Pre-Islamic poetry at its height as the Arabic language emerges as a literary language.
'Abid ibn al-Abras, (d. 554)
Samaw'al ibn 'Adiya (d. c. 560)
'Alqama ibn 'Abada
Maymun Ibn Qays Al-a'sha (570–625)
al-Nabighah al-Dhubyani
Amr ibn Kulthum ( - c. 584?)
Antara Ibn Shaddad (d. c. 580)
Asma bint Marwan
Harith Ibn Hilliza Ul-Yashkuri (approx.)
Imru' al-Qais flourished mid-century; purported inventor of the Qasida form
Ka'b bin Zuhayr flourished during the time of Mohammed, son of Zuhayr
Labīd (560–661)
Samaw'al ibn 'Adiya (d. c. 560), a Jewish poet writing in Arabic
Tarafah ibn al 'Abd
Zuhayr (520–609), Arabic pre-Islamic poet, father of Ka'b bin Zuhayr
Listed in order by year of birth, if known or estimated:
Aneirin, a Brythonic Bard, flourishes in Cumbria toward the end of the century
Arator, of Liguria, writing in Latin
Sigisteus, Vandal count, patron of Parthenius (poet) and a poet himself
Parthenius (poet) patronized by the Vandal Count Sigisteus
Jacob of Serugh (451 – Nov. 521), writing in Syriac
Blossius Aemilius Dracontius (c. 455 – c. 505) of Carthage, a Latin poet
Magnus Felix Ennodius (474 – July 17, 521), Bishop of Pavia and poet, writing in Latin
Coluthus of Lycopolis (fl. 491-518), writing in Greek
Venantius Fortunatus (c. 530 – c. 600), Latin poet and hymnodist from Northern Italy
Taliesin (c. 534 – c. 599), the earliest identified Welsh poet
Chilperic I (c. 539 – September 584) Frankish king of Neustria and a Latin poet
Saint Columbanus (c. 543–615), Hiberno-Latin poet and writer
Taliesin (c. 534 – c. 599), whose work has survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the Book of Taliesin.
544 – Arator declaims his poem De Actibus Apostolorum in the Church of San Pietro-in-Vinculi
Musaeus
Agathias (c. 536–582/594)
Paulus Silentiarius (died 575–580),
Romanos the Melodist (approx.)
Procopius (c. 500–565)
Dandi, writing in Sanskrit (approx.)
Su Xiaoxiao (died 501), famous Chinese courtesan and poet. Famous for writing the poem of Xhue Cheng.
500 – Procopius born about this year (died 565)
501 Su Xiaoxiao died, famous Chinese courtesan and poet
505 – Blossius Aemilius Dracontius born about this year (born 455) of Carthage, a Latin poet
520 – Zuhayr born (died 609), Arabic pre-Islamic poet
521
July 17 – Magnus Felix Ennodius died (born 474 – July 17, 521), Bishop of Pavia and poet, writing in Latin
November – Jacob of Serugh died (born 451), writing in Syriac
530 – Venantius Fortunatus born (c. 530 – c. 600), Latin poet and hymnodist from Northern Italy
534 – Taliesin born about this year (died c. 599), the earliest identified Welsh poet
536 – Agathias born about this year (died 582/594); Ancient Greek poet and historian
539 – Chilperic I born (died September 584) Frankish king of Neustria and a Latin poet
543 – Saint Columbanus (died 615), Hiberno-Latin poet and writer
544 – Arator declaims his poem De Actibus Apostolorum in the Church of San Pietro-in-Vinculi
554 – 'Abid ibn al-Abris died about this year; Arabic poet
560:
Samaw'al ibn 'Adiya died about this year; Jewish poet writing in Arabic
Labīd born this year (died 661); Arabic poet
565 – Procopius died (born about 500)
570 – Maymun Ibn Qays Al-a'sha born (died 625)
580 – Antara Ibn Shaddad died about this year; Arabic poet
584
(September) – Chilperic I died (born 539) Frankish king of Neustria and a Latin poet
Amr ibn Kulthum died about this year; Arabic poet
599 – Taliesin died about this year (born c. 534), the earliest identified Welsh poet
