609–600 BC

Millennium: 1st millennium BC
Centuries: 8th century BC - 7th century BC - 6th century BC
Decades: 630s BC 620s BC 610s BC - 600s BC - 590s BC 580s BC 570s BC
Years: 609 BC 608 BC 607 BC 606 BC 605 BC 604 BC 603 BC 602 BC 601 BC 600 BC
Categories: Births - Deaths - Architecture
Establishments - Disestablishments

Events and trends

• 609 BC — The Babylonians defeat the Assyrian army of Ashur-uballit II and capture Harran. Ashur-uballit, the last Assyrian king, disappears from history.
• 607 BC — Death of Zhou Kuang Wang, King of the Zhou Dynasty of China.
• 607 BC — Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the fall of Jerusalem occurred in this year.
• 606 BC — Zhou Ding Wang becomes King of the Zhou Dynasty.
• 605 BC — Battle of Carchemish: Crown Prince Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon defeats the army of Necho II of Egypt, securing the Babylonian conquest of Assyria. The Babylonians pursue through Syria and Palestine.
• 605 BC — Nebuchadrezzar II succeeds his father Nabopolassar as King of Babylon.
• 601 BC — Foundation of Perinthus by settlers from Samos.
• 600 BC — Radiocarbon dating for first circular inhabitation enclosure at Emain Macha.
• 600 BC — Creation of Armenia.
• 600 BC — Foundation of Capua.
• 600 BC — Foundation of Milan by Celts (approximate date).
• 600 BC — Foundation of Marseille by settlers from Phocaea (traditional date).
• 600 BC — Smyrna sacked and destroyed.
• 600 BC — Nebuchadrezzar builds the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
• 600 BC — Lehi flees Jerusalem.
• c. 600 BC — Orientalizing period of vases ends in Ancient Greece.
• c. 600 BC — Archaic period of sculpture starts in Ancient Greece.
• c. 600 BC — Pitcher (container) (olpe), from Corinth, is made. It is now at The British Museum, London.
• c. 600 BC — Kouros is made. It is now at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
• c. 600 BC–580 BC — Temple of Artemis, Korkyra (Corfu) is built.
• c. 600 BC — Pompeii is founded.
• c. 600 BC — Zarathustra's religion becomes popular in Persia.
• c. 600 BC — Beginning of the construction of the largest Mound at Cahokia, near East St. Louis, Illinois. Construction continues until AD 200.
• c. 600 BC — The Etruscans capture the settlement of Rome, making it into a prosperous trading centre.
• c. 600 BC - Athens was suffering severe economic problems.

Significant people

• 605 BC — Death of Nabopolassar, first ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
• 600 BC — Birth of King Cambyses I of Anshan, head of the Achaemenid dynasty (approximate date)
• c. 600 BC — Thales, Greek philosopher