Directory

550 CE

Gothic War: The Ostrogoths under king Totila recapture Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison. Justinian I sends two Nestorian monks on a mission to Central Asia, to spread Christianity in the East (approximate date). The Sassanid Empire, under the reign of King Khosrow I, controls the trade of silk destined for Europe and the Byzantine Empire.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Wen Xuan Di adopts a defensive policy towards the hostile northern tribes; he builds over 1,000 miles of walls on the border.source
  • The Vendel era begins; the name is given to a region in Uppland (an important area of the sagas' account of a Swedish kingdom).source

Conflict & Security

  • January 16 – Gothic War: The Ostrogoths under king Totila recapture Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison.source
  • The Eastern Wei Dynasty ends, and Wen Xuan Di becomes emperor of Northern Qi. He forces Xiao Jing Di to yield the throne.source
  • The Gupta Empire falls; India is again ruled by regional kingdoms (approximate date).source
  • Emperor Justinian I appoints Bessas commander (magister militum) of Armenia, and entrusts him with the war in Lazica (Georgia).source

Exploration & Expansion

  • The Sassanid Empire, under the reign of King Khosrow I, controls the trade of silk destined for Europe and the Byzantine Empire.source
  • Summer – Totila plunders Sicily, after he subdues Corsica and Sardinia. He sends a Gothic fleet to raid the coasts of Greece.source

Religion & Belief

  • Justinian I sends two Nestorian monks on a mission to Central Asia, to spread Christianity in the East (approximate date).source
  • The main redaction of the Babylonian Talmud is completed under Rabbis Ravina and Ashi (approximate date).source
  • The churches of Lazica (Georgia) and Armenia split. While the Armenian Church remains independent, the Georgian church unites with the Byzantine Empire. This ecclesiastical union deepens political and cultural contact between the two states. As a sign of Lazica's status vis-à-vis Byzantium, Lazic princes are vested with honorific titles of the Byzantine court, including kouropalates, or "minister of the imperial palace" (approximate date).source
  • In Ireland, the Diocese of Tuam is erected.source
  • Chararic, king of the Suevi, converts to Catholicism.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • Construction of Quiriguá (Guatemala) begins (approximate date).source

Science & Discovery

  • Procopius writes the Secret History (approximate date).source
  • Hindu mathematicians give zero a numeral representation in a positional notation system.source

Climate & Environment

  • The last known eruption of Chimborazo (modern Ecuador) occurs.source

Births

  • Gaugericus, bishop of Cambrai (approximate date)source
  • Gallus, Irish missionary (approximate date)source
  • John Moschus, Byzantine monk (approximate date)source
  • Finbarr of Cork, Irish bishop (approximate date)source
  • Peter III of Callinicum, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch (approximate date)source

Deaths

  • May 8 – Desideratus, French saintsource
  • Buddhapālita, Indian Madhyamaka scholar (b. 470)source
  • Aryabhata, Indian mathematician-astronomer (b. 476)source
  • Eustathius of Mtskheta, Orthodox Christian saintsource
  • Germanus, Byzantine general (magister militum)source