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.
- 556 BC - Pisistratus expelled, makes fortune from Thracian mines
- 556 BC - Birth of Simonides of Ceos, approximate date
- 555 BC - Death of Stesichorus, Greek lyric poet
- 551 BC - Birth of Confucius, philosopher