Centuries: 7th century BC - 6th century BC - 5th century BC

Decades: 580s BC - 570s BC - 560s BC - 550s BC - 540s BC - 530s BC - 520s BC - 510s BC - 500s BC - 490s BC - 480s BC

Events and trends

• 538 BC - Babylon occupied by Cyrus the Great
• 537 BC - Jews transported to Babylon are allowed to return to Jerusalem, bring to a close the Babylonian captivity.
• 536 BC - The biblical Daniel receives an angelic visitor. see Daniel 10:4
• 534 BC - Lucius Tarquinius Superbus becomes king of Rome
• 534 BC - November 23? Thespus, claimed to be the first actor in a play, first appears at Theatre Dionysus

Significant people

• 535 BC - Heraclitus of Ephesus, Greek philosopher (approximate date)