Decade · 520 – 529
The world in the 520s
From 520 to 529 the atlas holds 152 states standing at some time. 8 things began - Kingdom of Mercia, Iberian War and 526 Antioch earthquake among them - and 3 ended; 15 people were born and 11 died.
What began in the 520s
By kind, the best known first.
States 2
- Kingdom of Mercia · state · 527 – 918
- Wihtwara · state · 523 – 691
Wars and battles 4
- Iberian War · war · 526 – 532
- Battle of Vézeronce · battle · 524
- Battle of Thannuris · battle · 528
- Burgundy War · war · 523 – 524
Unrest and atrocity 1
- Iwai Rebellion · unrest · 528
Natural disasters 1
- 526 Antioch earthquake · disaster · 526
What ended in the 520s
States 2
- Himyar · state · 110 BCE – 525 CE
- Kadamba dynasty · state · 345 – 525
Wars and battles 1
- Burgundy War · war · 523 – 524
Born and died
Born 15
- Pope Pelagius II · writer · 520 – 590
- Justin II · politician · 520 – 578
- Tiberius II Constantine · politician · 520 – 582
- Columba · religious leader · 521 – 597
- Charibert I · monarch · 520 – 567
- Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi · politician · 526 – 559
- Justinian · military officer · 525 – 582
- Urien Rheged · ruler · 520 – 572
- Emperor Wen of Chen · military personnel · 522 – 566
- Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei · ruler · 524 – 552
- Hye of Baekje · ruler · 527 – 599
- Wideok of Baekje · ruler · 525 – 598
- Emperor Fei of Western Wei · politician · 525 – 554
- Yuan Zhao · ruler · 526 – 528
- Pharasmanes V · monarch · 520 – 561
Died 11
- Theodoric the Great · monarch · 454 – 526
- Pope Hormisdas · writer · 450 – 523
- Pope John I · writer · 470 – 526
- Justin I · politician · 450 – 527
- Chlodomer · monarch · 495 – 524
- Zosimus · writer · 460 – 520
- Sigismund of Burgundy · monarch · 475 – 524
- Thrasamund · person · 450 – 523
- Muryeong of Baekje · monarch · 462 – 523
- Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei · ruler · 510 – 528
- Yuan Zhao · ruler · 526 – 528
States of the 520s
The states that stood at some time in the 520s, by region, the best known first, with who held the highest office in 520.
Europe65 states
- France · 481 – present
- San Marino · 301 – present
- Ancient Greece · 1201 BCE – 600 CE
- Huns · 106 – 673
- Goths · 100 – 1475
- Lombards · 480 – 586
- Francia · 481 – 843
- Saxons · 283 – 799
and 57 more; every state of Europe.
Middle East and North Africa22 states
- Byzantine Empire · 285 – 1453 · Justin I, Byzantine emperor since 518
- Rhodes · 188 BCE – 1249 CE
- Sasanian Empire · 224 – 651 · Kavad I, King of Kings since 498
- Persian Empire · 550 BCE – 1979 CE · Kavad I, King of Kings since 498
- Kingdom of Aksum · 401 BCE – 960 CE · Kaleb of Axum, Ethiopia, AKSUM since 514
- Ghana Empire · 100 – 1200
- Kingdom of Iberia · 299 BCE – 580 CE
- Ghassanids · 220 – 638
and 14 more; every state of Middle East and North Africa.
South Asia23 states
- Gupta Empire · 320 – 550
- Chola dynasty · 300 BCE – 1279 CE
- Gandhara · 751 BCE – 535 CE
- Hephthalites · 408 – 670
- Pallava dynasty · 275 – 897
- Pandya dynasty · 300 BCE – 1650 CE
- Kingdom of Khotan · 56 – 1006
- Western Ganga dynasty · 350 – 1000
and 15 more; every state of South Asia.
East and Southeast Asia19 states
- Silla · 57 BCE – 892 CE
- Goguryeo · 37 BCE – 668 CE · Anjang of Goguryeo, wang since 519
- Champa · 192 – 1832 · Devavarman, king since 508 and Vijayavarman, king since 520
- Paekche · 18 BCE – 660 CE · Muryeong of Baekje, king since 501
- Rouran Khaganate · 330 – 555 · Yujiulü Chounu, khagan since 508 and Yujiulü Anagui, khagan since 520
- Xianbei · 208 BCE – 670 CE
- Pyu city-states · 201 BCE – 1050 CE
- Kaya confederacy · 42 – 562
and 11 more; every state of East and Southeast Asia.
Americas and Oceania5 states
- Maya civilization · 2001 BCE – 1521 CE
- Teotihuacan · 50 BCE – 704 CE
- Zapotec civilization · 6701 BCE – 1201 CE
- Tiwanaku polity · 300 – 1150
- United Provinces of New Granada · 181 – 1816
Location unknown18 states
- Northern and Southern dynasties · 420 – 589 · Emperor Wu of Liang, Emperor of China since 502 and Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei, Emperor of China since 515
- Justinian dynasty · 518 – 602 · Justin I, Byzantine emperor since 518
- Alchon Huns · 380 – 560 · Mihirakula, emperor since 515
- Langkasuka · 100 – 1500
- Licchavis of Nepal · 400 – 750
- Geumgwan Gaya · 43 – 532
- Oddiyana · 401 BCE – 1100 CE
- Varman dynasty · 350 – 655 · Bhuti Varman, Maharajadhiraja since 518
and 10 more; every state of Location unknown.
Open in the atlas
- On the timeline, 500 – 549: every state, war and life of the 520s, region by region.
- On the map in 525: the borders of the year, its cities under their names of the year, and what happened where.
Wikidata (CC0) · data built 2026-10-07 · Pastlas v2.13.1, by Oleh Voronko. The published atlas and its data are for non-commercial use.