6th century BC

{{centuryBCbox | cp = 7th century BC | c = 6th century BC | cna = 5 | cnb = th century BC }} (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium)

Overview

The 5th and 6th centuries BC were a time of empires, but more importantly, a time of learning and philosophy.

Mediterranean: Beginning of Greek philosophy, flourishes during the 5th century BC
The late Hallstatt culture period in Eastern- and Central Europe, the late bronze age in northern Europe
East Asia: Chinese philosophy become the "religion" of China. Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, and Moism flourish, the so called Spring and Autumn Period in China.
Middle East: During the Persian empire, Zoroaster, aka Zarathustra, founded Zoroastrianism, a dualistic philosophy
India: The Buddha and Mahavira found Buddhism and Jainism, challenging Hinduism and the caste system
The decline of the Olmec civilization in America

Ruin of the Kingdom of Judah and the destruction of the First Temple (586 BC) marking the beginning of the full Babylonian Captivity for the Jews
Cyrus the Great conquered many countries and created the Persian Empire.
- Persians conquer Ancient Egypt, dominate eastern Mediterranean.
- Return of some Jews from Babylonian exile about (538 BC) who build the Second Temple about seventy years after the destruction of the First Temple, from 520–516 BC.
- Fall of the Babylonian Empire (539 BC) to Cyrus the Great of Persia, marking also an end of the Babylonian Captivity for the Jews.
- The Persians under Darius I and later Cyrus invade Transoxiana.
Carthage's merchant empire slowly dominates the western Mediterranean
Roman Republic founded
Gautama Buddha founds Buddhism in India. It becomes a major world religion.
Tao Te Ching written (traditional date)
Confucius formulates his ethical system of Confucianism, which proves highly influential in China
The Sinhalese emigrate to Sri Lanka
Apparent writing of the Book of Psalms
The prophet Lehi, according to the Book of Mormon, leaves Jerusalem and settles in North America.
Abkhazia is colonized by the Greeks.
The celtic Bruthin or Priteni, invade Britain and Ireland the British Isles some time before the 5th century BC.
emergence of the Proto-Germanic Jastorf culture