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.

598 BC - Jehoiachin succeeds Jehoiakim as King of Judah.

March 16, 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king.

595 BC - Psammetichus II succeeds Necho II as king of Egypt.

594 BC - Solon appointed archon of Athens; institutes democratic reforms.

590 BC - Egyptian army sacks Napata, compelling the Cushite court to move to a more secure location at Meroe near the sixth cataract. (Early history of Sudan)

589 BC - Apries succeeds Psammetichus II as king of Egypt.

588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon begins siege of Jerusalem; the opera Nabucco sets the date at 587 BC.

587/586 BC - Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians, ending the Kingdom of Judah. The conquerors destroy the Temple of Jerusalem and exile the land's remaining inhabitants. Babylonian Captivity for the Jews began.

586 BC - reincarnation of King Ding of Zhou, King of the Zhou Dynasty of China.

May 28, 585 BC - A solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Thales, while Alyattes II is battling Cyaxares. This leads to a truce. This is one of the cardinal dates from which other dates can be calculated.

585/584 BC - Astyages succeeds Cyaxares as King of the Medes.

585 BC - King Jian of Zhou becomes King of the Zhou Dynasty of China.

582 BC - Pythian Games founded at Delphi. (traditional date)

580 BC - Cambyses I succeeds Cyrus I as king of Anshan and head of the Achaemenid dynasty. (approximate date)

580 BC - Isthmian Games founded at Corinth. (traditional date)

579 BC - Servius Tullius succeeds the assassinated Lucius Tarquinius Priscus as king of Rome. (traditional date)

573 BC - Nemean Games founded at Nemea. (traditional date)

572 BC - Death of King Jian of Zhou, King of the Zhou Dynasty of China.

571 BC - King Ling of Zhou becomes King of the Zhou Dynasty of China.

570 BC - Amasis II succeeds Apries as king of Egypt.

568 BC - Amtalqa succeeds his brother Aspelta as king of Kush.

562 BC - Amel-Marduk succeeds Nebuchadnezzar as king of Babylon.

560 BC - Neriglissar succeeds Amel-Marduk as king of Babylon.

560/561 BC - Croesus becomes king of Lydia.

560 BC - Pisistratus seizes the Acropolis of Athens and declares himself tyrant. He is deposed in the same year.

550s BC - Carthage conquers Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica.

559 BC - King Cambyses I of Anshan dies and is succeeded by his son Cyrus II the Great.

558 BC - Hegesias removed as Archon of Athens.

558 BC - The Chinese state of Jin defeats its rival Qin in battle.

556 BC - Pisistratus is exiled from Athens to Euboea.

556 BC - Labashi-Marduk succeeds Neriglissar as king of Babylon.

556/555 BC - Nabonidus succeeds Labashi-Marduk as king of Babylon.

550 BC - Abdera is destroyed by the Thracians.

550 BC - Cyrus of Anshan overthrows Astyages of the Medes, establishing the Persian Empire.

547 BC -- Croesus, Lydian king, is defeated by Cyrus of Persia near the River Halys.

546 BC -- Cyrus of Persia completes his conquest of Lydia, and makes Pasargadae his capital.

544 BC -- People of Teos migrate to Abdera, Thrace to escape the yoke of Persia.

544 BC -- King Jing of Zhou becomes King of the Zhou Dynasty of China.

543 BC -- North Indian Prince Vijaya invades Ceylon and establishes a Sinhalese dynasty.

543 BC -- Pisistratus, tyrant of Athens, purifies the island of Delos (approximate date).

540 BC -- Greek city of Elea of southern Italy founded (approximate date).

540 BC -- Persians conquer Lycian city of Xanthos now in southern Turkey (approximate date).

539 BC - Babylon is conquered by Cyrus the Great, defeating Nabonidus.

c. 538 BC - Return of some Jews from Babylonian exile who build the Second Temple about seventy years after the destruction of the First Temple, from 520 BC–516 BC.

