590s - Pharohs / Kings 26th Dynasty 664-525 610--595 Necho II 595-89 Psammetichus II Kings of Judah 609-598 Jehoakim 598-97 Jehoiachin 597-87 Zedikiah

597: Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar II capture Jerusalem, and imprison King Jehoiachin. Zedekiah appointed as Jerusalem's ruler.
594: Solon becomes sole Archon of Athens; brings about 1.Emancipation of the peasantry (debts eliminated and personal bondage abolished) 2. Curtailment of aristocratic power 3. Currency reform 4. Judicial reform.

introduces new, milder laws to replace those of Dracon, creates court of citizens and reforms election of magistrates

580s - Pharohs / Kings 595-89 Psammetichus II 589-70 Apries 597-87 Zedikiah
587: Nebuchadnezzar II beseiges Jerusalem for 18 months, takes the city, and relocates Jews to Babylon.
586: Nebuchadnezzar II captures Tyre.
585: Peace established between Media and Lydia (in Greece), with the Halys (Kizil) River as the boundary between the two kingdoms. This establishes a balance of power between the Medes, Lydians and Babylonians, with the Egyptians farther to the south.
Plutarch's Solon

570s - Pharohs 589-70 Apries 570-26 Amasis

560s - Pharohs 570-26 Amasis
560: Peisistratus rules Athens as a tyrant, promotes public works and general welfare till 527.

550s - Pharohs 570-26 Amasis

550: Cyrus the Great (Cyrus II) defeats his Median overlords, and begins expansion through Middle East, establishing the Persian Empire.

540s Pharohs 570-26 Amasis
549: Cyrus II defeats Astyages, the last king of the Medes.
549: Cyrus II, turning against the Lydians, captures Cilicia, cutting off supply routes to the Lydians in Greece, under Croesus.
547: Croesus attacks Cyrus II, at the Halys River, but the battle is inconclusive.
546: Cyrus II beseiges Croesus at his capitol Sardis, and captures him. One-by-one the Greek city-states along the coast of Asia Minor succumb to Persian armies. Lydia becomes province of Persia.
540: Cyrus II attacks Babylonian empire.

530s Pharohs 570-26 Amasis
539: Cyrus II captures Babylon "without a battle" from Nabonidus.
537: Cyrus II permits the Jews to return to Jerusalem.

520s Emperors 570-26 Amasis 526-25 Psammetichus III 27th Dynasty PERSIANS 525-404 525-22 Cambyses 521-486 Darius I
529: Cyrus II dies fighting near the Oxus and Jaxartes rivers.
527: Hippias and Hipparchus (sons of Peisistratus) rule Athens as tyrants till 514
525: Cambyses, son of Cyrus, conquers Egypt.
522: Cambyses is killed, and his spearbearer Darius becomes Persian ruler.

510s Emperors 521-486 Darius I
518: Darius I founds the city of Persepolis.
514: Tyrant of Athens Hipparchus murdered
510: Tarquinius Superbus, last king of Rome, overthrown by rebellion.
510: Cleisthenes overthrows Athenian tyranny with the help of the Spartan army.

500s Emperors 1st Persian Period 525-404 521-486 Darius I
509: Roman Republic begins with expulsion of Etruscan monarchy.  Annual election of Consuls (2) starts? Valerian Law permits plebians to appeal (peace time) death sentences by Consul to the Comitia Centuriate (Popular Assembly)
508: Cleisthenes reforms the constitution of Athens, and introduces democratic government.
Plutarch's Poplicola