570

Europe

• Battle of Gwen Ystrad: A British alliance is forged between the kingdoms of Strathclyde, Bryneich and Elmet (approximate date).
• Spoleto becomes the capital of an independent duchy, under the Lombard chieftain Faroald (approximate date).
• Leutfred becomes duke of Alemannia (modern Germany).

Persia

• Ctesiphon, capital of the Sassanid Empire, becomes the largest city in the world, taking the lead from Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire.^[1]

Arabia

• Muhammad, Islamic prophet, is born in Mecca (today's Saudi Arabia). His father Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib dies a few months before his birth, so he and his mother Aminah bint Wahb are protected by Muhammad's paternal grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, who is recognized as the leading figure in his tribe, the Quraysh.^[2]
• Abraha, Christian ruler of coastal Yemen, who was acting as a general for the Christian kingdom in Abyssinia, begins a military expedition in Arabia against the predominantly pagan Quraysh of Mecca,^[3] known as the Year of the Elephant.

Religion

• A limestone statue of Boddhisattva is created in Henan (approximate date).
• The first mention is made of the Spear of Destiny (approximate date).
• The Jews of Clermont-Ferrand are forced to convert to Christianity.
• Year of the Elephant, according to Islamic tradition.

• The anonymous Pilgrim of Piacenza travels the Holy Sites of Christianity in Syria, Palestine and Sinai, an experience that he later writes down as a travel report (approximate date).^[4]