543 Explained

Year

Events

By place

Europe

• Spring  - Siege of Naples (542–543): The Byzantine garrison (1,000 men) in Naples surrenders to the Ostrogoths, pressed by famine and demoralized by the failure of two relief efforts. The defenders are well treated by King Totila, and the garrison is allowed safe departure, but the city walls are partly razed.^[1]

Africa

• The fortress city of Old Dongola (modern Sudan) along the River Nile becomes the capital of the Kingdom of Makuria. Several churches are built, including the "Old Church" (approximate date).

Persia

• Summer  - Khosrow I, Shahanshah of the Sasanian Empire, invades Syria again, and turns south towards Edessa to besiege the fortress city.
• The Hephthalites threaten the Sasanian Empire from the East. They extend their domain in Central Asia (approximate date).
• A Byzantine invasion of Persarmenia is defeated at the Battle of Anglon by a much smaller force from the Sasanian Empire.

Asia

• King Pulakeshin I establishes the Chalukya dynasty in India. He extends his kingdom by conquering Vakataka and the west coast of Karnataka, giving him access to the valuable Arabian Sea trade routes.^[2]

By topic

Learning

• Approximate date  - The Yupian (玉篇) Chinese dictionary is edited by Gu Yewang.

Religion

• The doctrine of apocatastasis is condemned by the Synod of Constantinople.
• Barsanuphius, a famous hermit close to Gaza, retreats fully from the world after the death of Seridus, abbot of the nearby monastery, and fellow hermit John the Prophet with whom he wrote over 850 letters to people seeking his advice and guidance. Aelianos follows Seridus as abbot of the monastery.^[3]

Births

• Brunhilda, queen of Austrasia (approximate date)
• Columbanus, Irish missionary (d. 615)
• Jing Di, emperor of the Liang dynasty (d. 558)
• Wu Di, emperor of Northern Zhou (d. 578)

Deaths

• Octa, king of Kent (approximate date) (b. 500)
• Adolius, Byzantine officer
• John the Prophet, Palestinian hermit and Desert Father^[4]
• Seridus of Gaza, Palestinian abbot^[5]

Notes and References

1. Bury (1923). Vol. II, Chapter XIX, p. 231-233.
2. Bauer, Susan Wise (2010). The History of the Medieval World: "From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade". p. 231.
3. Book: Storin . Bradley K. . Sogno . Cristiana . Watts . Edward J. . Late Antique Letter Collections A Critical Introduction and Reference Guide . November 2019 . University of California Press . 9780520308411 . 13 November 2023.
4. Book: Chryssavgis . John . John Climacus From the Egyptian Desert to the Sinaite Mountain . March 2017 . Taylor & Francis . 9781351925211 . 159 . 12 November 2023.
5. Book: Chryssavgis . John . John Climacus From the Egyptian Desert to the Sinaite Mountain . March 2017 . Taylor & Francis . 9781351925211 . 160 . 12 November 2023.