The 530s

Explore 21 historical events from 530–539.

Year by year

530 2 531 4 532 2 533 4 534 1 535 5 536 2 538 1

Notable Events

531 1495 years ago

Battle of Callinicum: A Byzantine army under Belisarius is defeated by the Persians at Raqqa (northern Syria)

The Battle of Callinicum took place on Easter Saturday, 19 April 531 AD, between an army of the Byzantine Empire under Belisarius and a Sasanian cavalry force commanded by Azarethe…

Battle of Callinicum: A Byzantine army under Belisarius is defeated by the Persians at Raqqa (northern Syria)

531 1495 years ago

Xiao Tong, prince of the Liang dynasty (born 501)

Xiao Tong, courtesy name Deshi (德施), formally Zhaoming Taizi, was a crown prince of the Chinese Liang dynasty, posthumously honored as Emperor Zhaoming (昭明皇帝). He was the oldest so…

Xiao Tong, prince of the Liang dynasty (born 501)

535

Amalasuntha, Ostrogothic queen and regent

Amalasuintha was a ruler of the Ostrogothic Kingdom from 526 to 535. Initially serving as regent for her son Athalaric, she became queen regnant after his premature death. Highly e…

Amalasuntha, Ostrogothic queen and regent

535

Election of pope Agapetus I following the death of pope John II earlier that month

Pope Agapetus I was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536. His father, Gordianus, was a priest in Rome and he may have been related to two popes, Felix II…

Election of pope Agapetus I following the death of pope John II earlier that month

535

Pope John II

Pope John II, born Mercurius, was the Bishop of Rome from 2 January 533 to his death on 8 May 535. As a priest at St. Clement's Basilica, he endowed that church with gifts and comm…

Pope John II

536 1490 years ago

Pope Agapetus I

Pope Agapetus I was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536. His father, Gordianus, was a priest in Rome and he may have been related to two popes, Felix II…

Pope Agapetus I

535

Epiphanius, patriarch of Constantinople

Epiphanius of Constantinople was the patriarch of Constantinople from 25 February 520 to 5 June 535, succeeding John Cappadocia.

Epiphanius, patriarch of Constantinople

533 a byzantine expeditionary fleet under belisarios sails from 06 21

533

A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarios sails from Constantinople to attack the Vandals in Africa, via Greece a

Flavius Belisarius was a military commander of the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian I. Belisarius was instrumental in the reconquest of much of the Mediterranean territory …

A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarios sails from Constantinople to attack the Vandals in Africa, via Greece a

532

Emperor Jiemin of Northern Wei, former Northern Wei emperor

Emperor Jiemin of Northern Wei ( 魏節閔帝), also known as Emperor Qianfei (前廢帝), at times referred to by pre-ascension title Prince of Guangling (廣陵王), personal name Yuan Gong (元恭), co…

Emperor Jiemin of Northern Wei, former Northern Wei emperor

536 1490 years ago

Election of pope Silverius following the death of pope Agapetus I earlier that year

Pope Silverius was bishop of Rome from 8 June 536 to his deposition in 537, a few months before his death. His rapid rise to prominence from a deacon to the papacy coincided with t…

Election of pope Silverius following the death of pope Agapetus I earlier that year

All Events

538 the ostrogoths abandoned the siege of ariminum upon the arri 07 24

538

The Ostrogoths abandoned the Siege of Ariminum upon the arrival of the Byzantine fleet.

The Ostrogothic Kingdom, officially the Kingdom of Italy, was a barbarian kingdom established by the Germanic Ostrogoths that controlled Italy and neighbouring areas between 493 an…

The Ostrogoths abandoned the Siege of Ariminum upon the arrival of the Byzantine fleet.

536 1490 years ago

Election of pope Silverius following the death of pope Agapetus I earlier that year

Pope Silverius was bishop of Rome from 8 June 536 to his deposition in 537, a few months before his death. His rapid rise to prominence from a deacon to the papacy coincided with t…

Election of pope Silverius following the death of pope Agapetus I earlier that year

536 1490 years ago

Pope Agapetus I

Pope Agapetus I was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536. His father, Gordianus, was a priest in Rome and he may have been related to two popes, Felix II…

Pope Agapetus I

535

Election of pope Agapetus I following the death of pope John II earlier that month

Pope Agapetus I was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536. His father, Gordianus, was a priest in Rome and he may have been related to two popes, Felix II…

Election of pope Agapetus I following the death of pope John II earlier that month

535

Pope John II

Pope John II, born Mercurius, was the Bishop of Rome from 2 January 533 to his death on 8 May 535. As a priest at St. Clement's Basilica, he endowed that church with gifts and comm…

Pope John II

535

Epiphanius, patriarch of Constantinople

Epiphanius of Constantinople was the patriarch of Constantinople from 25 February 520 to 5 June 535, succeeding John Cappadocia.

