Timeline Chronology: VI century BCE
Ancient History
c 600 BCE
- Tyrannies
- Iron-working in Nok region, West Africa
- First Greek coins issued in Ionia
- Olmec culture of Mexico still flourishing
- Aryan kingdoms dominate northern India
597 BCE
- Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon captures Jerusalem
594 BCE
- Solon becomes archon (ruler) of Athens
590 BCE
- First drainage system is built in Rome
589 BCE
- Apries becomes Egyptian pharaoh
586 BCE
- End of the Hebrew kingdom of Judah; deportation of the Jews to Babylon
585 BCE
- Thales of Miletus predicts a solar eclipse
578 BCE
- Servius Tullius becomes king of Rome and builds Rome’s first wall
563 BCE
- Possible birth date of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha
562 BCE
- Nebuchadnezzar II dies, and is succeeded by Amelmarduk
560 BCE
- Croesus succeeds to throne of Lydia and begins its expansion
- Pisistratus becomes Tyrant of Athens
559 BCE
- Persian expansion; Cyrus II; Cambyses II; Darius I
- The Great becomes ruler of Anshan
550 BCE
- So-called "Peloponnesian League"
- Cyrus wins Median throne
- Birth of Confucius, author of the Analects, which provide the central philosophy of Chinese way of life
- Rich states arise around Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
- Servius Tullius establishes Latin League with Rome’s neighbors, beginning slow rise to political ascendancy of city
547 BCE
- Cyrus invades Lydia, capturing Sardis the next year and deposing Croesus
- Pisistratus returns to Athens and rules again as tyrant
545 BCE
- The Ionian Greek cities of Asia Minor are forced to accept Persian overlordship
540 BCE
- Mahavira, founder of the Jain religion, is born
- King Bimbisara starts to rule Magadha
539 BCE
- Rebellion breaks out in Babylon; Cyrus enters city and annexes it
538 BCE
- Return of the Jews from Babylon
- Edict of Cyrus
- Cyrus occupies Jerusalem and permits exiled Jews in Babylon to return home
538-515 BCE
- Rebuilding of Temple in Jerusalem (burnt in 587 BCE) is completed
535 BCE
- Greeks and Carthaginians fight a naval battle off Alalia, Corsica
534 BCE
- Rome’s last king, Tarquinius Superbus, comes to the thron
533 BCE
- Armies of Cyrus the Great enter northern India
530 BCE
- Cyrus is killed on campaign against MassagetaE
525 BCE
- Cambyses invades Egypt, defeats Egyptians at Pelusium, captures Memphis, and deposes Pharaoh Psammetichus III, ending Saite dynasty
521 BCE
- After civil war, Darius I comes to Persian throne
520 BCE
- Tarquinius Superbus begins building the Capitol in Rome
- Darius I suppresses revolt in Babylon, completes canal connecting Nile with Red Sea
515 BCE
- Darius builds royal residence at Susa, the former Elamite capital
514 BCE
- Harmodius and Aristogiton revolt against Pisistratids in Athens, but fail
510 BCE
- Alcmaeonids expel Pisistratids from Athens with help from Spartan king
509 BCE
- Romans expel Tarquinius Superbus and set up a republic
507 BCE
- Cleisthenes establishes democratic government in Athens
506 BCE
- Athens repels attacks by the Boeotians and Chalcidians
504 BCE
- Tarquinius Superbus tries to retake Rome, but fails