What exactly happened in the sixth century?

For some reason, there seem to have been a rather large number of convulsions around the world in the 6th century. Maybe its just coincidence, but we can see a rather large number of collapses/changes in empires, religions, and political regimes. Wars and natural disasaters were unusually prominent in this particular century across the globe, too.

Here's a list for starters. Excuse me for not providing links, but the following are all checkable and generally accepted historical facts:

1) Avar invasion of Europe from the steppes.

2) Some date the "official" fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 6th century, although most historians put it a bit earlier (late 5th cent.) Any way you look at it, it was a grim time...the carcass of the empire was convulsed by various waves of barbarians.

3) Bubonic plague in Africa and Europe (not the great "black death" outbreak that came in the medieval period, but still a severe epidemic).

4) Massive famine reported in court records of China, Japan, and Korea. Some cannibalism in China.

5) Collapse of the Gupta Empire of Northern India.

6) War convulses China, Japan, and Korea, both internally and with some violent interchange among the three. Chinese Empire divided until Sui Dynasty unification late in the century.

7) War in Japan; Buddhism introduced, accompanied by some struggle there between different kinship groups over the new religion and its relationship to Shinto.

8) Drought in Mesoamerica/steep decline of Teotihuacan Empire.

9) Early life of Islam's Mohammad (born 570), followed by the sweeping conquests of Islam in the early 7th century.

10) Markedly brutal war in England; especially around the time of a warlord known as Vortigern. The 6th century monk Gildas writes of the country "becoming a wasteland" from war and famine. Battle of Camlann, which some connect with the King Arthur mythos.

Yes, one can point to violence, famine, war, and upheaval everywhere in most of history, but I seem to see a particularly brutal cluster around this time. Again, perhaps its just coincidence, but many old orders passed away and there was much fighting, chaos, and more-frequent-than-usual religious shifting. General misery can be found in the majority of places that records and evidence exists.

Any thoughts?

Originally posted by silent thunder

Any thoughts?

Christianity took hold.

The Council of Ephesus in 431 clarified the nature of Jesus' incarnation, declaring that he was both fully man and fully God. Two decades later, the Council of Chalcedon solidified Roman papal primacy which added to continuing breakdown in relations between Rome and Constantinople, the see of the Eastern Church. Also sparked were the Monophysite disagreements over the precise nature of the incarnation of Jesus which led to the first of the various Oriental Orthodox Churches breaking away from the Catholic Church.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, the Catholic faith competed with Arianism for the conversion of the barbarian tribes. The 496 conversion of Clovis I, pagan king of the Franks, saw the beginning of a steady rise of the faith in the West.

en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 4-1-2010 by In nothing we trust]

Originally posted by In nothing we trust

Christianity took hold.

Well, yes, the spread of Christianity goes under the general religious convulsion category, sure. But it doesn't explain events in Mesoamerica, China, Korea, Japan, or India.

Originally posted by silent thunder

Originally posted by In nothing we trust

Christianity took hold.

Well, yes, the spread of Christianity goes under the general religious convulsion category, sure. But it doesn't explain events in Mesoamerica, China, Korea, Japan, or India.

It could explain changes in India.

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is popularly known as Indian Orthodox Church in the International Orthodox Communion of Churches. This Church is believed to have been founded by Apostle Thomas in his mission to India and the Eastern regions of Roman Empire in the first century AD.

en.wikipedia.org...

The world changes were the result of a change in world climates, where the world went through a period of global warming.

reply to post by In nothing we trust

Skandagupta was followed by weak rulers Puru Gupta (467-473), Kumaragupta II (473-476), Buddhagupta (476-495?), Narasimhagupta, Kumaragupta III, Vishnu Gupta, Vainya Gupta and Bhanu Gupta. In the 480's the Hephthalite King Oprah broke through the Gupta defenses in the northwest, and much of the empire was overrun by the Huna by 500. The empire disintegrated under the attacks of Toramana and his successor Mihirakula. The Hunas conquered several provinces of the empire, including Malwa, Gujarat and Thanesar and broke away under the rule of local dynasties. It appears from inscriptions that the Guptas, although their power was much diminished, continued to resist the Hunas. Narasimhagupta formed an alliance with the independent kingdoms to drive the Huna from most of northern India by the 530's. The succession of the sixth-century Guptas is not entirely clear, but the tail end recognized ruler of the dynasty's main line was king Vishnugupta, reigning from 540 to 550.

en.wikipedia.org...
Those damn huns again.


