General
Population: Between 190 and 230 million*
- Entertainment: Hindu epics begin to be written
Earliest religious plays develop
- Language: Sanskrit develops
- Religion: This decade St. Anthony of Thebes (EGY) brings Christian hermits together – start of monasticism
Africa
- Diocletian organizes local government in N Africa
Axum kingdom in Africa
Rise of Ghana as trading power in W. Africa - founded and ruled by Maga (Berber) dynasty until 770 (also called Gold Coast)
Bantu cereal cultivators begin cattle herding in SE Africa
Americas
- End of the Olmec Civilization
Ritual ball games start in Mesoamerica
Rise of the classic Mayan civilization
Toltec Civilization
Asia
- General: Buddhism introduced into SE Asia
- China: Growing Buddhist influence in China
Chinese use oil
- India: India united under Gupta dynasty
Fall of the Satavahanihara and rise of the Vakataka kingdom in India
- Japan: Earliest Japanese states
Japan learns how to make silk from China
Europe
- Britain: Persecution of Christians reaches Britain
- Eastern Europe: Christianity introduced in Armenia
- German States: Separate developments of five Germanic dukedoms: Saxons, Franks, Alemanni, Thuringians and Goths
Bowling becomes part of religious ritual in German monasteries
- Italian States: Lombards begin move from Lower Elbe southward (to 568)
Start of Ostrogoths to 554
- Roman Empire: Palace of Diocletian in Ragusa (Dubrovnik) begun
Middle East
- The A'ad kingdom, the Hadhramaut people, and Qataban people of Arabia end
End of Atropatene kingdom in Iran
Pacific
- Beginning of early eastern Polynesian culture