500

Year 500 (D) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.

Events

By place

Europe

• Possible date for the Battle of Mons Badonicus: Romano-British and Celts defeat an Anglo-Saxon army that may have been led by the bretwalda Aelle of Sussex or possibly Cerdic of Wessex (approximate date; suggested dates range from 490 to 510). This battle may have influenced the legend of King Arthur.
• Possible date at which Fergus Mór begins his reign—the historicity of Mór is doubtful.
• Approximate beginning of the Heptarchy period in the history of England.
• Approximate year of the founding of the Kingdom of Essex.
• The Frankish Kingdom is formed.
• The monument of Ale's Stones is built in Sweden.
• Burial in catacombs ends (approximate date).

Asia

• Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei China becomes sovereign of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

Americas

• Uxmal is founded (approximate date).

Africa

• Traders from southern Arabia settle in northern Ethiopia.

Births

• Erzhu Shilong
• Procopius, historian (approximate date)
• Theodebert I, king of Austrasia (approximate date, could also have been 495)
• Theodora, empress of Byzantium
• Tribonian, jurist in the Roman Empire (approximate date)
• Bhavaviveka, Indian Madhyamaka Scholar
• Xie He, Chinese artist (d. c. 535) (approximate date)

Deaths

• Zu Chongzhi, Chinese mathematician

Map of the world in 500.