Centuries: 7th century BC - 6th century BC - 5th century BC

Decades: 600s BC - 590s BC - 580s BC - 570s BC - 560s BC - 550s BC - 540s BC - 530s BC - 520s BC - 510s BC - 500s BC

Events and trends

• Carthage conquers Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica
• 559 BC - King Cambyses I of Anshan dies and is succeeded by his son Cyrus II the Great.
• 558 BC - Hegesias removed as Archon of Athens
• 558 BC - The Chinese state of Jin defeats its rival Qin in battle.
• 556 BC - Pisistratus is exiled from Athens to Euboea
• 556 BC - Labashi-Marduk succeeds Neriglissar as king of Babylon
• 556 BC - Nabonidus succeeds Labashi-Marduk as king of Babylon
• 550 BC - Abdera is destroyed by the Thracians.

Significant people

• 558 BC - Death of Solon, Athenian statesman
• 556 BC - Birth of Simonides of Ceos (approximate date)
• 555 BC - Death of Stesichorus, Greek lyric poet
• 551 BC - Birth of Confucius, philosopher