Events

By Place

Byzantine Empire

• Justinian I orders Belisarius to start the reconquest of Italy; Mundus simultaneously invades Dalmatia.
• 31 December — Belisarius completes the conquest of Sicily, defeating the Ostrogothic garrison of Syracuse, and ending his consulship for the year.

Asia

China

• The Western Wei Dynasty begins in China; the first ruler is Wen Di.
• Significant to the history of agriculture, the Chinese author Jia Sixia writes the treatise Chi Min Yao Shu in this year, and although it quotes 160 previous Chinese agronomy books, it is the oldest existent Chinese agriculture treatise. In over 100,000 written Chinese characters, the book covers land preparation, seeding, cultivation, orchard management, forestry, animal husbandry, trade, and culinary uses for crops.

Java

• Reports of the eruption of Krakatoa, which possibly lead to several years of climate change (see Climate changes of 535–536), are recorded in the Javanese Book of Kings.

By Topic

Religion

• May 13 — Pope Agapetus I succeeds Pope John II as the 57th pope.
• Anthimus becomes Patriarch of Constantinople.
• The Christian basilica at Leptis Magna is built in North Africa.

Earth Sciences

• The weather is reported to be unusually cold and dark in multiple parts of the world; see climate changes of 535–536.

Births

• Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi

Deaths

• May 8 — Pope John II
• June 5 — Epiphanius, Patriarch of Constantinople
• Amalasuntha, queen of the Ostrogoths (killed in exile)
• Timothy, Coptic Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria
• Shengyi
• Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei
• Xu Mian