A Concise Timeline of the History of the Known World - from 500 CE to 600 CE:
500 CE: Battle of Mons Badonicus, Magnus Artorius, High King of Britannia defeats the Saxons and puts a stop to their expansion West. Battle of Dijon, Gundobad of Burgundy is defeated by Clovis and accepts to pay tribute. Alexandros XII is forced to marry Selena, a descendant of the Caesarion Ptolemies. He is further humiliated by Leo II as he is forced to publicly copulate with his new wife for the entertainment of Leo II who proclaims that he only requires a new "little Emperor" then the father can "go to Sol".
502 CE: Selena gives birth to twins. True to his threat, Leo II orders Alexandros XII starved to death. In a macabre jest, Leo II offers to allow an emaciated Alexandros XII one of his baby sons to eat if he would want to live longer. A starving Alexandros XII refuses and demands to be killed. Leo II allows him to linger on. Alexandros XII dies on December 25, on the Day of the Birth of Sol. Before his death Leo II brings his two baby sons to him to gloat about them taking his place. He mocks Alexandros XII and asks whether he should be sent to the desert. In an unexpected display of will and strength Alexandros XII rises and blesses his children. Before collapsing, his last words are: "I have already been to the desert."
503 CE: Kavadh I of Persia attacks the Eastern Borders. Bulgars are allowed by Dacians and Sarmatians to pour through their lands into the Balkans. Leo II famously flips a coin before choosing which of Alexandros XII's baby sons to proclaim as co-Emperor. One of them becomes Alexandros XIII. The Persian Mazdak gains influence at the Sassanid court. He declares private property to be the source of evil.
504 CE: Leo II creates the client Ostrogothic Kingdom of Diocleia in order to combat the Bulgars. Utigur and Kutrigur contest for leadership of the Huns.
506 CE: Peace between the Eastern Empire and Persia, as Kavadh has to deal with renewed Hephtalite attacks in the East.
507 CE: Battle of Vouillé - Clovis defeats Theodoric the Ostrogoth. Theodoric bends the Knee to Clovis as a vassal king. Following several succesful campaigns in central Germania, the Thuringii King Hermanafrid proclaims himself High King of Germania.
508 CE: Leo II recognizes Clovis as High King of Gallia and entreats him to attack the Western Empire. Aergol Lawhir of Dyfed and Budic II of Britanny, lead a Briton army against the Saxons and defeat them outside Wintanceaster.
511 CE: Clovis dies. His domains are divided into lesser kingdoms ruled by his sons. Theodoric and the Goths rebel in the South. Hermanafrid of Germania invades from the East. Kavadh officialy converts to Mazdakism. To demonstrate his addherance to the concept of communal property he allows Mazdak to sleep with the Empress. A vast programme of reforms begins, as Mazdakite communities are set up within the Empire. Mazdakism is also exported to the Kindah kingdom in Arabia.
515 CE: Eutharic a lesser Gothic King in Southern Gallia, and son-in-law of Theodoric, assassinates his father-in-law, instigated by his ambitious wife Amalasuntha. Gothic Gallia descends into anarchy, as Theodoric's children and lesser kings fight for the High Kingship. Aelle, first King of Sussex is captured by a contingent of Artorian Sarmatian cavalry and used for target practice. His body, pierced by countless arrows is left to rot for days before it is found by his Saxon followers.
518 CE: Leo II orders Justin, commander of the Excubitors to execute Alexandros XIII after Alexandros XIII publicly declares Leo II "a murdering tyrant, hated by Sol and man alike". Justin refuses proclaiming Alexandros XIII to be the true Sun Emperor. The Excubitors assassinate Leo II. His head is mounted on a pole outside the Palace Gates and his sons are executed within the Palace. The Isaurian guard fights the Excubitors and Justin's supporters in street battles in Constantinople. Leo II's youngest son Zeno is safe in Isauria where he proclaims himself Emperor.
