# 552 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/552 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/552.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/552 > Source revision: 1340800166 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Calendar year}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}} {{About year|552}} {{Year nav|552}} {{M1 year in topic}} [[File:Justinien.jpg|thumb|right|259px|Emperor [Justinian I](/source/Justinian_I) receives the [silk](/source/silk)worms]] __NOTOC__ Year '''552''' ('''[DLII](/source/Roman_numerals)''') was a [leap year starting on Monday](/source/leap_year_starting_on_Monday) of the [Julian calendar](/source/Julian_calendar). The denomination 552 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the [Anno Domini](/source/Anno_Domini) [calendar era](/source/calendar_era) became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. == Events == * [July 11](/source/July_11) – The [Armenian calendar](/source/Armenian_calendar) is introduced. === By place === ==== Byzantine Empire ==== * [July 1](/source/July_1) – [Battle of Taginae](/source/Battle_of_Taginae): [Narses](/source/Narses) crosses the [Apennines](/source/Apennine_Mountains) with a Byzantine army (25,000 men). He is blocked by a [Gothic](/source/Goths) force under King [Totila](/source/Totila) near [Taginae](/source/Gualdo_Tadino) ([Central Italy](/source/Central_Italy)). In a narrow mountain valley, Narses deploys his army in a "crescent shaped" formation.Rance, Philip. "Narses and the Battle of Taginae (Busta Gallorum)". ''Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte'' Vol. 54, No. 4 (2005), p. 424 He dismounts his [Lombard](/source/Lombards) and [Heruli](/source/Heruli) cavalry mercenaries, placing them as a [phalanx](/source/Phalanx_formation) in the center. On his left flank he sends out a mixed force of foot and [horse archer](/source/Mounted_archery)s to seize a dominant height. The Goths open the battle with a determined [cavalry](/source/cavalry) charge. Halted by [enfilading](/source/Enfilade_and_defilade) fire from both sides, the attackers are thrown back in confusion on the infantry behind them. The Byzantine [cataphract](/source/cataphract)s (''[Clibanarii](/source/Clibanarii)'') sweep into the milling mass. More than 6,000 Goths, including Totila, are killed. The remnants flee, and Narses proceeds to [Rome](/source/Rome), where he captures the city after a brief [siege](/source/siege). * Emperor [Justinian I](/source/Justinian_I) dispatches a small Byzantine force (2,000 men) under [Liberius](/source/Liberius_(praetorian_prefect)) to [Hispania](/source/Hispania), according to the historian [Jordanes](/source/Jordanes). He conquers [Cartagena](/source/Cartagena%2C_Spain) and other cities on the southeastern coast.''Getica'', p. 303 * Justinian I receives the first [silk](/source/silk)worm eggs from two [Nestorian](/source/Church_of_the_East) monks at [Constantinople](/source/Constantinople). They were sent to [Central Asia](/source/Central_Asia) (see [550](/source/550)) and [smuggled the precious eggs](/source/Smuggling_of_silkworm_eggs_into_the_Byzantine_Empire) from [China](/source/China) hidden in rods of [bamboo](/source/bamboo). ==== Europe ==== * [Battle of Asfeld](/source/Battle_of_Asfeld): The Lombards under King [Audoin](/source/Audoin) defeat the [Gepids](/source/Gepids). * [Cynric](/source/Cynric_of_Wessex), king of [Wessex](/source/Wessex), captures the fortress city of [Old Sarum](/source/Old_Sarum).{{cite journal |last=Leeds |first=E.T. |year=1954 |title=The Growth of Wessex |journal=[Oxoniensia](/source/Oxoniensia) |volume=LIX |pages=55–56 |publisher=[Oxford Architectural and Historical Society](/source/Oxfordshire_Architectural_and_Historical_Society) |url=http://oxoniensia.org/oxo_volume.php?vol=59 |access-date=6 October 2011}} * The [Roman Catholic Diocese of Meath](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Meath) is established in [Ireland](/source/Ireland). * [Teia](/source/Teia) becomes the last king of the [Ostrogoths](/source/Ostrogoths) in [Italy](/source/Italy). ==== Asia ==== * [July 11](/source/July_11) – First year of the [Armenian calendar](/source/Armenian_calendar). * [Yuan Di](/source/Emperor_Yuan_of_Liang) succeeds [Xiao Dong](/source/Xiao_Dong) as emperor of the [Liang dynasty](/source/Liang_dynasty). * [Bumin Qaghan](/source/Bumin_Qaghan) dies; the new khagan is [Issik Qaghan](/source/Issik_Qaghan) of the Turkic Empire. * [Buddhism in Japan](/source/Buddhism_in_Japan) is introduced, according to the [Nihon Shoki](/source/Nihon_Shoki). === By topic === ==== Industry ==== * [Smuggling of silkworm eggs into the Byzantine Empire](/source/Smuggling_of_silkworm_eggs_into_the_Byzantine_Empire) by monks allows development of the [Byzantine silk](/source/Byzantine_silk) industry in the Empire. ==== Religion ==== * [Eutychius](/source/Eutychius_of_Constantinople) becomes [patriarch of Constantinople](/source/Ecumenical_Patriarch_of_Constantinople). == Births == * [Æthelberht](/source/%C3%86thelberht_of_Kent), king (''[bretwalda](/source/bretwalda)'') of [Kent](/source/Kingdom_of_Kent) (approximate date) * [John the Merciful](/source/John_the_Merciful), [patriarch of Alexandria](/source/patriarch_of_Alexandria) (approximate date) == Deaths == * [February 5](/source/February_5) – [Dacius](/source/Dacius_(bishop_of_Milan)), [archbishop of Milan](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Milan) * [July 1](/source/July_1) – [Totila](/source/Totila), king of the [Ostrogoths](/source/Ostrogoths) * [December 13](/source/December_13) – [Columba of Terryglass](/source/Columba_of_Terryglass), Irish [abbot](/source/abbot) and [saint](/source/saint) * [Aba I](/source/Aba_I), [patriarch of the Church of the East](/source/List_of_Patriarchs_of_the_Church_of_the_East) * [Anicius Maximus](/source/Anicius_Maximus), Roman [patrician](/source/Patrician_(ancient_Rome)) * [Aratius](/source/Aratius), Armenian general * [Bumin Qaghan](/source/Bumin_Qaghan), ruler of the [Göktürks](/source/G%C3%B6kt%C3%BCrks) * [Hou Jing](/source/Hou_Jing), [regent](/source/regent) of the [Liang dynasty](/source/Liang_dynasty) * [Menas](/source/Menas_of_Constantinople), [patriarch of Constantinople](/source/Ecumenical_Patriarch_of_Constantinople) * [Turismod](/source/Turismod), prince of the [Lombards](/source/Lombards) * [Wang Wei](/source/Wang_Wei_(Liang_dynasty)), chief strategist of the Liang dynasty * [Xiao Dong](/source/Xiao_Dong), emperor of the Liang dynasty * [Xiaojing](/source/Emperor_Xiaojing_of_Eastern_Wei), emperor of [Eastern Wei](/source/Eastern_Wei) (b. [524](/source/524)) == References == {{Reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:552}} Category:552 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [552](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/552) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/552?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.