6th century in poetry explained

Arabic world

Pre-Islamic poetry at its height as the Arabic language emerges as a literary language.

Poets

• '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?)
• Antarah ibn Shaddad (525 - 608)
• 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

Works

Europe

Poets

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 and a poet himself^[1]
• Parthenius, patronized by the Vandal Count Sigisteus^[1]
• 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
• Myrddin Wyllt (later 6th century?), semi- (or wholly) legendary Welsh poet and prophet living in Scotland
• Taliesin (c. 534  - c. 599), the earliest definitely identified Welsh poet
• Chilperic I (c. 539  - September 584) Frankish king of Neustria and a Latin poet^[1]
• Saint Columbanus (c. 543 - 615), Hiberno-Latin poet and writer

Works

• 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

Byzantine Empire

Poets

• Musaeus
• Agathias (c. 536 - 582/594)
• Paulus Silentiarius (died 575 - 580),
• Romanos the Melodist (approx.)
• Procopius (c. 500 - 565)

South Asia

Poets

• Dandi, writing in Sanskrit (approx.)

East Asia

Poets

• Su Xiaoxiao (died 501), famous Chinese female singer and poet. Famous for writing the poem of Xhue Cheng.

Timeline

• 500  - Procopius born about this year (died 565)
• 501 Su Xiaoxiao died, famous Chinese Gējì 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
  • 525  - Antarah ibn Shaddad born (died 608) Arabic poet and warrior from Najd 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)
• 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

Notes and References

1. Pirenne, Henri, Mohammed and Charlemagne, Chapter III: "Intellectual Life after the Invasions", 1939, New York: World Publishing Company, Meridien Edition, seventh printing, 1962