Millennium: | 1st millennium |
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Centuries: | |
Decades: | |
Years: |
538 by topic |
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Leaders |
Categories |
Gregorian calendar | 538 DXXXVIII |
Ab urbe condita | 1291 |
Assyrian calendar | 5288 |
Balinese saka calendar | 459–460 |
Bengali calendar | −55 |
Berber calendar | 1488 |
Buddhist calendar | 1082 |
Burmese calendar | −100 |
Byzantine calendar | 6046–6047 |
Chinese calendar | 丁巳年 (Fire Snake) 3234 or 3174 — to — 戊午年 (Earth Horse) 3235 or 3175 |
Coptic calendar | 254–255 |
Discordian calendar | 1704 |
Ethiopian calendar | 530–531 |
Hebrew calendar | 4298–4299 |
Hindu calendars | |
- Vikram Samvat | 594–595 |
- Shaka Samvat | 459–460 |
- Kali Yuga | 3638–3639 |
Holocene calendar | 10538 |
Iranian calendar | 84 BP – 83 BP |
Islamic calendar | 87 BH – 86 BH |
Javanese calendar | 425–426 |
Julian calendar | 538 DXXXVIII |
Korean calendar | 2871 |
Minguo calendar | 1374 before ROC 民前1374年 |
Nanakshahi calendar | −930 |
Seleucid era | 849/850 AG |
Thai solar calendar | 1080–1081 |
Tibetan calendar | 阴火蛇年 (female Fire-Snake) 664 or 283 or −489 — to — 阳土马年 (male Earth-Horse) 665 or 284 or −488 |
Year 538 ( DXXXVIII ) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Iohannes without colleague (or, less frequently, year 1291 Ab urbe condita ). The denomination 538 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.
The 530s decade ran from January 1, 530, to December 31, 539.
The 540s decade ran from January 1, 540, to December 31, 549.
The 550s decade ran from January 1, 550, to December 31, 559.
Year 536 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year after the Consulship of Belisarius.
Year 537 (DXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Second year after the Consulship of Belisarius. The denomination 537 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.
Year 540 (DXL) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Iustinus without colleague. The denomination 540 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.
Pope Vigilius was the bishop of Rome from 29 March 537 to his death. He is considered the first pope of the Byzantine papacy. Born into Roman aristocracy, Vigilius served as a deacon and papal apocrisiarius in Constantinople. He allied with Empress Theodora, who sought his help to establish Monophysitism, and was made pope after the deposition of Silverius. After he refused to sign Emperor Justinian I's edict condemning the Three Chapters, Vigilius was arrested in 545 and taken to Constantinople. He died in Sicily while returning to Rome.
The Gothic War between the Eastern Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Justinian I and the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy took place from 535 to 554 in the Italian Peninsula, Dalmatia, Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica. It was one of the last of the many Gothic Wars against the Roman Empire. The war had its roots in the ambition of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Emperor Justinian I to recover the provinces of the former Western Roman Empire, which the Romans had lost to invading barbarian tribes in the previous century, during the Migration Period.
The First Siege of Rome during the Gothic War lasted for a year and nine days, from 2 March 537 to 12 March 538. The city was besieged by the Ostrogothic army under their king Vitiges; the defending East Romans were commanded by Belisarius, one of the most famous and successful Roman generals. The siege was the first major encounter between the forces of the two opponents, and played a decisive role in the subsequent development of the war.
The Battle of Sena Gallica, was a naval battle fought off the Italian Adriatic coast in the autumn of 551 between an East Roman (Byzantine) and an Ostrogoth fleet, during the Gothic War (535–554). It marked the end of the Goths' brief bid to deny the seas to the Romans, and the beginning of the Byzantine resurgence in the war under the leadership of Narses.
Sittas was a Byzantine military commander during the reign of Emperor Justinian I. During the Iberian War against the Sassanid Empire, Sittas was given command of forces in Armenia, similar to the status of Belisarius in Mesopotamia. He won a victory over the Sassanids at the battle of Satala.
Belisarius was a military commander of the Byzantine Empire under the emperor Justinian I. He was instrumental in the reconquest of much of the Mediterranean territory belonging to the former Western Roman Empire, which had been lost less than a century prior.
Aratius was an Armenian military commander of the 6th century whose brother was Narses. He served at first the Sasanian Empire, then defected to the Byzantine Empire. He is primarily known for his activities in the Iberian War and the Gothic War. He was eventually killed in an ambush. Primary sources about him include Choricius of Gaza and Procopius of Caesarea.
Justin was a 6th-century East Roman (Byzantine) general, who was active in the Gothic War in Italy under Justinian I.
John, the nephew of the rebel Vitalian, was an Eastern Roman general under Justinian I, who was active in the Gothic War in Italy and against the Gepids in the western Balkans. He was married to Justina, the daughter of Justinian's cousin Germanus.
Bessas was an Eastern Roman general of Gothic origin from Thrace, primarily known for his career in the wars of Justinian I. He distinguished himself against the Sassanid Persians in the Iberian War and under the command of Belisarius in the Gothic War, but after Belisarius' departure from Italy he failed to confront the resurgent Goths and was largely responsible for the loss of Rome in 546. Returning east in disgrace, despite his advanced age he was appointed as commander in the Lazic War. There he redeemed himself with the recapture of Petra, but his subsequent idleness led Justinian to dismiss him and exile him to Abasgia.
Vacis was an Ostrogothic commander under King Witigis during the Byzantine–Gothic War (535–554).
The siege of Urbinus also called Siege of Urbino or Siege of Urbinum took place in the year 538 during Justinian's Gothic War. Earlier, when John took Ariminum, he had bypassed Auximus and Urbinus which would have to be taken now to secure the road to Ravenna. The Gothic king, Witigis, had sent a man called Moras with 2.000 troops to defend the city. In the year 538, the Byzantine commander, Belisarius went to besiege the town while another strong Byzantine contingents besieged Urviventus. The forces of Narses and John, other Byzantine commanders, who were undermining Belisarius' authority, joined him in this venture. Thinking the defenders would be terrified on seeing the Byzantine army, Belisarius sent envoys offering the garrison a chance to surrender. Narses and John set up camp separately form Belisarius, on the other side of the town, and, after negotiations with the garrison failed, totally abandoned the siege. They declared taking the town impossible and moved to capture Aemilia but while Belisarius was preparing to assault the town surrendered due to the failure of its spring. Astonished by such success, Narses sent John to capture Caesena but this assault failed. John then moved to and managed to capture Forocornelius. After this siege Belisarius moved to support in the siege of Urviventus, also capturing that city shortly after.
The siege of Ravenna of 539-540 took place during Justinian’s Gothic War. After clearing out Ariminum, Urviventus, Urbinus and Auximus the road to Ravenna was open to the Byzantines. In late 539 or early 540 Belisarius, victor of engagements like Dara, Ad Decimum and Rome, marched on Ravenna while Vitalius was already in the area. Vitalius discovered a grain shipment destined for Ravenna and captured it. When news of the siege spread many Gothic garrisons began to surrender. The city itself was taken when Belisarius was offered the Ostrogothic throne and faked acceptance.
Narses was an Armenian military commander in service of the Sasanian Empire and later the Byzantine Empire.