Justin becomes co-Emperor.
519 CE: Isaurian War. Justin campaigns against the Isaurian loyalists. Wehha founds the kingdom of East Anglia. Hygelac King of the Geats raids the Lower Rhine. Vandal Civil War between the Arian party and a Catholic Party funded by Rome. Romans take the opportunity to retake Corsica, Sardinia and Western Sicily. The Catholics are defeated.
523 CE: The Isaurian War ends in stalemate. Zeno is allowed to remain as client King of Isauria as he renounces his Imperial ambitions. Hilderic King of the Vandals campaigns unsuccesfully against the Amanaya Berbers of Tripolitania.
526 CE: Inspired by Roman custom, in an unprecedent move, Amalaric and Athalaric rule as joint High Kings of the Goths in Southern Gallia. Amalaric enlarges his kingdom of Septimania, turning it into the dominant power in East Southern Gallia.
527 CE: Justin I dies of consumption. Before his death he appoints his nephew Justinian as co-Emperor. The Kingdom of Essex is founded by Aescwine.
529 CE: Justinian I begins to give state patronage to the cult of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, a monotheistic offshoot of graeco-roman paganism, seeing Jupiter Optimus Maximus as the only True God, while all other gods are nothing but inferior entitites. War against Persia.
530 CE: Hilderic is deposed by his brother Gelimer and forced to retire to a villa outside Carthage. Battle of Dara - Belisarius defeats the Persians and helps spark the beginning of rebellion against the Mazdakite Kavadh I.
531 CE: Hermanafrid High King of Germania assassinated by a Frankish noble. Kavadh I is assassinated by his own son Khosrau I, a staunch supporter of Zoroastrianism. His son orders the body of his father cut to pieces so that "it can be divided as he would have divided the wealth of Persia". His elder brother, Kawus proclaims himself King of Kings. Beginning of Mazdakite-Zoroastrian civil war.
532 CE: Nika Riots in Constantinople after Justinian redidicates the Great Temple of Sol Invictus to Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Alexandros XIII supports the riots. The Temple burns down. Belisarius massacres over 30000 rioters in the Hippodrome. The Legio I Lux Invicta joins the rebels. Alexandros XIII and Justinian negotiate and a compromise is reached. A new, even greater temple, the Temple of Hagia Sophia, Holy Wisdom, is to be built where both Sol Invictus and Jupiter Optimus Maximus are to be worshipped. Justinian also allows Alexandros XIII to remain in control of Constantinople and he departs the city to rule from his own capital at Nikomedeia.
533 CE: Justinian sends Belisarius to retake Africa from the Vandals. A great battle is fought at ad Decimum, Gelimer defeats Belisarius and takes him captive. Gelimer sends Belisarius back to Justinian with an offer of alliance against the Western Empire. Justinian accepts the offer.
534 CE: The Vandals and the Eastern Empire attack the Western Empire. The Vandal and Eastern Roman fleets win a great naval victory near Malta which leaves the allies masters of the Sea. Belisarius lands in Southern Italia while the Vandals start their campaign in Western Sicily.
535 CE: Belisarius is in control of most of Magna Graecia. The Vandal King Gelimer recieves the submission and vassalage of the Aetii of Panormus and of the Hieronids of Siracusa. Valentinian VII tries to have Gelimer assassinated but his assassination attempt fails. Gelimer's eldest son, also called Gelimer dies in the assassination attempt. Gelimer swears revenge.
536 CE: Belisarius takes Neapolis without a fight, the Julio-Argead ruler of Neapolis Alexandros Maximus openly welcomes Belisarius within the city. Gelimer begins his conquest of Sardinia. Belisarius's son Lucius, serving under Gelimer conquers the North of the Island. The Vandal King is so impressed by the young Lucius that he makes him hereditary lord of Arborea in order to secure his services.
