History by century · The 500s
The 6th century
In the 500s, 266 recorded states existed somewhere in the world. 93 were founded and 57 came to an end. The great powers of the age included the Byzantine Empire, the Sasanian Empire and the Kingdom of the Franks.
Great powers
Profiles of the 6th century, ranked by their military, territorial, economic and historical weight in the Institute’s analysis and by how strong they were in these hundred years.
Byzantine Empire330 CE – 1453 CEScore 7.7/10 · at its peak c. 565 CE
Sasanian Empire224 CE – 651 CEScore 6.0/10 · at its peak c. 550 CE
Kingdom of the Franks481 CE – 843 CEScore 5.0/10
Goguryeo37 BCE – 668 CEScore 4.6/10
Roman Egypt30 BCE – 641 CEScore 6.4/10
Aksumite Empire100 CE – 940 CEScore 4.5/10
Silla57 BCE – 935 CEScore 5.1/10
Saxons280 CE – 804 CEScore 3.1/10
Ghana Empire300 CE – 1240 CEScore 4.2/10
Baekje18 BCE – 660 CEScore 4.6/10
Pallava dynasty275 CE – 897 CEScore 4.9/10
Alans50 CE – 800 CEScore 3.0/10
Key events
Battle of VouilléBattle · 507
Battle of DyrhamBattle · 577
Battle of Mons LactariusBattle · 552 or 553
Battle of ShayuanBattle · 537
Battle of TaginaeBattle · 552
Battle of VézeronceBattle · 524
Councils of BragaEvent · 561, 572
Gothic War (535–554)War · 535–554- Battle of Gwansan FortressBattle · 554
- Battle of GwansanseongBattle · 554
- Closure of the Neoplatonic AcademyEvent · 529 CE
- Convention of Druim CettEvent · c. 575
People
ColumbaPerson · 521–597
Chlothar IPerson · c. 497–561
Gregory of ToursPerson · c. 538–594
AbrahaPerson · 6th century
GildasPerson · c. 500–570- ProcopiusPerson · c. 500–c. 570
Pope Gregory IPerson · c. 540–604
BelisariusPerson · c. 500–565
KalebPerson · r. c. 514–542 CE
Kavad IPerson · 473–531
Áedán mac GabráinPerson · d. c. 609
Theodoric the GreatPerson · 454–526
Works and ideas
Middle AgesReligion / idea · c. 500–1500
Hagia SophiaWork / monument · 537 CE
Salic lawWork / monument · early 6th century
Corpus Juris CivilisWork / monument · 534 CE
Buddhas of BamiyanWork / monument · 6th century
Asuka-deraWork / monument · 596
Pastoral CareWork / monument · c. 590
Abbey of Saint-MédardWork / monument · 6th century
States founded 93
- Alodia 500 CE – 1504 CE
- Antes 500 CE – 602 CE
- Cañari Confederation 500 CE – 1463 CE
- Cenel Loairn 500 CE – 850 CE
- Cenel nGabrain 500 CE – 850 CE
- Cornouaille 500 CE – 850 CE
- Dal Riata 500 CE – 850 CE
- Domnonée 500 CE – 850 CE
- High Kingship of Ireland 500 CE – 1198 CE
- Kingdom of Capsus 500 CE – 548 CE
- Kingdom of Ergyng 500 CE – 950 CE
- Kingdom of Iarmumu 500 CE – 850 CE
- Kingdom of Lindsey 500 CE – 800 CE
- Kingdom of Rheged 500 CE – 638 CE
- Kingdom of Tethba 500 CE – 1200 CE
- Kingdom of the Geats 500 CE – 1000 CE
- Kingdom of the Swedes 500 CE – 970 CE
- Kingdom of Tir Chonaill 500 CE – 1607 CE
- La Corona 500 CE – 800 CE
- Naranjo 500 CE – 820 CE
- Principality of Chach 500 CE – 751 CE
- Principality of Ferghana 500 CE – 820 CE