537 BC - Jews transported to Babylon are allowed to return to Jerusalem, bringing to a close the Babylonian captivity.

536 BC - According to tradition, the Biblical prophet Daniel receives an angelic visitor. see Daniel 10:4

534 BC - Lucius Tarquinius Superbus becomes king of Rome.

534 BC - Competitions for tragedy are instituted at the City Dionysia festival in Athens.

530 BC - Cambyses II succeeds Cyrus as King of Persia.

528 BC - Gautama Buddha attained Enlightenment, and began his ministry. Gautama Buddha founds Buddhism in India. It becomes a major world religion.

526 BC - Psammetichus III succeeds Amasis II as king of Egypt.

525 BC - Cambyses II, ruler of Persia, conquers Egypt, defeating Psammetichus III. This is considered the end of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty, and the start of the Twenty-seventh Dynasty.

522 BC - Smerdis succeeds Cambyses II as ruler of Persia.

522 BC - Babylon rebels against Persian rule.

521 BC - Darius I succeeds Smerdis as ruler of Persia.

521 BC - The Babylonian rebellion against Persian rule is suppressed.

520 BC - King Dao of Zhou becomes King of the Zhou Dynasty of China but dies before the end of the year.

520 BC - Cleomenes I succeeds Anaxandridas as king of Sparta. (approximate date).

519 BC - King Jing of Zhou becomes King of the Zhou Dynasty of China.

516 BC - Indian subcontinent - Occupation of Punjab is completed by the Persian King Gustasp.

March 12, 515 BC - Construction is completed on the Temple in Jerusalem.

514 BC - King Helu of Wu establishes "Great City of Helu", the ancient name for Suzhou, as his capital in China.

513 BC - Darius the Great subdues the Getae and east Thrace in his war against the Scythians.

510 BC - Hippias, son of Pisistratus and tyrant of Athens, is expelled by a popular revolt supported by Cleomenes I, King of Sparta and his forces.

510 BC - End of reign of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, last king of the traditional seven Kings of Rome.

510 BC - Establishment of the Roman Republic.

510 BC - Demaratus succeeds Ariston as king of Sparta. (approximate date)

September 13, 509 BC - The temple of Jupiter on Rome's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September.

508 BC - Office of pontifex maximus created in Rome.

507 BC - Cleisthenes, Greek reformer, takes power and increases democracy.

506 BC - Battle of Bai ju: Forces of the Kingdom of Wu under Sun Tzu defeat the forces of Chu.

505 BC - First pair of Roman consuls elected.

December 4, 502 BC - Solar eclipse darkens Egypt. (computed, no clear historical record of observation)

502 BC - The Latin League defeats the Etruscans under Lars Porsenna at Aricia.

502 BC - Naxos rebels against Persian domination sparking the Ionian Revolt.

501 BC - Cleisthenes reforms democracy in Athens.

501 BC - Naxos is attacked by the Persian Empire.

501 BC - In response to threats by the Sabines, Rome creates the office of dictator.

501 BC - Confucius is appointed governor of Chung-tu.

501 BC - Gadir (present-day Cádiz) is captured by Carthage. (approximate date)

500 BC - Bantu-speaking people migrate into south-west Uganda from the west. (approximate date)

500 BC - Refugees from Teos resettle Abdera.

500 BC - Darius I of Persia proclaims that Aramaic be the official language of the western half of his empire.

500 BC - Signifies the end of the Nordic Bronze Age civilization in Oscar Montelius periodization system and begins the Pre-Roman Iron Age.

500 BC - Foundation of first republic in Vaishali Bihar India.

500s BC - The Gutaii tribe began around this time, in Middle and Southern Africa.

Persians began to seize power.

Persians dominate eastern Mediterranean.

The Persians under Darius I and later Cyrus invade Transoxiana.

Carthage's merchant empire slowly dominates the western Mediterranean.

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.