6th century

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

The 6th century is the period from 501 - 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era.

Events

• The first academy of the east the Academy of Gundeshapur founded in Iran by Khosrau I of Persia.
• Irish colonists and invaders, the Scots, began migrating to Caledonia (later known as Scotland)
• Glendalough monastery, Wicklow Ireland founded by St. Kevin
• The monastery on Iona is founded by St. Columb
• Zen Buddhists enter Vietnam from China.
• Buddhist Jataka stories are translated into Persian by order of the Zoroastrian king Khosrau.
• 537: Battle of Camlann, final battle of King Arthur
• Buddhism introduced to Japan from Baekje (Korea) in 552, thus contributing to the changes that occurred in the Asuka period.
• Outbreak of bubonic plague in Constantinople and the rest of the Roman Empire (Plague of Justinian).
• Establishment of Karantania, first stable and independent state of Slovenians and of Slavs.
• The Kutriguri Bulgars move into modern Romania.
• Jewish influence in Aksum.
• Nubia is largely converted to Coptic Christianity.
• The area of modern Aargau falls to the Franks.
• The Kingdom of Funan dies out.
• Black Death raged over south east Asia.
• Silk Road farther into Europe.
• 589-618: Sui Dynasty of China
• Old Irish language develops
• Old Dutch language develops

Significant persons

• Pope Gregory the Great (590-604)
• Arthur, defeated the Anglo-Saxons
• Justinian]], Byzantine Emperor (527-565)
• Khosrau I of Persia, Sassanid king (531-579)
• Belisarius, last great Roman general
• Gregory of Tours (c. 538-594)
• Beowulf, (fictional?) king of the Geats
• Jordanes, author of the Getica.
• Procopius, Byzantine historian.
• Bozorgmehr, Persian sage.
• Muhammad, prophet of Islam, born cca in 570.
• Empress Suiko of Japan
• Taliesin, Welsh poet
• Abraham Kidunaia
• Austell

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

• Dionysius Exiguus creates the Anno Domini system, inspired by the alleged birth of Jesus, in 525. This is the system upon which the Gregorian calendar and Common Era systems are based.
• Backgammon (nard) invented in Persia by Burzoe
• Chess, as chaturanga, entered Persia from India and was modified to shatranj.
• Breast-strap horse harness in use in Frankish kingdom
• Byzantine Empire acquires silk technology from China
• Susrata, Vaghbata, Indian medical books