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Historical map · 500

Map of Europe in 500

In 500, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 22 states, empires and other polities in Europe. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire and the Visigothic Kingdom. The Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire reached well beyond Europe: its whole territory measured about 4.4 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Europe in 500. Zoom in, move the year slider to watch the borders change, or ask the history guide a question and it draws the answer on the map.

OPEN 500 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 500
Atlas map: Why Rome Fell — and What Survived (Ad 481)
FROM THE ATLAS · ROME, CHAPTER 12: WHY ROME FELL — AND WHAT SURVIVED (AD 481)

States and empires in Europe in 500

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire Wikipedia2.5 million km²4.4 million km²500–560
Eastern Roman Empire Wikipedia1.2 million km²2.0 million km²31 BC–AD 632
Visigothic Kingdom Wikipedia689,000 km²689,000 km²426–723
Scandinavian minor kingdoms Wikipedia376,000 km²376,000 km²500–799
Merovingian Empire Wikipedia305,000 km²362,000 km²462–989
Sasanian Empire Wikipedia304,000 km²2.2 million km²215–643
Salian Franks Wikipedia277,000 km²277,000 km²358–509
Vandal Kingdom Wikipedia196,000 km²249,000 km²439–533
Brythonic Kingdoms Wikipedia129,000 km²258,000 km²439–1284
Burgundian Kingdom Wikipedia119,000 km²119,000 km²154–660
Kingdom of the Suebi Wikipedia92,000 km²92,000 km²414–586
Saxons Wikipedia82,000 km²82,000 km²283–799
Anglo-Saxon England Wikipedia77,000 km²144,000 km²441–935
Ripuarian Franks Wikipedia44,000 km²44,000 km²238–509
Kingdom of Thuringia Wikipedia40,000 km²40,000 km²476–533
Caucasian Iberia Wikipedia32,000 km²36,000 km²63 BC–AD 533
Lazica Wikipedia24,000 km²24,000 km²63 BC–AD 777
Lombards Wikipedia14,000 km²14,000 km²480–586
Kingdom of Sussex Wikipedia5,640 km²5,640 km²490–771
Kingdom of Kent Wikipedia4,330 km²4,330 km²490–762
Caucasian Albania Wikipedia2,050 km²75,000 km²63 BC–AD 509
Lakhmid Kingdom Wikipedia1,520 km²259,000 km²270–633

"In the data" gives the first and last year the dataset draws the state under this identity; states often existed earlier or later in another form.

What changed since 400

New on the map: Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire, Visigothic Kingdom, Scandinavian minor kingdoms, Merovingian Empire, Vandal Kingdom, Brythonic Kingdoms, Burgundian Kingdom, Kingdom of the Suebi, Anglo-Saxon England, Kingdom of Thuringia, Lombards, Kingdom of Sussex, Kingdom of Kent.

Gone from the map: Western Roman Empire, Huns, Allegiance of Kidarites to Sasanian Empire, Visigoths, Vandals, Norse, Angles.

What comes next: 600

Appear by 600: Avar Khaganate, Kingdom of Italy, Bavarians, Ghassanids, Duchy of Thuringia, Breton Kingdoms, Kingdom of Mercia, Dál Riata, Kingdom of Wessex, Kingdom of Deira, Kingdom of East Anglia, Kingdom of Rheged, Kingdom of Bernicia, Kingdom of Gwynedd, Kingdom of Powys, Hwicce, Kingdom of Essex, Kingdom of Lindsey, Kingdom of Brycheiniog, Kingdom of Dunoting, Kingdom of Morgannwg, Kingdom of Gwent, Wihtgar.

Gone by 600: Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire, Salian Franks, Vandal Kingdom, Burgundian Kingdom, Kingdom of the Suebi, Ripuarian Franks, Kingdom of Thuringia, Caucasian Iberia, Lazica, Lombards, Caucasian Albania.

Read the history of 500

Guided atlas chapters set near this date, each with its own map, causes and consequences:

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Europe in 500?

The map data draws 22 states and other polities in Europe in 500. The largest by land were the Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire, the Visigothic Kingdom, Scandinavian minor kingdoms and the Merovingian Empire.

What was the largest empire in Europe in 500?

Of the states on this map, the Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire held the most land in total: about 4.4 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Europe in 500 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 500, zoom into any region, move through the years, and ask the history guide questions: it answers in plain words and draws places, armies and borders on the map.

About these borders

The borders come from Cliopatria (v0.2.1, Seshat Global History Databank, CC BY 4.0), the dataset behind our interactive map, with our audited name and border corrections. It records each state's territory year by year from 3400 BC to 2024. Borders before modern surveys are reconstructions: the data draws a state where it held control, and frontier zones, nomadic realms and loose overlordships are approximate. Areas are measured on an equal-area projection. Read how we make our maps.

Europe in other years

Other regions in 500