550

Year 550 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 550 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Events

Emperor Justinian I appoints Bessas commander of Armenia, and entrusts him with the war in Lazica.
* Siege of Petra
January 16 - Gothic War: The Ostrogoths under king Totila recapture Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison.
Summer - Totila plunders Sicily, after he subdues Corsica and Sardinia. He sends a Gothic fleet to raid the coasts of Greece.
Justinian I sends two Nestorian monks on a mission to Central Asia, to spread Christianity in the East.
Europe
The Vendel era begins; the name is given to a region in Uppland.
Persia
The Sassanid Empire, under the reign of King Khosrow I, controls the trade of silk destined for Europe and the Byzantine Empire.
Asia
The Eastern Wei Dynasty ends, and Wen Xuan Di becomes emperor of Northern Qi. He forces Xiao Jing Di to yield the throne.
Wen Xuan Di adopts a defensive policy towards the hostile northern tribes; he builds over 1,000 miles of walls on the border.
The Gupta Empire falls; India is again ruled by regional kingdoms.
Americas
Construction of Quiriguá begins.
The last known eruption of Chimborazo occurs.
By topic

Hindu mathematicians give zero a numeral representation in a positional notation system.
Procopius writes the Secret History.
Religion
The churches of Lazica and Armenia split. While the Armenian Church remains independent, the Georgian church unites with the Byzantine Empire. This ecclesiastical union deepens political and cultural contact between the two states. As a sign of Lazica's status vis-à-vis Byzantium, Lazic princes are vested with honorific titles of the Byzantine court, including kouropalates, or "minister of the imperial palace".
The main redaction of the Babylonian Talmud is completed under Rabbis Ravina and Ashi.
Chararic, king of the Suevi, converts to Catholicism.
In Ireland, the Diocese of Tuam is erected.