580s

The 580s refers to the decade spanning from 580 to 589 AD. This period falls within the Late Antiquity era and is part of the broader history of the 6th century.

In the Eastern Roman Empire, the reign of Justinian I continued into the early part of this decade, though he died in 565 AD. His successor Justin II's reign, marked by growing instability and territorial losses, was ongoing. The empire faced challenges from the Avars and the Lombards in the west, and from the Sasanian Empire in the east. Religious controversies, particularly concerning Monophysitism, continued to shape the internal landscape of the Byzantine world.

The Western Roman Empire had long since fallen, but its legacy and the successor kingdoms continued to develop. The Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy was in decline, eventually falling to the Byzantine Empire under Justinian's campaigns. The Lombards, who had invaded Italy in 568 AD, were establishing their presence during this decade, creating a fragmented political map. In Francia, the Merovingian dynasty ruled, though internal conflicts and divisions were common.

The Sasanian Empire in Persia, under Khosrow I, was a major power in the East and engaged in conflicts with the Byzantine Empire. The Sasanian realm was a center of culture and learning.

Further afield, the early spread of Islam had not yet begun, and the world was dominated by these major empires and emerging kingdoms, each with their own unique trajectories and interactions.