Epiphanius, patriarch of Constantinople

535

Mochta, Irish missionary and saint

Saint Mochta, was the last surviving disciple of Saint Patrick.

Mochta, Irish missionary and saint

535

Amalasuntha, Ostrogothic queen and regent

Amalasuintha was a ruler of the Ostrogothic Kingdom from 526 to 535. Initially serving as regent for her son Athalaric, she became queen regnant after his premature death. Highly e…

Amalasuntha, Ostrogothic queen and regent

534

Athalaric, king of the Ostrogoths in Italy

Athalaric was the king of the Ostrogoths in Italy between 526 and 534. He was a son of Eutharic and Amalasuintha, the youngest daughter of Theodoric the Great, whom Athalaric succe…

Athalaric, king of the Ostrogoths in Italy

533

A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarios sails from Constantinople to attack the Vandals in Africa, via Greece a

Flavius Belisarius was a military commander of the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian I. Belisarius was instrumental in the reconquest of much of the Mediterranean territory …

A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarios sails from Constantinople to attack the Vandals in Africa, via Greece a

533 belisarius of the byzantine empire defeats gelimer and the v 09 13

533

Belisarius of the Byzantine Empire defeats Gelimer and the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimum, near Carthage, North…

Flavius Belisarius was a military commander of the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian I. Belisarius was instrumental in the reconquest of much of the Mediterranean territory …

Belisarius of the Byzantine Empire defeats Gelimer and the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimum, near Carthage, North…

533 the byzantine army under belisarius enters carthage followin 09 15

533

The Byzantine army under Belisarius enters Carthage following their victory over the Vandals at Ad Decimum.

The Byzantine army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine navy. A direct continuation of the Eastern Roman army, shaping and d…

The Byzantine army under Belisarius enters Carthage following their victory over the Vandals at Ad Decimum.

533

The Byzantines under Belisarius defeated the Vandal King Gelimer at the Battle of Ad Decimum near Carthage, and began…

Flavius Belisarius was a military commander of the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian I. Belisarius was instrumental in the reconquest of much of the Mediterranean territory …

The Byzantines under Belisarius defeated the Vandal King Gelimer at the Battle of Ad Decimum near Carthage, and began…

532

Emperor Jiemin of Northern Wei, former Northern Wei emperor

532

Pope Boniface II

Pope Boniface II was the first Germanic Bishop of Rome. He ruled the Holy See from 22 September 530 until his death on 17 October 532. Boniface died of natural causes, likely an il…

Pope Boniface II

531 1495 years ago

Battle of Callinicum: A Byzantine army under Belisarius is defeated by the Persians at Raqqa (northern Syria)

The Battle of Callinicum took place on Easter Saturday, 19 April 531 AD, between an army of the Byzantine Empire under Belisarius and a Sasanian cavalry force commanded by Azarethe…

Battle of Callinicum: A Byzantine army under Belisarius is defeated by the Persians at Raqqa (northern Syria)

531 khosrow i becomes king of the sassanid empire following the 09 13

531 1495 years ago

Khosrow I becomes king of the Sassanid Empire following the death of his father Kavad I. He starts negotiations with…

Khosrow I, traditionally known by his epithet of Anushirvan, was the Sasanian King of Kings of Iran from 531 to 579. He was the son and successor of Kavad I.

Khosrow I becomes king of the Sassanid Empire following the death of his father Kavad I. He starts negotiations with…

531 1495 years ago

Xiao Tong, prince of the Liang dynasty (born 501)

Xiao Tong, courtesy name Deshi (德施), formally Zhaoming Taizi, was a crown prince of the Chinese Liang dynasty, posthumously honored as Emperor Zhaoming (昭明皇帝). He was the oldest so…

Xiao Tong, prince of the Liang dynasty (born 501)

531 1495 years ago

Kavad I, Sasanian King of Kings of Iran (born 473)

Year 531 (DXXXI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known in the Roman Empire as the Year after the Consulship of Lampadius and Pro…

Kavad I, Sasanian King of Kings of Iran (born 473)

530

Pope Felix IV

Pope Felix IV was the bishop of Rome from 12 July 526 to his death on 22 September 530. He was the chosen candidate of Ostrogoth King Theodoric the Great, who had imprisoned Felix'…

Pope Felix IV

530

Antipope Dioscorus

Dioscorus was a deacon of the Alexandrian and the Roman church from 506. In a disputed election following the death of Pope Felix IV, the majority of electors picked him to be pope…

Antipope Dioscorus