# 554

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Calendar year

Years Millennium 1st millennium Centuries 5th century 6th century 7th century Decades 530s 540s 550s 560s 570s Years 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 v t e

554 by topic Leaders Political entities State leaders Religious leaders Categories Births Deaths Establishments v t e

554 in various calendars Gregorian calendar 554 DLIV Ab urbe condita 1307 Armenian calendar 3 ԹՎ Գ Assyrian calendar 5304 Balinese saka calendar 475–476 Bengali calendar −40 – −39 Berber calendar 1504 Buddhist calendar 1098 Burmese calendar −84 Byzantine calendar 6062–6063 Chinese calendar 癸酉年 (Water Rooster) 3251 or 3044 — to — 甲戌年 (Wood Dog) 3252 or 3045 Coptic calendar 270–271 Discordian calendar 1720 Ethiopian calendar 546–547 Hebrew calendar 4314–4315 Hindu calendars - Vikram Samvat 610–611 - Shaka Samvat 475–476 - Kali Yuga 3654–3655 Holocene calendar 10554 Iranian calendar 68 BP – 67 BP Islamic calendar 70 BH – 69 BH Javanese calendar 442–443 Julian calendar 554 DLIV Korean calendar 2887 Minguo calendar 1358 before ROC 民前1358年 Nanakshahi calendar −914 Seleucid era 865/866 AG Thai solar calendar 1096–1097 Tibetan calendar ཆུ་མོ་བྱ་ལོ་ (female Water-Bird) 680 or 299 or −473 — to — ཤིང་ཕོ་ཁྱི་ལོ་ (male Wood-Dog) 681 or 300 or −472

King [Athanagild](/source/Athanagild) (554–567)

Year **554** (**[DLIV](/source/Roman_numerals)**) was a [common year starting on Thursday](/source/Common_year_starting_on_Thursday) of the [Julian calendar](/source/Julian_calendar). The denomination 554 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

### By place

#### Byzantine Empire

- [August 13](/source/August_13) – Byzantine Emperor [Justinian I](/source/Justinian_I) issues [a pragmatic sanction](/source/Pragmatic_Sanction_of_Justinian_I) reorganizing Italy, and rewards the praetorian prefect [Liberius](/source/Liberius_(praetorian_prefect)) for over 60 years of distinguished service, granting him extensive [estates](/source/Estate_(land)) in Italy.[1]

- [August 15](/source/August_15) – The [554 Anatolia earthquake](/source/554_Anatolia_earthquake) takes place in the southwest coasts of [Anatolia](/source/Anatolia) (Asia Minor). It affects the [Güllük Gulf](/source/G%C3%BCll%C3%BCk_Gulf) (Mandalya Gulf), and the island of [Kos](/source/Kos).[2]

- [October](/source/October) – [Battle of the Volturnus](/source/Battle_of_the_Volturnus_(554)): During the spring Butilinus (Buccelin) has marched north; the Frankish army (infected by an [epidemic](/source/Epidemic) of [dysentery](/source/Dysentery) which kills their leader Leutharis (Lothair)) is reduced to about 30,000 men. The [Byzantine army](/source/Byzantine_army), with 18,000 men (including a contingent of [Goths](/source/Goths) under [Aligern](/source/Aligern)), marches south to meet them at [Casilinum](/source/Casilinum) (on the banks of the [River Volturno](/source/Volturno)). Byzantine eunuch general [Narses](/source/Narses) sends a cavalry force under [Chanaranges](/source/Chanaranges_(Italy)) to destroy the supply wagons of the [Franks](/source/Franks). Outmanoeuvring Butilinus, he chooses a disposition similar to that at [Taginae](/source/Battle_of_Taginae). After a [frontal assault](/source/Frontal_assault) on the Byzantine centre, the Franks and the [Alamanni](/source/Alamanni) are annihilated, thus effectively ending the [Gothic War (535–554)](/source/Gothic_War_(535%E2%80%93554)). Narses garrisons an army of 16,000 men in [Italy](/source/Italy). The recovery of the [Italian Peninsula](/source/Italian_Peninsula) has cost the empire about 300,000 pounds of gold.[3]

#### Europe

- Byzantine forces under Liberius seize [Granada](/source/Granada) ([Andalusia](/source/Andalusia)) and occupy the old province of [Baetica](/source/Hispania_Baetica). Justinian I calls [Belisarius](/source/Belisarius) out of retirement, to complete the consolidation of reconquered regions of Southern [Spain](/source/Spain).

