6th century in poetry

	This page is part of the List of years in poetry
Centuries in poetry:	5th century - 6th century - 7th century
Decades in poetry:	500s 510s 520s 530s 540s 550s 560s 570s 580s 590s
Centuries:	5th century - 6th century - 7th century

Arabic world

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

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^[1]
Parthenius (poet) 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
Taliesin (c. 534 – c. 599), the earliest 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

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

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
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

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