496 BC

Centuries: 6th century BC - 5th century BC - 4th century BC

Decades: 540s BC 530s BC 520s BC 510s BC 500s BC - 490s BC - 480s BC 470s BC 460s BC 450s BC 440s BC

Years: 499 BC 498 BC 497 BC - 496 BC - 495 BC 494 BC 493 BC 492 BC 491 BC

Events

* Battle of Lake Regillus: A legendary early Roman victory, won over either the Etruscans or the Latins.
* King Gon Jian of Yue defeats and banishes King Fucha of Wu, gaining a temporary hegemony in ancient China during the Spring and Autumn Period.

Births

* Sophocles, Athenian dramatist and statesman.

Deaths

* Pythagoras, Greek philosopher and mathematician.
* Sun Tzu, military philosopher and author of The Art of War (most likely a colloquial date).