[edit on 4-1-2010 by heyo]

Originally posted by heyo
reply to post by In nothing we trust

 

Skandagupta was followed by weak rulers Puru Gupta (467-473), Kumaragupta II (473-476), Buddhagupta (476-495?), Narasimhagupta, Kumaragupta III, Vishnu Gupta, Vainya Gupta and Bhanu Gupta. In the 480's the Hephthalite King Oprah broke through the Gupta defenses in the northwest, and much of the empire was overrun by the Huna by 500. The empire disintegrated under the attacks of Toramana and his successor Mihirakula. The Hunas conquered several provinces of the empire, including Malwa, Gujarat and Thanesar and broke away under the rule of local dynasties. It appears from inscriptions that the Guptas, although their power was much diminished, continued to resist the Hunas. Narasimhagupta formed an alliance with the independent kingdoms to drive the Huna from most of northern India by the 530's. The succession of the sixth-century Guptas is not entirely clear, but the tail end recognized ruler of the dynasty's main line was king Vishnugupta, reigning from 540 to 550.

en.wikipedia.org...

Those damn huns again.

Perhaps

That brings us right back to the aryan invasion theory.

Afghanistan / Pakistan again

Our Aryan Heritage: Learn about your real spiritual heritage
www.abovetopsecret.com...

The latter seem to have been part of the Hephthalite group, who established themselves in what is now Afghanistan and Pakistan by the first half of the fifth century, with their capital at Bamiyan. They sometimes call themselves "Hono" on their coins, but it seems that they are similar to the Huns who invaded the Western world.

en.wikipedia.org...

What an amazing picture of the Bamyan valley in Afghanistan. I remember researching The destruction of 2 buddhist statues in the bayman valley prior to 9/11. The 2 buddas that were destroyed by the taliban, March 2001, were located in the Bayman valley.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c3005b81bff4.jpg[/atsimg]


[edit on 4-1-2010 by In nothing we trust]

reply to post by In nothing we trust


yeah that is a majestic picture for sure. Not sure there's enough time left in my day for me to tackle an Indigo_child thread but i'll check it out sometime for sure

Originally posted by Jim Scott
The world changes were the result of a change in world climates, where the world went through a period of global warming.

This is perhaps one of the more accurate causations for the intense amount of turmoil during the period mentioned above.

Great thinking Jim, I think you are onto something!

Famines worldwide occur during periods of higher than average warmth, and geologic records indicate this was the case.

Also, consider how frustrated and angry people got.

If we were all stuck in a really hot room together I know I would be declaring war and fighting pointlessly too. Id be really upset.

Originally posted by Jim Scott
The world changes were the result of a change in world climates, where the world went through a period of global warming.

Hmmm Not sure if that is a joke or not... ClimateGate.....? (ya- sounds dumb, but the hack was real, folks)
Anyhoo. The council mentioned was the one basically codifying some ancient myths into the Jesus story and tossing out/putting to flame any writings contradictng the new Official Story- along with a lot of folk who subscribed to them writin's, also codified was keeping the Official texts in latin as well as the discourse and rituals, virtually shutting out the masses from comprehension, as it was the lingo of certain- not all- nobility and royalty, and The Church. and all procedures relating to accusations of heresy etc were in latin as well, perty much.
the following century, surprise! christianity, or what now passed for it officially= began to be spread by the sword, and many other nasty implements, should you choose to cling to past beliefs of paganism ooooorrrrr "unofficial" christianity.
it's late and i'm very ill and tired. will provide citations- if required- later. 5.15am here...