6th century in poetry
# 6th century in poetry

## Arabic world

Pre-Islamic poetry at its height as the Arabic language emerges as a literary language.

### Poets

* 'Abid ibn al-Abras, (d. 554)
* Samaw'al ibn 'Adiya (d. c. 560)
* 'Alqama ibn 'Abada
* Maymun Ibn Qays Al-a'sha (570–625)
* al-Nabighah al-Dhubyani
* Amr ibn Kulthum ( - c. 584?)
* Antarah ibn Shaddad (525–608)
* Asma bint Marwan
* Harith Ibn Hilliza Ul-Yashkuri (approx.)
* Imru' al-Qais flourished mid-century; purported inventor of the Qasida form
* Ka'b bin Zuhayr flourished during the time of Mohammed, son of Zuhayr
* Labīd (560–661)
* Samaw'al ibn 'Adiya (d. c. 560), a Jewish poet writing in Arabic
* Tarafah ibn al 'Abd
* Zuhayr (520–609), Arabic pre-Islamic poet, father of Ka'b bin Zuhayr

## Europe

### Poets

Listed in order by year of birth, if known or estimated:

* Aneirin, a Brythonic Bard, flourishes in Cumbria toward the end of the century
* Arator, of Liguria, writing in Latin
* Sigisteus, Vandal count, patron of Parthenius and a poet himself
* Parthenius, patronized by the Vandal Count Sigisteus
* Jacob of Serugh (451 – Nov. 521), writing in Syriac
* Blossius Aemilius Dracontius (c. 455 – c. 505) of Carthage, a Latin poet
* Magnus Felix Ennodius (474 – July 17, 521), Bishop of Pavia and poet, writing in Latin
* Coluthus of Lycopolis (fl. 491-518), writing in Greek
* Venantius Fortunatus (c. 530 – c. 600), Latin poet and hymnodist from Northern Italy
* Myrddin Wyllt (later 6th century?), semi- (or wholly) legendary Welsh poet and prophet living in Scotland
* Taliesin (c. 534 – c. 599), the earliest definitely identified Welsh poet
* Chilperic I (c. 539 – September 584) Frankish king of Neustria and a Latin poet
* Saint Columbanus (c. 543–615), Hiberno-Latin poet and writer

### Works

* Taliesin (c. 534 – c. 599), whose work has survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the Book of Taliesin.
* 544 – Arator declaims his poem De Actibus Apostolorum in the Church of San Pietro-in-Vinculi

## Byzantine Empire

### Poets

* Musaeus
* Agathias (c. 536–582/594)
* Paulus Silentiarius (died 575–580),
* Romanos the Melodist (approx.)
* Procopius (c. 500–565)

## South Asia

### Poets

* Dandi, writing in Sanskrit (approx.)

## East Asia

### Poets

* Su Xiaoxiao (died 501), famous Chinese courtesan and poet. Famous for writing the poem of Xhue Cheng.

## Timeline

* 500 – Procopius born about this year (died 565)
* 501 Su Xiaoxiao died, famous Chinese courtesan and poet
* 505 – Blossius Aemilius Dracontius born about this year (born 455) of Carthage, a Latin poet
* 520 – Zuhayr born (died 609), Arabic pre-Islamic poet
* 521
   * July 17 – Magnus Felix Ennodius died (born 474 – July 17, 521), Bishop of Pavia and poet, writing in Latin
   * November – Jacob of Serugh died (born 451), writing in Syriac
* 525 – Antarah ibn Shaddad born (died 608) Arabic poet and warrior from Najd
* 530 – Venantius Fortunatus born (c. 530 – c. 600), Latin poet and hymnodist from Northern Italy
* 534 – Taliesin born about this year (died c. 599), the earliest identified Welsh poet
* 536 – Agathias born about this year (died 582/594); Ancient Greek poet and historian
* 539 – Chilperic I born (died September 584) Frankish king of Neustria and a Latin poet
* 543 – Saint Columbanus (died 615), Hiberno-Latin poet and writer
* 544 – Arator declaims his poem De Actibus Apostolorum in the Church of San Pietro-in-Vinculi
* 554 – 'Abid ibn al-Abris died about this year; Arabic poet
* 560:
   * Samaw'al ibn 'Adiya died about this year; Jewish poet writing in Arabic
   * Labīd born this year (died 661); Arabic poet
* 565 – Procopius died (born about 500)
* 570 – Maymun Ibn Qays Al-a'sha born (died 625)
* 584
   * (September) – Chilperic I died (born 539) Frankish king of Neustria and a Latin poet
   * Amr ibn Kulthum died about this year; Arabic poet
* 599 – Taliesin died about this year (born c. 534), the earliest identified Welsh poet

## Decades and years

| 490s | 490 | 491 | 492 | 493 | 494 | 495 | 496 | 497 | 498 | 499 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 500s | 500 | 501 | 502 | 503 | 504 | 505 | 506 | 507 | 508 | 509 |
| 510s | 510 | 511 | 512 | 513 | 514 | 515 | 516 | 517 | 518 | 519 |
| 520s | 520 | 521 | 522 | 523 | 524 | 525 | 526 | 527 | 528 | 529 |
| 530s | 530 | 531 | 532 | 533 | 534 | 535 | 536 | 537 | 538 | 539 |
| 540s | 540 | 541 | 542 | 543 | 544 | 545 | 546 | 547 | 548 | 549 |
| 550s | 550 | 551 | 552 | 553 | 554 | 555 | 556 | 557 | 558 | 559 |
| 560s | 560 | 561 | 562 | 563 | 564 | 565 | 566 | 567 | 568 | 569 |
| 570s | 570 | 571 | 572 | 573 | 574 | 575 | 576 | 577 | 578 | 579 |
| 580s | 580 | 581 | 582 | 583 | 584 | 585 | 586 | 587 | 588 | 589 |
| 590s | 590 | 591 | 592 | 593 | 594 | 595 | 596 | 597 | 598 | 599 |
| 600s | 600 | 601 | 602 | 603 | 604 | 605 | 606 | 607 | 608 | 609 |