- [Athanagild](/source/Athanagild) is crowned as king of the [Visigoths](/source/Visigoths) and succeeds [Agila I](/source/Agila_I). He acknowledges the [suzerainty](/source/Suzerainty) of the [Byzantine Empire](/source/Byzantine_Empire).

#### Asia

- [Al-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man](/source/Al-Mundhir_III_ibn_al-Nu'man) is defeated and killed by the [Ghassanids](/source/Ghassanids) under [al-Harith ibn Jabalah](/source/Al-Harith_ibn_Jabalah), at the battle of [Yawm Halima](/source/Yawm_Halima); ['Amr III ibn al-Mundhir](/source/'Amr_III_ibn_al-Mundhir) succeeds as king of the [Lakhmids](/source/Lakhmids).

- [Baekje](/source/Baekje) and the [Gaya Confederacy](/source/Gaya_Confederacy) wage war upon [Silla](/source/Silla), one of the [Three Kingdoms of Korea](/source/Three_Kingdoms_of_Korea), but are defeated.

- [Wideok](/source/Wideok_of_Baekje) becomes king of the Korean kingdom of [Baekje](/source/Baekje).[4]

- [Muqan Qaghan](/source/Muqan_Qaghan) succeeds his brother [Issik Qaghan](/source/Issik_Qaghan) as emperor (*[khagan](/source/Khagan)*) of the [Göktürks](/source/G%C3%B6kt%C3%BCrks).

- The second and larger of the two [Buddhas of Bamyan](/source/Buddhas_of_Bamyan) is erected in central [Afghanistan](/source/Afghanistan).[5]

#### China

- [Gong Di](/source/Emperor_Gong_of_Western_Wei) succeeds his brother [Fei Di](/source/Emperor_Fei_of_Western_Wei) as emperor of [Western Wei](/source/Western_Wei). He is deposed by general [Yuwen Tai](/source/Yuwen_Tai) who puts him to death.

- Siege and Fall of Jiangling: The Western Wei forces launched a military campaign against the Liang dynasty, targeting Jiangling, the Liang capital.

- After a protracted siege, Jiangling fell to the Western Wei army.

- Emperor Yuan of Liang (Xiao Yi) was captured during this assault and was subsequently executed.

- Mass Enslavement and Destruction: Following the capture of Jiangling, the city faced extensive looting and destruction. Historical records indicate that a large portion of the population was either killed or enslaved. The fall of Jiangling significantly weakened the Liang dynasty, leading to further internal strife and fragmentation. Power vacuums emerged, causing shifts in control among the remaining regional powers.

- [Wei Shou](/source/Wei_Shou) completes compilation of the *[Book of Wei](/source/Book_of_Wei)*.

### By topic

#### Religion

- [Cassiodorus](/source/Cassiodorus), Roman statesman, founds the [Monastery at Vivarium](/source/Cassiodorus) (approximate date).[6]

- [Pope Vigilius](/source/Pope_Vigilius) was allowed to return to Rome after years of pressure from Emperor Justinian regarding the [Second Council of Constantinople](/source/Second_Council_of_Constantinople).[7]

## Births

- *exact date unknown* - [Fei](/source/Emperor_Fei_of_Chen) (Chen Bozong), emperor of the [Chen dynasty](/source/Chen_dynasty) (d. [570](/source/570)) - [Suiko](/source/Empress_Suiko), empress of [Japan](/source/Japan) (d. [628](/source/628))[8]

- *probable* [Wendelin of Trier](/source/Wendelin_of_Trier), Germanic [hermit](/source/Hermit) and [abbot](/source/Abbot)[9]