- Principality of Kesh 500 CE – 740 CE
- Principality of Panjikent 500 CE – 722 CE
- Principality of Samarkand 500 CE – 750 CE
- Pushyabhuti dynasty 500 CE – 647 CE
- Tiwanaku 500 CE – 1000 CE
- Toniná 500 CE – 909 CE
- Ghassanids 502 CE – 638 CE
- Liang dynasty 502 CE – 557 CE
- Austrasia 511 CE – 751 CE
- Frankish Kingdom of Soissons 511 CE – 561 CE
- Kingdom of Orléans 511 CE – 524 CE
- Kingdom of Paris 511 CE – 567 CE
- Kingdom of Wessex 519 CE – 927 CE
- Kingdom of East Anglia 520 CE – 869 CE
- Aksumite Yemen 525 CE – 570 CE
- Kingdom of Essex 527 CE – 825 CE
- Kingdom of Mercia 527 CE – 918 CE
- Kingdom of the Isle of Wight 530 CE – 686 CE
Show all 93
- Eastern Wei 534 CE – 550 CE
- Praetorian Prefecture of Africa 534 CE – 591 CE
- Septem 534 CE – 711 CE
- Western Wei 535 CE – 557 CE
- Duchy of Alamannia 536 CE – 746 CE
- Chalukyas of Badami 543 CE – 753 CE
- Early Ly dynasty 544 CE – 602 CE
- Gokturk Empire 546 CE – 744 CE
- Kingdom of Bernicia 547 CE – 654 CE
- Broërec 550 CE – 850 CE
- Chamba State 550 CE – 1948 CE
- Chenla 550 CE – 802 CE
- Chi Tu 550 CE – 650 CE
- Kalachuris of Mahishmati 550 CE – 620 CE
- Kingdom of Circinn 550 CE – 900 CE
- Kingdom of Mide 550 CE – 1173 CE
- Kingdom of Pengwern 550 CE – 656 CE
- Maukharis 550 CE – 606 CE
- Northern Qi 550 CE – 577 CE
- Panduvamshis of Dakshina Kosala 550 CE – 760 CE
- Pratiharas of Mandavyapura 550 CE – 880 CE
- Principality of Abasgia 550 CE – 778 CE
- Qarinvand dynasty 550 CE – 839 CE
- Sarir 550 CE – 1150 CE
- Shailodbhava dynasty 550 CE – 736 CE
- Byzantine Spania 552 CE – 624 CE
- Duchy of Bavaria 555 CE – 1623 CE
- Western Liang (555-587) 555 CE – 587 CE
- Chen dynasty 557 CE – 589 CE
- Northern Zhou 557 CE – 581 CE
- Kingdom of Deira 559 CE – 654 CE
- Frankish Kingdom of Burgundy 561 CE – 751 CE
- Neustria 561 CE – 751 CE
- Avar Khaganate 567 CE – 822 CE
- Duchy of Friuli 568 CE – 776 CE
- Kingdom of the Lombards 568 CE – 774 CE
- Duchy of Trent 569 CE – 774 CE
- Duchy of Spoleto 570 CE – 1198 CE
- Sasanian Yemen 570 CE – 630 CE
- Duchy of Benevento 571 CE – 1077 CE
- Duchy of Cantabria 574 CE – 739 CE
- Duchy of Tuscia 576 CE – 797 CE
- Kingdom of the Hwicce 577 CE – 780 CE
- Kingdom of Altava 578 CE – 708 CE
- Gurjaras of Nandipuri 580 CE – 738 CE
- Sui Dynasty 581 CE – 618 CE
- Exarchate of Ravenna 584 CE – 751 CE
- Principality of Iberia 588 CE – 888 CE
- Duchy of Rome 590 CE – 754 CE
- First Pandyan Empire 590 CE – 920 CE
- Gauda Kingdom 590 CE – 626 CE
- Exarchate of Africa 591 CE – 698 CE
- Kalingga Kingdom 594 CE – 732 CE
States that came to an end 57
- Vakataka dynasty 250 CE – 500 CE
- Wusun 161 BCE – 500 CE
- Salihids 400 CE – 502 CE
- Southern Qi 479 CE – 502 CE
- Alemanni 213 CE – 506 CE
- Chouchi 296 CE – 506 CE
- Kingdom of the Heruli 490 CE – 508 CE
- Kingdom of Cambrai 470 CE – 509 CE
- Kingdom of Cologne 460 CE – 509 CE
- Caucasian Albania 100 BCE – 510 CE
- Usan 400 CE – 512 CE
- Kingdom of Orléans 511 CE – 524 CE
