Decade · 540 – 549
The world in the 540s
From 540 to 549 the atlas holds 150 states standing at some time. 11 things began - Chalukya dynasty, Lazic War and Bavarians among them - and 1 ended; 14 people were born and 11 died.
What began in the 540s
By kind, the best known first.
States 3
- Chalukya dynasty · state · 543 – 753
- Bavarians · state · 540 – 787
- Early Lý dynasty · state · 544 – 602
Wars and battles 8
- Lazic War · war · 541 – 562
- Sack of Rome · battle · 546
- Battle of Faventia · battle · 542
- Siege of Naples · battle · 542 – 543
- Siege of Rome · battle · 549 – 550
- Siege of Verona · battle · 541
- Battle of Anglon · battle · 543
- Battle of Mucellium · battle · 542
What ended in the 540s
Wars and battles 1
- Siege of Naples · battle · 542 – 543
Born and died
Born 14
- Pope Gregory I · diplomat · 540 – 604
- Phocas · politician · 547 – 610
- Abu Lahab · politician · 549 – 624
- Emperor Wen of Sui · politician · 541 – 604
- Hormizd IV · ruler · 540 – 590
- Creoda of Mercia · ruler · 540 – 593
- Ishbara Qaghan · ruler · 540 – 587
- Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou · ruler · 543 – 578
- Jizang · philosopher · 549 – 623
- Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou · monarch · 542 – 557
- Emperor Fei of Northern Qi · ruler · 545 – 561
- Emperor Jing of Liang · politician · 544 – 558
- Xiao Kui · ruler · 542 – 585
- Xiao Zhuang · politician · 548 – 577
Died 11
- Benedict of Nursia · theologian · 480 – 547
- Theodora · monarch · 500 – 548
- Theudebert I · monarch · 500 – 548
- Clotilde · ruler · 474 – 545
- Theudis · ruler · 480 – 548
- Theudigisel · ruler · 500 – 549
- Emperor Wu of Liang · ruler · 464 – 549
- Maelgwn Gwynedd · ruler · 480 – 547
- Anwon of Goguryeo · ruler · 501 – 545
- Lý Nam Đế · ruler · 503 – 548
- Gao Huan · politician · 496 – 547
States of the 540s
The states that stood at some time in the 540s, by region, the best known first, with who held the highest office in 540.
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 Africa20 states
- Byzantine Empire · 285 – 1453 · Theodora, Byzantine emperor since 527 and Justinian I, Byzantine emperor since 527
- Rhodes · 188 BCE – 1249 CE
- Sasanian Empire · 224 – 651 · Khosrow I, emperor of the Sasanian Empire since 531
- Persian Empire · 550 BCE – 1979 CE · Khosrow I, emperor of the Sasanian Empire since 531
- Kingdom of Aksum · 401 BCE – 960 CE
- Ghana Empire · 100 – 1200
- Kingdom of Iberia · 299 BCE – 580 CE
- Ghassanids · 220 – 638 · Al-Harith ibn Jabalah, king since 529
and 12 more; every state of Middle East and North Africa.
South Asia21 states
- Gupta Empire · 320 – 550
- Chola dynasty · 300 BCE – 1279 CE
- Hephthalites · 408 – 670
- Pallava dynasty · 275 – 897
- Chalukya dynasty · 543 – 753
- Pandya dynasty · 300 BCE – 1650 CE
- Kingdom of Khotan · 56 – 1006
- Western Ganga dynasty · 350 – 1000
and 13 more; every state of South Asia.
East and Southeast Asia22 states
- Silla · 57 BCE – 892 CE
- Goguryeo · 37 BCE – 668 CE · Anwon of Goguryeo, wang since 531
- Champa · 192 – 1832 · Rudravarman I, king since 529
- Paekche · 18 BCE – 660 CE · Seong, king since 523
- Rouran Khaganate · 330 – 555 · Yujiulü Anagui, khagan since 522
- Asuka period · 538 – 710
- Xianbei · 208 BCE – 670 CE
- Pyu city-states · 201 BCE – 1050 CE
and 14 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 unknown17 states
- Northern and Southern dynasties · 420 – 589 · Emperor Wu of Liang, Emperor of China since 502 and Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei, Emperor of China since 534
- Justinian dynasty · 518 – 602 · Theodora, Byzantine emperor since 527 and Justinian I, Byzantine emperor since 527
- Alchon Huns · 380 – 560 · Mihirakula, emperor since 515
- Langkasuka · 100 – 1500
- Licchavis of Nepal · 400 – 750
- Oddiyana · 401 BCE – 1100 CE
- Varman dynasty · 350 – 655 · Bhuti Varman, Maharajadhiraja since 518
- Daegaya · 42 – 562
and 9 more; every state of Location unknown.
Open in the atlas
- On the timeline, 520 – 569: every state, war and life of the 540s, region by region.
- On the map in 545: 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.