## Deaths

- March - [Agila I](/source/Agila_I), king of the [Visigoths](/source/Visigoths)[10]

- *exact date unknown* - [Al-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man](/source/Al-Mundhir_III_ibn_al-Nu'man), king of the [Lakhmids](/source/Lakhmids) ([Iraq](/source/Iraq))[11] - [Fei Di](/source/Emperor_Fei_of_Western_Wei) (Yuan Qin), emperor of [Western Wei](/source/Western_Wei)[12] - [Mermeroes](/source/Mihr-Mihroe), [Persian](/source/Sassanid_Empire) general[13] - [Seong](/source/Seong_of_Baekje), king of [Baekje](/source/Baekje) ([Korea](/source/Korea))[14]

- *probable* - [Liberius](/source/Liberius_(praetorian_prefect)), Roman aristocrat[15] - [Yuwen](/source/Empress_Yuwen), empress of Western Wei

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** James J. O'Donnell, ["Liberius the Patrician", *Traditio*](https://www.jstor.org/stable/27831089), **37** (1981), p. 69

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Antonopoulos, J. (1980), [Data from investigation of seismic Sea waves events in the Eastern Mediterranean from 500 to 1000 A.D.](https://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/viewFile/4702/4786), Annals of Geophysics

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Norwich, John Julius](/source/John_Julius_Norwich). *Byzantium: The Early Centuries*. p. 233.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["List of Rulers of Korea"](https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/koru/hd_koru.htm). *www.metmuseum.org*. Retrieved April 21, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Cohen, Roger](/source/Roger_Cohen). "Return to Bamiyan", *The New York Times*, October 29, 2007. Accessed October 29, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Jean Leclerq, *"The Love of Learning and the Desire for God"*, 2nd revised edition (New York: Fordham, Fordham University Press, (1977), p. 25

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Pope Vigilius"](https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/pope-vigilius). *Catholic Answers*. Retrieved November 20, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc (1998). [*The New Encyclopaedia Britannica*](https://books.google.com/books?id=a_QpAQAAMAAJ). Encyclopaedia Britannica. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780852296639](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780852296639).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Richard Willing Wentz (1884). [*Record of the Descendants of Johann Jost Wentz*](https://archive.org/details/recorddescendan00wentgoog). Binghamton daily republican.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Warren T. Treadgold (October 1997). [*A History of the Byzantine State and Society*](https://books.google.com/books?id=nYbnr5XVbzUC&pg=PA211). Stanford University Press. pp. 211–. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8047-2630-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8047-2630-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Glen Warren Bowersock; Peter Brown; Oleg Grabar (1999). [*Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World*](https://archive.org/details/lateantiquitygui00bowe). Harvard University Press. pp. [536](https://archive.org/details/lateantiquitygui00bowe/page/536)–. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-674-51173-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-674-51173-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Victor Cunrui Xiong (2009). [*Historical Dictionary of Medieval China*](https://books.google.com/books?id=UD8Nvn7Ca18C&pg=PA643). Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 643–. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8108-6053-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8108-6053-7).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Henry Fynes Clinton (1853). [*An Epitome of the Civil and Literary Chronology of Rome and Constantinople: From the Death of Augustus to the Death of Heraclius*](https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_LzMLAAAAYAAJ). University Press. pp. [235](https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_LzMLAAAAYAAJ/page/n238)–.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** 차용걸; 조순흠; 한국성곽학회 (2008). [*삼년산성*](https://books.google.com/books?id=zIURAQAAMAAJ). 충청북도. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9788996173212](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9788996173212).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Patrick Amory (October 16, 2003). [*People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489-554*](https://books.google.com/books?id=7ndeDi_fwq0C&pg=PA159). Cambridge University Press. pp. 159–. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-521-52635-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-52635-7).

## Sources

- Antonopoulos, J. (1980), [Data from investigation of seismic Sea waves events in the Eastern Mediterranean from 500 to 1000 A.D.](https://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/viewFile/4702/4786), Annals of Geophysics

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [554](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/554) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/554?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.