600s BC

Centuries: 8th century BC – 7th century BC – 6th century BC

Decades: 650s BC 640s BC 630s BC 620s BC 610s BC – 600s BC – 590s BC 580s BC 570s BC 560s BC 550s BC

Events and trends

• Fall of the Assyrian Empire and Rise of Babylon
• 609 BC – King Josiah of Judah dies in the Battle of Megiddo against Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt
• 607 BC – Death of Zhou kuang wang, King of the Zhou Dynasty of China
• 606 BC – Zhou ding wang becomes King of the Zhou Dynasty of China
• 606 BC – Battle of Carchemish
• 604 BC – Nebuchadnezzar II succeeds his father Nabopolassar as ruler of the Chaldeans of Babylon
• 600 BC – Foundation of Capua
• 600 BC – Foundation of Milan by Celts (approximate date)
• 600 BC – Foundation of Marseille by Phoceans (traditionial date)
• 600 BC – Smyrna sacked and destroyed
• 600 BC – Nebuchadnezzar builds the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• 600 BC – Lehi and his family set out for the Americas as recorded in the Book of Mormon (approximate date)

Significant people

• 600 BC – Birth of King Cambyses I of Anshan, head of the Achaemenid dynasty (approximate date)