500s            Ghanaian empire most important power in West Africa.

    505              Death of Eugenius, bishop of Carthage.

    512–532      Fulgentius (Fulgence), bishop of Ruspe (467-532) writes his Letters, The Rule of Faith, Synodal Letter of Fulgence of Ruspe and Other African Bishops, to John and Venerius, answers semi-Pelagian views.

    519              End of Acacian Schism and acceptance of Chalcedon in East, excepting “monophysites” who are still persecuted in Egypt and throughout North Africa.

    523              Vandal king Thrasamund dies.

    520­–547     Ferrandus, a disciple of Fulgentius, is deacon of the church of Carthage.

    530              Death of Vandal king Hilderic.

    532              Death of Fulgentius of Ruspe.

    533              Byzantine General Belisarius uproots Vandals from North Africa and reconquers Egypt, restoring the empire almost to its former dimensions from Mauretania to Armenia, building many fortresses and basilicas in Africa; now Byzantine forms of Christian architecture appear throughout North Africa.

    534              Death of Vandal king Gelimer.

    536–567      Justinian establishes Chalcedonian episcopal hierarchy in Alexandria until rise of Islam.

c. 550               Cassiodorus founds the monastery Vivarium in Calabria in southern Italy, with scriptorium out of which many texts originally written in Africa became first known to Europeans and accessible to pre-medieval monastic libraries, conveying the fourth century African intellectual tradition to sixth century Europe for the first time.

    560–570      Primasius, bishop of Hadrumetum, author of Commentary on the Apocalypse and Letters.

    552              Death of Verecundus of Iunca in Byzacena.

    553              Fifth ecumenical council, Second Council of Constantinople; Condemnation of Three Chapters.

c. 563              Columba’s (c. 521-597) mission to Iona begins bringing African penitential discipline to Scots.

    585              Columbanus (545-615) from Ireland to Gaul, founds monastery of Luxeuil, bringing African orthodox penitential tradition in a great circle back to Europe from Ireland to serve Europe’s early medieval formation.

    595              Heraclius the elder, leading general of the Emperor Maurice, becomes exarch of Carthage; he is the father of Byzantine Emperor Heraclius the younger.

    590–604      Pope Gregory the Great (540–604) brings Augustinian theology to normative status in the west; inaugurates mission to England.