Directory

500 BCE

The world population reaches 100,000,000—85,000,000 in the Eastern Hemisphere and 15,000,000 in the Western Hemisphere, primarily Mesoamerica and northern South America (Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela). The She-wolf, with late 15th century or early 16th century additions (twins), is made. It is now kept at the Museo Capitolino in Rome (approximate date). Darius I of Persia proclaims that Aramaic will be the official language of the western half of his empire.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • States in existence include the Kingdom of Pratipalapura (centred on modern Bhattiprolu, in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh).source
  • Early Pandyan Kingdom was ruled by the Pandyas during the second Sangam period.source
  • The first republic in Vaishali, Bihar, India, is founded.source
  • Darius I of Persia proclaims that Aramaic will be the official language of the western half of his empire.source

Conflict & Security

  • Yayoi period starts in Ancient Japan (approximate date).source

Exploration & Expansion

  • Hanno the Navigator's naval exploration of the western coast of Africa could have reached as far south as Gabon.source
  • Bantu-speaking people migrate into south-west Uganda from Central Africa. (approximate date)source
  • Refugees from Teos resettle Abdera.source
  • The Hutu tribe emerges around this time, in Middle and Southern Africa. (approximate date)source

Religion & Belief

  • The Olmec established Monte Albán, the sacred city, and continued building pyramids. Founded toward the end of the Middle Formative period at around 500 BCE, by the Terminal Formative (ca.100 BCE–CE 200) Monte Albán soon became the capital of a large-scale expansionist polity that dominated much of the Oaxacan highlands and interacts with other Mesoamerican regional states, such as Teotihuacan to the north (Paddock 1983; Marcus 1983).source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • The Nordic Bronze Age civilization ends and the Pre-Roman Iron Age begins in Scandinavia, according to the Oscar Montelius periodization system (approximate date).source

Science & Discovery

  • Mesoamerican calendars are developed by the Olmec civilisationsource
  • According to the records of Shankara Mutts, a proponent of the Advaita Vedanta Sri Adi Shankaracharya was born in this centurysource
  • The oldest known Zapotec writing appears (approximate date).source

Health & Medicine

  • The world population reaches 100,000,000—85,000,000 in the Eastern Hemisphere and 15,000,000 in the Western Hemisphere, primarily Mesoamerica and northern South America (Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela).source

Crime & Justice

  • The She-wolf, with late 15th century or early 16th century additions (twins), is made. It is now kept at the Museo Capitolino in Rome (approximate date).source
  • Vulca makes Apollo of Veii, from Portonaccio Temple, now kept at Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome.source

Births

  • Anaxagoras, Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher (approximate date) (d. 428 BCE)source