609 BC - Definition and Overview

Centuries: 8th century BC - 7th century BC - 6th century BC

Decades: 650s BC 640s BC 630s BC 620s BC 610s BC - 600s BC - 590s BC 580s BC 570s BC 560s BC 550s BC

Events and Trends

• Fall of the Assyrian Empire and Rise of Babylon
• 609 BC - King Josiah of Judah dies in the Battle of Megiddo against Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt
• 607 BC - Death of Zhou kuang wang, King of the Zhou Dynasty of China
• 606 BC - Zhou ding wang becomes King of the Zhou Dynasty of China
• 606 BC - Battle of Carchemish
• 604 BC - Nebuchadnezzar II succeeds his father Nabopolassar as ruler of the Chaldeans of Babylon
• 600 BC - Foundation of Capua
• 600 BC - Foundation of Milan by Celts (approximate date)
• 600 BC - Foundation of Marseille by Phoceans (traditionial date)
• 600 BC - Smyrna sacked and destroyed
• 600 BC - Nebuchadnezzar builds the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• 600 BC - Lehi and his family set out for the Americas as recorded in The Book of Mormon (approximate date)

Significant People

• 600 BC - Birth of King Cambyses I of Anshan, head of the Achaemenid dynasty (approximate date)