600s

The 600s refers to the decade spanning the years 600 to 699 CE, a period within the seventh century characterized by rapid and wide-ranging political, religious, and cultural change across multiple regions. It marks the emergence of the Islamic world as a major political and religious force, the continuation and transformation of powers in Eurasia, and ongoing developments in Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

In the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean, the rise of Islam began in the Arabian Peninsula with the Prophet Muhammad’s revelations around 610, followed by the Hijra to Medina in 622 and the consolidation of the Rashidun caliphate. By the end of the decade, Muslim forces had begun conquering large parts of the Levant, Egypt, and North Africa, and the Umayyad Caliphate would be established in 661. The Byzantine and Sassanian empires were drawn into a long, costly conflict in the early part of the century, which strained their capacities and reshaped control of border provinces as Arab conquests expanded.

In East Asia, the Sui dynasty collapsed and the Tang dynasty was established in 618, inaugurating a new era of centralized administration, urban growth, and cultural exchange along the Silk Road. Tang China would become a major regional power in the subsequent centuries.

In the Indian subcontinent, northern rulers such as Harsha (reigned c. 606–647) unified parts of the region, while southern kingdoms and coastal trade networks remained active, contributing to long-distance commerce and cultural exchange.

Overall, the 600s laid the foundations for major religious, political, and cultural shifts that would shape subsequent centuries.