The world in the 6th century

528Hagia Sophia, Constantinople (Istanbul), Türkiye

By order of Roman Emperor Justinian I, the compilation of the Corpus Juris Civilis began in 528, aiming to systematically codify Roman law.

501–600World Heritage

The Basilica of San Vitale was founded in 527 in Ravenna and completed in 548. It is a key example of early Byzantine art and architecture, renowned for its mosaics, including those depicting Emperor Justinian I and Empress Theodora. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of early Christian monuments in Ravenna.

501–600

Hagia Irene is located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. Built in the 4th century, it is one of the classic buildings of the Eastern Roman Empire and now serves as a museum and concert hall.

501–600

The Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople was built in the 4th century. It was the second largest church in the Eastern Roman Empire after Hagia Sophia and served as the imperial mausoleum for most emperors over centuries. After 1453 it briefly housed the Ecumenical Patriarchate before being demolished in 1461 to make way for the Fatih Mosque.

501–600

In the mid-6th century, Frankish King Childebert I founded a Benedictine abbey on the left bank of the Seine, then outside Paris, originally named the Church of the Holy Cross and Saint Vincent to house a relic obtained from Spain. Completed in 558, it soon became a monastery and was later renamed after Saint Germain, Bishop of Paris. Under Merovingian patronage, the abbey grew into one of the wealthiest in France and an important center of learning.

501–600

The Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino was founded by Benedict of Nursia in the 6th century on the site of the ancient Roman town of Casinum. It was the first house of the Benedictine Order, and the Rule of Saint Benedict was composed there.

541–562Kutaisi

The Lazic War was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Sasanian Empire for control of the Lazica region. Lasting from 541 to 562, the war ended with the Fifty-Year Peace Treaty, by which the Sasanians renounced their claim to Lazica and the Byzantine Empire paid an annual tribute to the Sasanians.

501–600World Heritage

Jvari Monastery, a Georgian Orthodox monastery in eastern Georgia, was founded around the 6th century. Its architecture became the model for the Jvari type of church, which prevailed in Georgia and Armenia. In 1994, it was listed as a World Heritage Site as part of the historic structures of Mtskheta.

501–600

The Karamagara Bridge is located in eastern Turkey. It is a Byzantine or late Roman bridge, possibly the earliest known pointed arch bridge.

502–506Southeastern Anatolia Region

In 502, the Anastasian War broke out between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sasanian Empire, marking the first major conflict between the two powers since 440 and the prelude to a series of destructive wars over the next century.

526

In late May 526, a major earthquake struck the city of Antioch in the Byzantine Empire, with an estimated intensity of VIII to IX on the Mercalli scale, killing about 250,000 people. A subsequent fire destroyed most of the surviving buildings, including the Great Church built by Constantine the Great. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes in the city's history.

526–532Armaztsikhe

In 526, war broke out between the Byzantine Empire and the Sasanian Empire over the eastern Georgian kingdom of Iberia. Iberia, a Sasanian client state, had defected to the Byzantines, sparking tensions over tribute and the spice trade. The conflict lasted until 532 and ended with the signing of the 'Eternal Peace' treaty, restoring the pre-war borders.

598–614Manchuria

Between 598 and 614, the Sui dynasty launched a series of massive invasions against Goguryeo, all ending in defeat. These wars were a pivotal factor in the collapse of the Sui and its replacement by the Tang dynasty.

501–600

The Sui dynasty built an imperial palace within the newly founded city of Daxing, initially called the Daxing Palace. It later became the Tang dynasty's Taiji Palace, serving as the primary political center until the completion of the Daming Palace.

501–600World Heritage

Itsukushima Shrine was founded around the late 6th century on the island of Itsukushima in Aki Province, Japan (present-day Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture). Dedicated to the three Munakata goddesses, the shrine was built on the tidal flats of the Seto Inland Sea and is famous for its large torii gate standing in the water. It later became the head shrine of approximately 500 Itsukushima shrines across Japan and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

501–600World Heritage

Bulguksa was founded in the Gyeongju area of southeastern Korea, becoming a major temple of Silla Buddhism.