537 CE: The Battle of Camlann is fought. The old Magnus Artorius, High King of Britannia is killed in single combat by Mordred, his son by the Saxon princess Aethelflaed, leading a Saxon coallition against the Britons. Mordred proclaims himself High King of Britannia, but the Britons elect Magnus Artorius II instead. Gelimer and Belisarius link up outside Capua. Together they defeat Valentinian VII in battle who flees to Rome. Belisarius decides to move North towards Ravenna, while Gelimer decides to besiege Rome.
538 CE: Gelimer offers to abandon the siege of Rome if Valentinian VII would face him in single combat outside the city walls. Valentinian VII agrees. A duel to the death is fought. Valentinian VII is killed and Gelimer honors his promise abandoning the siege of Rome. Valentinian VIII is proclaimed Emperor within the city.
539 CE: Gelimer leads a Vandal-Roman force in Corsica. The island falls to him. He appoints the Roman Cyrillus as governor. Belisarius receives the allegiance of Quintus Honorius, the hereditary military governor of Ravenna. Gabran mac Domangairt is king of Dal Riata. Khosrau I emerges victorious in the Zoroastrian-Mazdakite Sassanid civil war. His brother Kawus is spared after he abandons Mazdakism and is named as satrap of Mazandaran. An embittered Kawus turns to the worship of Ruha d-Qudsha.
540 CE: Quintus Honorius confirmed as hereditary Exarch of Ravenna by both Eastern Emperors. Belisarius recieves the sbumission of Mediolanum. Beowulf, legendary King of the Geats raids the Frankish lands. Gelimer finalizes the conquest of the Baleares. Alexandros XIII sends Narses to Italia with a secondary Roman army under his control.
542 CE: Taliesin the Bard, son-in-law of Maelgwn ap Cadwallon, King of Gwynned dies. His son Mael made sub-King in Perfeddwlad. Belisarius and Narses continue to campaign in Italia refusing to cooperate with each other. Gelimer attacks Southern Hispania.
544 CE: Gelimer is in control of most of Baetica. His favorite son Genseric is killed by a Roman assassin, on the orders of Valentinian VIII, while leading a Vandal force to support Belisarius in Italia. Upon hearing the news Gelimer vows eternal enmity to Rome. "Roma delenda est" he proclaims vowing to choke Valentinian VIII in his own blood.
546 CE: Gelimer besieges Carthago Nova. The Theodosian general and magnate Publius Theodosius defects. He is appointed hereditary Exarch of Etruria by Alexandros XIII. Belisarius is sent to Tripolitania to subdue the Berbers.
547 CE: Ida founds an Anglian kingdom in Bernicia. The Amanaya Berbers of Tripolitania accept Roman sovereignty once more. Carthago Nova falls to Gelimer. Gelimer intends to proclaim himself Emperor of Carthage and start a direct campaign against Rome. He is assassinated while praying before the Imperial Crowning ceremony, on the orders of Valentinian VIII. His last words are "Roma delenda est." A vicious succession war starts among the Vandal nobility.
548 CE: Belisarius sent to Baetica to try to establish Roman control after the Gundericing prince Rhaderic in control of Carthago Nova offers to become a client king in exchange for support. Belisarius extends Roman control in Baetica.
549 CE: Munderic, a Hasdingi prince is confirmed as client king of Western Baetica after submitting to Belisarius. Alexandros XIII arrives in Italia deciding to prosecute the war against Rome in person.
550 CE: Gaiseric, a Wisimarid vandal prince in control of territories on both sides of the Pillars of Hercules submits to Belisarius and is confirmed client King. Alexandros XIII besieges Rome.
551 CE: All out war erupts in the East against the Sassanids. Military forces are diverted from Italia and the West to fight the Sassanids. Alexandros XIII abandons the siege of Rome. The Great Gokturk Khaganate is established under the leader of the legendary Bumin of the Ashina. Several nomadic tribes submit to the rule of the Celestial Turks.
