropolis]] of [[Athens, Greece|Athens]] and declares himself [[tyrant]]. He is deposed in the same year.

=== [[550s BC]] ===

* [[550s BC]]: [[Carthage]] conquers [[Sicily]], [[Sardinia]] and [[Corsica]].
* [[559 BC]]: [[Cambyses I of Anshan|King Cambyses I of Anshan]] dies and is succeeded by his son [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus II the Great]].
* [[558 BC]]: Hegesias removed as [[Archons of Athens|Archon]] of [[Athens]].
* [[558 BC]]: The [[China|Chinese]] state of [[Jin (Chinese state)|Jin]] defeats its rival [[State of Qin|Qin]] in battle.
* [[556 BC]]: [[Pisistratus]] is exiled from [[Athens, Greece|Athens]] to [[Euboea]].
* [[556 BC]]: [[Labashi-Marduk]] succeeds [[Neriglissar]] as [[King of Babylon]].
* [[556 BC]]/[[555 BC]]: [[Nabonidus]] succeeds [[Labashi-Marduk]] as [[King of Babylon]].
* [[551 BC]]: [[Confucius]] was born.
* [[550 BC]]: [[Abdera, Thrace|Abdera]] is destroyed by the [[Thrace|Thracians]].
* [[553 BC|553]]–[[550 BC]]: [[Medo-Persian conflict]]; [[Cyrus II]] overthrows the Median king [[Astyages]], establishing the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian Empire]].
* [[550 BC]]: The [[Mumun Pottery Period|Late Mumun Period]] begins in the [[Korean peninsula]].

=== [[540s BC]] ===

* [[547 BC]]: [[Croesus]], [[Lydia]]n [[monarch|King]], is defeated by [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] of [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]] near the River [[Halys River|Halys]].
* [[546 BC]]: [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] of [[Persia]] completes his conquest of [[Lydia]], and makes [[Pasargadae]] his [[Capital (political)|capital]].
* Mid-6th century BC: Foundation of [[Temple of Olympian Zeus (Athens)]] by [[Pisistratus]].
* [[544 BC]]: [[Bimbisara]] establishes [[Haryanka dynasty]] of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]] in India.
* [[544 BC]]: People of [[Teos]] migrate to [[Abdera, Thrace]] to escape the yoke of [[Iran|Persia]].
* [[544 BC]]: [[King Jing of Zhou (Ji Gui)|King Jing of Zhou]] becomes king of the [[Zhou dynasty]] of [[China]].
* [[543 BC]]: [[Prince]] [[Vijaya of Sri Lanka|Vijaya]] establishes a [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] dynasty of [[Sri Lanka]].
* [[543 BC]]: [[Pisistratus]], tyrant of [[Athens]], purifies the island of [[Delos]] (approximate date).
* [[540 BC]]: [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] city of [[Thesprotia|Elea]] of [[southern Italy]] founded (approximate date).
* [[540 BC]]: [[Achaemenid Empire|Persians]] conquer [[Lycia]]n city of [[Xanthos]], now in southern [[Turkey]] (approximate date).

=== [[530s BC]] ===
[[File:Pasargadae 2.jpg|thumb|150px|upright|[[Tomb of Cyrus]] in [[Pasargadae]]]]
* [[539 BC]]: [[Babylon]] is conquered by [[Cyrus the Great]], defeating [[Nabonidus]].
* [[538 BC]]: Return of some [[Jews]] from [[Babylonian captivity|Babylonian]] exile who build the [[Second Temple]] about fifty years after the destruction of the [[First Temple]], from [[520 BC]]–[[516 BC]].
* [[537 BC]]: [[Jew]]s transported to [[Babylon]] are allowed to return to [[Jerusalem]], bringing to a close the [[Babylonian captivity]].
* [[536 BC]]: According to tradition, the [[Biblical]] [[prophet]] [[Daniel (biblical figure)|Daniel]] receives an angelic visit from the archangel Gabriel.<ref>[http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=daniel+10%3A4&language=english&version=NLT Daniel 10:4] Bible Online</ref>
* [[534 BC]]: [[Lucius Tarquinius Superbus]] becomes [[King of Rome]].
* [[534 BC]]: Competitions for [[tragedy]] are instituted at the [[City Dionysia]] [[festival]] in [[Athens]].
* [[530 BC]]: [[Cambyses II]] succeeds [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] as [[King of Persia]].

=== [[520s BC]] ===
[[File:Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Victory Over Mara.jpeg|thumb|150px|upright|[[Gautama Buddha]]]]
* [[528 BC]]: [[Gautama Buddha]] attains [[Enlightenment (Buddhism)|Enlightenment]], and begins his ministry. He founds [[Buddhism]] in [[India]]. It becomes a major [[world religion]].
* [[526 BC]]: [[Psammetichus III]] succeeds [[Amasis II]] as [[King]] of [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]].
* [[525 BC]]: [[Cambyses II]], ruler of [[Iran|Persia]], conquers [[History of ancient Egypt|Egypt]], defeating [[Psammetichus III]]. This is considered the end of the [[Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt|Twenty-sixth Dynasty]], and the start of the [[Twenty-seventh Dynasty of Egypt|Twenty-seventh Dynasty]].
* [[522 BC]]: [[Smerdis of Persia|Smerdis]] succeeds [[Cambyses II]] as ruler of [[Iran|Persia]].
* [[522 BC]]: [[Babylon]] rebels against [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian]] rule.
* [[521 BC]]: [[Darius I]] succeeds [[Smerdis]] as ruler of [[Iran|Persia]].
* [[521 BC]]: The [[Babylonia]]n rebellion against [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian]] rule is suppressed
* [[520 BC]]: [[King Dao of Zhou]] becomes king of the [[Zhou dynasty]] of [[China]] but dies before the end of the year
* [[520 BC]]: Start of construction of a colossal new [[Temple of Olympian Zeus (Athens)]] by [[Pisistratus]]'s sons, [[Hippias (tyrant)|Hippias]] and [[Hipparchus (brother of Hippias)|Hipparchos]] (approximate date).
* [[520 BC]]: [[Cleomenes I]] succeeds [[Anaxandridas II]] as [[King of Sparta]] (approximate date)