501–600World Heritage

Beopjusa is a Buddhist temple located on the slopes of Songnisan in present-day Boeun County, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It was founded in the 6th century. The temple belongs to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and houses several national treasures, including a twin-lion stone lantern, the Palsangjeon hall, and a stone lotus basin. It was later inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018 as part of “Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea.”

528

The Iwai Rebellion was a revolt that occurred in 527 (or 528) in Tsukushi Province, Japan, led by the local chieftain Iwai against the Yamato court's plan to send troops to Silla. The rebellion was suppressed by the court general Mononobe no Arakabi. It played a significant role in the consolidation of early Japan under the Yamato court, and is primarily recorded in the Nihon Shoki, with mentions in the Kojiki and other sources.

501–600Ordu-Baliq

Around the 6th century, under the leadership of Bumin Qaghan, the Türks broke away from the Rouran Khaganate and rose to become the dominant power in Inner Asia, establishing the First Turkic Khaganate.

560

Around 560, the Sasanian Empire and the First Turkic Khaganate allied to defeat the Hephthalite Empire at Gol-Zarriun near Bukhara. The battle led to the dissolution of the Hephthalite Empire and reshaped Central Asian politics.

600–608Central Asia

In the early 7th century, Hephthalite and Gokturk forces raided the Sasanian Empire. The Sasanian general Smbat Bagratuni repelled the Hephthalite incursion, killing their leader in single combat. The Gokturks then sent a large army that advanced as far as Ray and Isfahan, but were ultimately defeated.

501–600

Around 600 CE, the Late Classic Maya city of Ocomtún, possibly originally called Maatz', was founded in the central Yucatán Peninsula in present-day Campeche, Mexico. The city featured several pyramid structures about 15 m high and was later abandoned around 1000 CE, coinciding with the Classic Maya collapse. The site remained unknown until its discovery in 2023 by Mexican archaeologists using lidar and excavations.

501–600Bandon

The Osprey Site is an archaeological site located near Bandon, Oregon, United States. Its establishment dates to around 560 AD. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. The specifics of its founding remain unclear due to lack of evidence.

537–572Mayan Lowlands

Between 537 and 572, the first war broke out between the major Maya city-states of Tikal and Calakmul, marking the beginning of a prolonged series of conflicts between them. Vassal states in the Petén region, such as Naranjo and Dos Pilas, were used as proxies, while Yaxchilan had only a minor presence at the start.

533

On 13 September 533, Byzantine general Belisarius defeated the Vandal king Gelimer at Ad Decimum, near Carthage. This pivotal battle in the Vandalic War led to the Byzantine capture of Carthage, marking the beginning of the end for the Vandal Kingdom and the start of Emperor Justinian's western reconquest.

533

On 15 December 533, Byzantine forces under Belisarius defeated the Vandal army led by King Gelimer and his brother Tzazo at Tricamarum, a decisive engagement in the Vandalic War. Following the earlier Battle of Ad Decimum, this victory shattered Vandal military power and completed the "reconquest" of the province of Africa for Emperor Justinian.

501–600Huari

Around 600 CE, the Wari Empire emerged in the Ayacucho Basin of what is now Peru, initiating five centuries of political consolidation in the Andes. Contemporaneous with the Tiwanaku culture, it was once thought to have derived from Tiwanaku, though later evidence points to an independent origin. Archaeological finds such as the Northern Wari site attest to an early settlement network reaching the coast; the empire would eventually span much of coastal and highland Peru.

501–600World Heritage

The site of Quiriguá began to be occupied and its acropolis started around the 6th century AD. Situated along the lower Motagua River in southeastern Guatemala at the crossroads of key trade routes, it later grew into a significant Maya city during the Classic period.

501–600

The Abba Garima Monastery was reportedly founded in the 6th century by Abba Garima, one of the Nine Saints, and built by King Gabra Masqal. It is located about five kilometers east of Adwa in the Tigray Region of northern Ethiopia and belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

501–600World Heritage

Around the 6th century, two colossal standing Buddha statues began to be carved into the cliffs of the Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan, becoming classic examples of Greco-Buddhist art.