6th century

Centuries:	5th century - 6th century - 7th century
Decades:	500s 510s 520s 530s 540s 550s 560s 570s 580s 590s

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

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6th century

[edit] Events

This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century.

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. Columban
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 in 552, thus contributing to the changes that occurred in the Asuka period.
Outbreak of bubonic plague in Constantinople and the rest of the Byzantine 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
Abraha attacks Kaaba in Mecca (circa 571)

Dionysius Exiguus creates the Anno Domini system, inspired by the 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
Vaghbata, Indian medical books

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Decades and Years

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Centuries and Millennia

Millennium	Century
Before Christ / Before Common Era (BC/BCE)
4th:	40th	39th	38th	37th	36th	35th	34th	33rd	32nd	31st
3rd:	30th	29th	28th	27th	26th	25th	24th	23rd	22nd	21st
2nd:	20th	19th	18th	17th	16th	15th	14th	13th	12th	11th
1st:	10th	9th	8th	7th	6th	5th	4th	3rd	2nd	1st
Anno Domini / Common Era (AD/CE)
1st:	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
2nd:	11th	12th	13th	14th	15th	16th	17th	18th	19th	20th
3rd:	21st	22nd	23rd	24th	25th	26th	27th	28th	29th	30th
4th:	31st	32nd