=== [[510s BC]] ===
[[File:Lao Tzu - Project Gutenberg eText 15250.jpg|thumb|150px|upright|Image of [[Laozi]]]]
* [[519 BC]]: [[King Jing of Zhou (Ji Gai)|King Jing of Zhou]] becomes king of the [[Zhou dynasty]] of [[China]].
* [[516 BC]]: [[Indian subcontinent]]—Occupation of [[Punjab region|Punjab]] is completed by the [[Achaemenid]] [[Monarch|King]] [[Darius I]].
* 12 March [[515 BC]]: Construction is completed on the [[Temple in Jerusalem]].
* [[514 BC]]: [[King Helü of Wu]] establishes the "Great City of Helü", the ancient name for [[Wuxi]], as his [[Capital (political)|capital]] in [[China]].
* [[513 BC]]: [[Darius I of Persia|Darius the Great]] subdues the [[Dacia|Getae]] and east [[Thrace]] in his war against the [[Scythians]].
*[[512 BC]]: The [[Kingdom of Macedonia]], under King [[Amyntas I]], becomes a vassal state to the [[Achaemenid Empire]].
* [[510 BC]]: [[Hippias (tyrant)|Hippias]], son of [[Pisistratus]] and [[tyrant]] of [[Athens]], is expelled by a popular revolt supported by [[Cleomenes I]], [[monarch|King]] of [[Sparta]] and his forces.
* [[510 BC]]: End of reign of [[Lucius Tarquinius Superbus]], last King of the traditional seven [[Kings of Rome]].
* [[510 BC]]: Establishment of the [[Roman Republic]].
* [[510 BC]]: [[Demaratus]] succeeds [[Ariston (king of Sparta)|Ariston]] as [[Kings of Sparta|King of Sparta]] (approximate date).

=== [[500s BC (decade)|500s BC]] ===

* 13 September [[509 BC]]: The [[Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus|Temple of Jupiter]] on Rome's [[Capitoline Hill]] is dedicated on the Ides of September.
* [[508 BC]]: Office of ''[[pontifex maximus]]'' created in [[Rome]].
* [[507 BC]]: [[Cleisthenes]], [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] [[reform]]er, takes power and increases [[democracy]].
* [[506 BC]]: [[Battle of Boju]]: Forces of the [[Wu (state)|Kingdom of Wu]] under [[Sun Tzu]] defeat the forces of [[Chu (state)|Chu]].
* [[505 BC]]: First pair of [[Roman Republic|Roman]] [[consul]]s elected.
* 4 December [[502 BC]]: [[Solar eclipse]] darkens [[Egypt]] (computed, no clear historical record of observation).
* [[502 BC]]: The [[Latin League]] defeats the [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]]s under [[Lars Porsena]] at [[Aricia, Italy|Aricia]].
* [[502 BC]]: [[Naxos, Greece|Naxos]] rebels against [[Iran|Persia]]n domination sparking the [[Ionian Revolt]].
* [[501 BC]]: [[Cleisthenes]] reforms [[democracy]] in [[Athens]].
* [[501 BC]]: [[Naxos Island|Naxos]] is attacked by the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian Empire]].
* [[501 BC]]: In response to threats by the [[Sabines]], [[ancient Rome|Rome]] creates the office of [[Roman dictator|dictator]].
* [[501 BC]]: [[Confucius]] is appointed governor of [[Chung tu]].
* [[501 BC]]: [[Gadir]] (present-day [[Cádiz]]) is captured by [[Carthage]] (approximate date).
* [[500 BC]]: [[Bantu languages|Bantu]]-speaking people migrate into south-west [[Uganda]] from the west (approximate date).
* [[500 BC]]: [[Refugee]]s from [[Teos]] resettle [[Abdera, Thrace|Abdera]].
* [[500 BC]]: [[Darius I]] of [[Iran|Persia]] proclaims that [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]] be the [[official language]] of the western half of his empire.
* [[500 BC]]: Signifies the end of the [[Nordic Bronze Age]] civilization in [[Oscar Montelius]] periodization system and begins the [[Pre-Roman Iron Age]].
* [[500 BC]]: Foundation of first [[republic]] in [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]] [[Bihar]] [[India]].
* [[500 BC]]: [[Sa Huỳnh culture#Trade Network|Sa Huynh-Kalanay Interaction Sphere]] extensive trade network started between the Sa Huynh and the [[Philippines]] and later expanded to Taiwan, Southern Thailand, and northeastern Borneo.