Directory

540 BCE

Comet Hale–Bopp appears in the evening sky, making its closest approach to Earth. Its next appearance occurs in 1997. Amasis Painter makes Dionysos with maenads, black-figure decoration on an amphora. Exekias makes The Suicide of Ajax, black-figure decoration on an amphora.

Conflict & Security

  • Persians conquer Lycian city of Xanthos (approximate date).source

Science & Discovery

  • Comet Hale–Bopp appears in the evening sky, making its closest approach to Earth. Its next appearance occurs in 1997.source

Crime & Justice

  • Amasis Painter makes Dionysos with maenads, black-figure decoration on an amphora.source
  • Exekias makes The Suicide of Ajax, black-figure decoration on an amphora.source

Culture & Society

  • Greek city of Elea of southern Italy is founded (approximate date).source
  • Amyntas I becomes king of Macedonia (approximate date).source

Births

  • Leonidas I, leader of the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae (approximate date; d. 480 BC)source
  • Epicharmus of Kos, Greek dramatist (approximate date; d. c. 450 BC)source
  • Vardhamana Mahavira, the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara of the Jains 450 BCsource
  • Heraclitus, Greek philosopher, born in Ephesus (approximate year)source