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548 BC

The The 8th century temple of Apollo which had been destroyed by fire was rebuilt and the sanctuary area was enlarged to its present size with funds collected throughout the Mediterranean world.

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549 BC

Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Armenia.

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550 BC

Cyrus I of Anshan overthrows Astyages of the Medes, establishing the Persian Empire.

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551 BC

Birth of Confucius, philosopher

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552 BC

The Temple of Diana, the third wonder of the world, was built at Ephesus.

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553 BC

Cyrus, king of Anshan (in southwestern Iran), began war against Astyages

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554 BC

Death of Anaximander a pre-Socratic philosopher who lived in Miletus, a city of Ionia. He joined the Milesian school and studied the teachings of its master Thales. He succeeded him and became the second master of that school where he counted Anaximenes and Pythagoras amongst his pupils.

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555 BC

Stesichorus, a Greek lyric poet from Sicily, dies.

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556 BC

Simonides of Ceos (c. 556 BC-468 BC), Greek lyric poet, was born at Ioulis on Kea

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557 BC

Agathocles, the son of a potter; lord and after proclaimed king of Sicily attacks Ithaca in 557 BC. Probably around the same time as the capture of Corcyra.