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Historical map · 600

Map of Europe in 600

In 600, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 34 states, empires and other polities in Europe. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Eastern Roman Empire, Avar Khaganate and the Kingdom of the Franks. The Sasanian Empire reached well beyond Europe: its whole territory measured about 3.0 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Europe in 600. 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 600 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 600

States and empires in Europe in 600

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Eastern Roman Empire Wikipedia1.7 million km²2.5 million km²31 BC–AD 632
Avar Khaganate Wikipedia957,000 km²957,000 km²561–805
Kingdom of the Franks Wikipedia682,000 km²2.0 million km²462–989
Visigothic Kingdom Wikipedia531,000 km²531,000 km²426–723
Scandinavian minor kingdoms Wikipedia380,000 km²380,000 km²500–799
Sasanian Empire Wikipedia216,000 km²3.0 million km²215–643
Kingdom of Italy Wikipedia148,000 km²148,000 km²587–1946
Anglo-Saxon England Wikipedia94,000 km²94,000 km²441–935
Brythonic Kingdoms Wikipedia83,000 km²134,000 km²439–1284
Saxons Wikipedia82,000 km²82,000 km²283–799
Bavarians Wikipedia81,000 km²81,000 km²540–787
Ghassanids Wikipedia53,000 km²265,000 km²510–633
Duchy of Thuringia Wikipedia40,000 km²40,000 km²567–723
Breton Kingdoms Wikipedia24,000 km²24,000 km²587–824
Kingdom of Mercia Wikipedia24,000 km²24,000 km²534–925
Dál Riata Wikipedia16,000 km²16,000 km²540–899
Kingdom of Wessex Wikipedia16,000 km²16,000 km²534–935
Kingdom of Deira Wikipedia13,000 km²13,000 km²534–633
Kingdom of East Anglia Wikipedia12,000 km²12,000 km²534–869
Kingdom of Rheged Wikipedia12,000 km²12,000 km²592–646
Kingdom of Bernicia Wikipedia10,000 km²10,000 km²555–633
Kingdom of Gwynedd Wikipedia7,950 km²7,950 km²540–1284
Kingdom of Powys Wikipedia5,760 km²5,760 km²540–1168
Kingdom of Sussex Wikipedia5,640 km²5,640 km²490–771
Hwicce Wikipedia4,820 km²4,820 km²577–627
Kingdom of Kent Wikipedia4,050 km²4,050 km²490–762
Kingdom of Essex Wikipedia3,990 km²3,990 km²534–665
Kingdom of Lindsey Wikipedia3,920 km²3,920 km²534–625
Kingdom of Brycheiniog Wikipedia1,960 km²1,960 km²540–1084
Kingdom of Dunoting Wikipedia1,510 km²1,510 km²592–625
Kingdom of Morgannwg Wikipedia1,500 km²1,500 km²540–1055
Lakhmid Kingdom Wikipedia1,480 km²259,000 km²270–633
Kingdom of Gwent Wikipedia1,440 km²1,440 km²540–1055
Wihtgar Wikipedia510 km²510 km²523–691

"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 500

New on the map: 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 from the map: 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.

What comes next: 700

Appear by 700: Alliance between Byzantine Empire and Khazaria, Umayyad Caliphate, Khazaria, Aquitaine, First Bulgarian Empire, Frisia Kingdom, Carantania, Kingdom of Northumbria, Principality of Iberia, Kingdom of Lazica, Magna Frisia, Dumnonia, Strathclyde, Cyprus Condominium.

Gone by 700: Eastern Roman Empire, Sasanian Empire, Ghassanids, Kingdom of Deira, Kingdom of Rheged, Kingdom of Bernicia, Kingdom of Sussex, Hwicce, Kingdom of Kent, Kingdom of Essex, Kingdom of Lindsey, Kingdom of Dunoting, Lakhmid Kingdom, Wihtgar.

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Europe in 600?

The map data draws 34 states and other polities in Europe in 600. The largest by land were the Eastern Roman Empire, Avar Khaganate, the Kingdom of the Franks, the Visigothic Kingdom and Scandinavian minor kingdoms.

What was the largest empire in Europe in 600?

Of the states on this map, the Sasanian Empire held the most land in total: about 3.0 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Europe in 600 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 600, 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 600