553 CE: Valentia submits to Belisarius. Justinian confirms Marius Severus as hereditary Exarch of the new Exarchate of Valentia. Kara Khan is Great Khagan of the Gokturks.
554 CE: Alexandros XIII negotiates with Valentinian VIII. He accepts Valentinian VIII as co-Emperor in an attempt to reunite the Empire. Alexandros XIII enters Rome in Triumph. A great ceremony is held, Alexandros XIII reconsecrating the Heart of Sol on the Palatine Hill. Alexandros XIII awarded the title "Restorer of the World".
555 CE: Athanagild is High King of the Visigoths and self-proclaimed Emperor of Hispania. Muhan Khan is Great Khagan of the Gokturks. Justinian funds Persian Zurvanite rebels. Zurvanites believing in Zurvan, the God of Infinite Time and Space, the One Alone is widely worshipped in the South and West of the Sassanid Empire. Ardashir, the Bahramid Satrap of Khermanshah and Darius the Kurusid Satrap of Fars (a descendant of Cyrus the Great) join the rebellion.
556 CE: Alexandros XIII has Valentinian VIII assassinated. It is said that Alexandros XIII watches the murder and whispers to the dying Valentinian: "your end is only fitting." While he publicly proclaims his innocence, Alexandros XIII does not appoint Valentinian's son co-Emperor. He orders a two pronged attack from Provincia and Valentia to reestablish control over the Western coastline of the Mediterranean. Preparations are being made for this vast enterprise.
557 CE: Kutrigur Huns under Zabergan pour through Dacia and Sarmatia into the Balkans. Alexandros XIII has to divert troops from the West to fight them.
560 CE: Aella is King of Deira. Believing that he is about to invade Southern Gallia, the Merovingian High King Clotaire is assassinated by agents of Alexandros XIII. The Frankish kingdoms of Northern Gallia fight among each other for the High Kingship.
562 CE: The North Eastern coastline of Hispania is conquered by Narses. The area of Catalonia is turned into a military province under the Valentian Exarchate.
565 CE: Khosrau I makes peace with the Zurvanite Satraps allowing full toleration of Zurvanism within the Empire. Justinian is assassinated on the orders of Alexandros XIII, although his murder is disguised as the result of Persian agents. His son Justin is appointed hereditary military governor of the military province of Nikaea, but is not appointed co-Emperor. Alexandros XIII is sole Emperor of the Roman Empire. On the 25th of December gigantic ceremonies of Thanksgiving to Sol are held in the great cities of the Empire. Alexandros XIII proclaims himself to be "Sol, Maintainer and Redeemer of the World."
567 CE: Avars under Bayan Khan pour into Pannonia, as a result Lombards and Gepids start to migrate West. In recognition of his services, Belisarius is appointed hereditary military governor of Laodikeia.
568 CE: Lombards invade Roman Northern Italia. Underestimating the Lombard threat, Alexandros XIII marches at the head of 3 legions, including the Legio I Roma Victrix to meet the Lombards in battle. The Romans are overwhelmed, the Legio I Roma Victrix dies to a man defending Alexandros XIII, but the Emperor is ultimately captured by the Lombards.
569 CE: The captive Alexandros XIII cedes the province of Mediolanum and other Italian territories to the Lombards. The general Maurice, commander of the Scholae is proclaimed Emperor in Constantinople. Alexandros's son proclaimed co-Emperor in Alexandria, as Alexandros XIV. Persian attacks on the Eastern borders. Avars attack into the Balkans. The Visigoths attack the Exarchate of Valentia.
570 CE: The Lombard duchy of Spoleto is created under Faroald. Amanaya Berbers rebel. Vandals begin a vast campaign of raiding against the Empire. The Roman fleet is defeated outside Capua.