- Himyarite Kingdom 110 BCE – 525 CE
- Kingdom of the Thuringians 400 CE – 531 CE
- Geumgwan Gaya 42 CE – 532 CE
- Kingdom of the Burgundians 411 CE – 534 CE
- Vandal Kingdom 435 CE – 534 CE
- Northern Wei 386 CE – 535 CE
- Kadamba dynasty 345 CE – 540 CE
- Kingdom of Kinda 425 CE – 540 CE
- Gaoche 487 CE – 541 CE
- Aulikara dynasty 400 CE – 545 CE
- Kingdom of Capsus 500 CE – 548 CE
- Blemmyes 250 CE – 550 CE
- Eastern Wei 534 CE – 550 CE
- Gupta Empire 240 CE – 550 CE
- Teotihuacan 100 BCE – 550 CE
- Ostrogothic Kingdom 493 CE – 553 CE
- Bihwa Gaya 200 CE – 555 CE
- Rouran Khaganate 330 CE – 555 CE
- Liang dynasty 502 CE – 557 CE
- Western Wei 535 CE – 557 CE
- Ara Gaya 200 CE – 560 CE
- Hephthalite Empire 450 CE – 560 CE
- Frankish Kingdom of Soissons 511 CE – 561 CE
- Daegaya 200 CE – 562 CE
- Gaya confederacy 42 CE – 562 CE
- Goryeong Gaya 200 CE – 562 CE
- Seongsan Gaya 200 CE – 562 CE
- Sogaya 200 CE – 562 CE
Show all 57
- Kantoli 441 CE – 563 CE
- Kingdom of Paris 511 CE – 567 CE
- Kingdom of the Gepids 454 CE – 567 CE
- Aksumite Yemen 525 CE – 570 CE
- Alchon Huns 370 CE – 570 CE
- Kutrigurs 480 CE – 570 CE
- Sabirs 463 CE – 576 CE
- Utigurs 480 CE – 576 CE
- Northern Qi 550 CE – 577 CE
- Kingdom of the Moors and Romans 477 CE – 578 CE
- Kingdom of Iberia 302 BCE – 580 CE
- Kingdom of the Ouarsenis 480 CE – 580 CE
- Northern Zhou 557 CE – 581 CE
- Kingdom of the Suebi 409 CE – 585 CE
- Western Liang (555-587) 555 CE – 587 CE
- Chen dynasty 557 CE – 589 CE
- Praetorian Prefecture of Africa 534 CE – 591 CE
On this day
- 10 September 506Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet at the Council of Agde
- 2 February 506Alaric II issues the Breviary of Alaric
- 1 April 527Justin I makes his nephew Justinian co-emperor
- 7 April 529Justinian promulgates the first Code of Roman law
- 13 January 532Nika riots break out in Constantinople
- 2 January 533Mercurius becomes Pope John II, the first pope to change his name
- 27 December 537Justinian dedicates Hagia Sophia
- 17 December 546Totila's Ostrogoths take Rome
- 14 December 557An earthquake shakes Constantinople and weakens Hagia Sophia
- 7 May 558Main dome of Hagia Sophia collapses
Year by year 4
The years of the 6th century with a page of their own: their events, births and deaths, and the states founded and ended.
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). The 6th century. In The Epoch Institute. https://the-epoch-institute.org/centuries/6th-century
- MLA
- “The 6th century.” The Epoch Institute, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/centuries/6th-century. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “The 6th century.” The Epoch Institute. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/centuries/6th-century.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘The 6th century’, The Epoch Institute. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/centuries/6th-century (Accessed: ).