571 CE: Lombards continue to rampage throughout the Italian peninsula avoiding the heavily defended military provinces. They besiege Rome and tell their captive Alexandros XIII to order the city to surrender. The garrison refuses to listen to the Emperor. Alboin declares the Emperor to have outlived his usefulness. He has the Emperor burned alive in view of the city walls, after mockingly placing a solar crown upon his head. Alexandros XIII calmly proclaims that Alboin will be dead within a year and that as Sun Emperor fire will only make him ascend to Godhood, before being consumed by the flames.
572 CE: Alboin assassinated as the result of the treachery of his wife Rosamund, less than a year after Alexandros XIII's pronouncement.
573 CE: Dara falls to Khosrau. Alexandros XIV and Maurice recognize each other as co-Emperors.
576 CE: Maurice defeats Khosrau in the Battle of Melitene. Alexandros XIV campaigns against the Amanaya Berbers.
578 CE: Maurice establishes the Gothic military province of Ancona to combat the Lombards. Ostrogoths from the Balkans are settled there, under the new hereditary governor Magnus Areobindus, of the famed Romano-Gothic family.
579 CE: Slavs pour into the Balkans. Alexandros XIV is killed in battle by the Amanaya Berbers while leading a cavalry charge in person. Seen as a descendant of Amun and Alexandros, the Emperor's body is taken by the Amanaya Berbers and made into an object of worship. Maurice does not appoint any of Alexandros's sons as co-Emperor and is now sole Roman Emperor.
581 CE: Gokturk civil war between the three Great Khans, Ishbara, Talopien and Tardu.
584 CE: Maurice campaigns against the Avars and the Slavs in the Balkans. Kubrat is Khan of the Bulgars. Authari is High King of the Lombards. He begins a new campaign of conquest in Italia.
585 CE: Saint Leogivild, Visigothic Emperor of Hispania converts to Catholicism and attempts to convert his vassal Kings and is completely unsuccessful. Widescale rebellion follows throughout the peninsula.
586 CE: Battle of The Sacred Cross - The Catholics under Leogivild hold their ground defending the King and his Sacred Cross banner given to him by the Pope, their refusal to surrender leaves them in control of the field.
588 CE: Leogivild defeats a coallition army led by King Viriathus X of Lusitania near Plasencia. He pardons the rebellious King and all the other prisoners, proclaiming "God loves all His errant children." Aethelric is King of Northumbria. Maurice narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by the Julio-Argeadai party and retreats to the safety of the Imperial palace, turning it into a virtual fortress.
589 CE: Leogivild defeats a new coallition of Kings near Astorga. He pardons all prisoners, including the captured vassal kings, and is hailed as The Great and Merciful.
590 CE: Leogivild holds a great ceremony of Thanksgiving in Toledo, proclaiming Hispania to be Catholic. The very next day, while praying in the royal chapel he is set about by several vassal kings, he had formerly pardoned. He receives 13 mortal wounds before expiring. His last words are: "Forgive them Lord, they know no better." He is later sainted and proclaimed Patron Saint of Hispania by the Catholic Church. Hispania descends into anarchy.
591 CE: Maurice forments civil war in Persia between Khosrau II and Bahram Chobin. Large sums of money are paid to Zurvanite rebels.
593 CE: Agilulf, High King of the Lombards besieges Rome. Maurice refuses to send help, being concerned with the vast scale troubles in the Balkans, caused by the Avars and the Slavs.
595 CE: A great Council is held in Toledo. The Council achieves nothing, but furthers religious dissent between the Kings of Hispania. The Kings of Hispania refuse to accept Catholicism. Leogivild's eldest son Hermenegild is the only Catholic King left in the peninsula. He is passed over as Emperor, and his younger brother Reccared, an Adoptionist is elected Emperor instead. Theodemer I, the Arian Euricing King of Leon famously proclaims: "So called Catholic Monarchs have no place in Hispania."
599 CE: Raedwald of East Anglia proclaims himself High King of Eastern Britannia.