World Map 500 AD — Countries & Empires

The Major Powers of 500 CE

Rouran Khaganate

402–554 CE

The Rouran Khaganate, also known as Ruanruan or Juan-juan, was a tribal confederation and later state. The Rouran state was undoubtedly multi-ethnic, most of the historical sources state that they were the descendants of the Xiongnu or a collateral branch of the Xiongnu.

Mapped extent in 500 CE: 3.85M km²

White Huns

410–560 CE

The Hephthalites or Ephthalites, sometimes called the White Huns, were a people who lived in Central Asia during the 5th to 8th centuries CE, and were a part of what numismatist Robert Göbl calls Iranian Huns. They formed an empire, the Imperial Hephthalites, and were militarily important from 450 CE, when they defeated the Kidarites, to 560 CE, when combined forces from the First Turkic Khaganate and the Sasanian Empire defeated them.

Mapped extent in 500 CE: 3.30M km²

Southern Qi

480–509 CE

Qi, known in historiography as the Southern Qi or Xiao Qi, was a Chinese imperial dynasty and the second of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties era. It followed the Liu Song dynasty and was succeeded by the Liang dynasty.

Mapped extent in 500 CE: 2.36M km²

The Sasanian Empire

215–643 CE

The Sasanian Empire, officially Eranshahr, was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651 AD. Lasting for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign over ancient Iran was second only to that of the Arsacid dynasty of Parthia which immediately preceded it.

Mapped extent in 500 CE: 2.15M km²

Eastern Roman Empire

395–632 CE

The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Eastern part of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, it endured until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453.

Mapped extent in 500 CE: 2.00M km²

Northern Wei

387–533 CE

Wei, known in historiography as the Northern Wei, Tuoba Wei, Yuan Wei and Later Wei, was an imperial dynasty of China ruled by the Tuoba (Tabgach) clan of the Xianbei. The first of the Northern dynasties, it ruled northern China from 386 to 535 AD during the period of the Northern and Southern dynasties.

Mapped extent in 500 CE: 1.17M km²

Descriptions are the opening of each state's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).

States and empires in 500 CE
#	State	Mapped area	Dates	Modern countries
1	Rouran Khaganate	3.85M km²	402–554 CE	China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia
2	White Huns	3.30M km²	410–560 CE	India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and 4 more
3	Southern Qi	2.36M km²	480–509 CE	China, Vietnam, Hong Kong S.A.R., Macau S.A.R
4	The Sasanian Empire	2.15M km²	215–643 CE	Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and 8 more
5	Eastern Roman Empire	2.00M km²	395–632 CE	Russia, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Romania and 13 more
6	Northern Wei	1.17M km²	387–533 CE	China
7	The Gupta Empire	1.01M km²	324–554 CE	India, Bangladesh
8	Visigothic Kingdom	689,712 km²	426–723 CE	France, Spain, Portugal, Andorra
9	Vakataka Kingdom	671,270 km²	260–554 CE	India
10	Ostrogothic Kingdom	556,166 km²	500–560 CE	Germany, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland and 6 more
11	Tuyuhun	554,385 km²	287–665 CE	China
12	Protectorate of the Western Regions	437,554 km²	117–601 CE	China
13	Goguryeo	408,877 km²	36 BCE – 681 CE	China, South Korea, North Korea
14	Mayan City-States	378,616 km²	247 BCE – 849 CE	Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Belize
15	Scandinavian minor kingdoms	378,587 km²	500–1002 CE	Sweden, Denmark, Norway
16	Merovingian Empire	306,442 km²	462–717 CE	Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and 1 more
17	Himyarite Kingdom	295,961 km²	110 BCE – 601 CE	Yemen
18	Salian Franks	277,830 km²	358–509 CE	Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland
19	Lakhmid Kingdom	259,124 km²	270–633 CE	Saudi Arabia
20	Vandal Kingdom	248,581 km²	439–533 CE	France, Italy, Spain, Algeria, Morocco and 2 more
21	Funan	245,198 km²	51–640 CE	Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia
22	Kadamba Empire	202,263 km²	353–554 CE	India
23	Nobatia	147,534 km²	347–655 CE	—
24	Maitraka Dynasty	144,789 km²	476–731 CE	India
25	Kalabhra Dynasty	137,945 km²	353–601 CE	India
26	Kamarupa Kingdom	130,013 km²	353–1138 CE	India
27	Brythonic Kingdoms	129,530 km²	439–1284 CE	United Kingdom, France
28	Brythons	129,530 km²	439–1235 CE	United Kingdom, France
29	Alodia	123,780 km²	347–1506 CE	Sudan
30	Burgundian Kingdom	119,679 km²	414–660 CE	France, Switzerland
31	Pyu City-States	116,187 km²	84–1045 CE	Myanmar
32	Kingdom of Axum	97,004 km²	50 BCE – 946 CE	Ethiopia, Eritrea
33	Kingdom of the Suebi	91,850 km²	414–586 CE	Spain, Portugal
34	Saxons	82,597 km²	283–799 CE	Germany
35	Anglo-Saxon England	77,200 km²	441–935 CE	United Kingdom
36	Caucasian Albania	75,001 km²	63 BCE – 509 CE	Azerbaijan
37	Anurādhapura	73,532 km²	291 BCE – 1017 CE	Sri Lanka
38	Chámpa	72,677 km²	207–1652 CE	Vietnam
39	Zapotec Civilization	69,768 km²	500 BCE – 895 CE	Mexico
40	Makuria	65,260 km²	347–1414 CE	—
41	Ripuarian Franks	44,276 km²	238–509 CE	Germany, Netherlands
42	Kingdom of Thuringia	40,557 km²	476–533 CE	Germany
43	Late Pallava Empire	37,874 km²	283–805 CE	India
44	Caucasian Iberia	35,797 km²	63 BCE – 533 CE	Georgia
45	Baekje	34,755 km²	347–660 CE	South Korea
46	Kingdom of the Franks	28,612 km²	462–849 CE	Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg
47	Lazica	24,529 km²	63 BCE – 545 CE	Georgia
48	Silla	23,506 km²	378–681 CE	South Korea
49	Tarumanagara	17,409 km²	367–673 CE	Indonesia
50	Lombards	14,414 km²	480–586 CE	—
51	Byeonhan	13,603 km²	91 BCE – 566 CE	South Korea
52	Teotihuacan	5,674 km²	50 BCE – 704 CE	Mexico
53	Kingdom of Sussex	5,657 km²	490–771 CE	—
54	Kingdom of Kent	4,349 km²	490–762 CE	—
55	Tamna	1,959 km²	263–1278 CE	—
56	Hunnic Empire	185 km²	426–673 CE	—

State

Mapped area

3.85M km²

3.30M km²

2.36M km²

2.15M km²

2.00M km²

1.17M km²

1.01M km²

689,712 km²

671,270 km²

556,166 km²

554,385 km²

Protectorate of the Western Regions

437,554 km²

Goguryeo

408,877 km²

Mayan City-States

378,616 km²

Scandinavian minor kingdoms

378,587 km²

306,442 km²

295,961 km²

277,830 km²

259,124 km²

248,581 km²

245,198 km²

202,263 km²

147,534 km²

144,789 km²

137,945 km²

130,013 km²

129,530 km²

129,530 km²

123,780 km²

119,679 km²

116,187 km²

97,004 km²

91,850 km²

82,597 km²

77,200 km²

75,001 km²

73,532 km²

72,677 km²

69,768 km²

65,260 km²

44,276 km²

40,557 km²

37,874 km²

35,797 km²

34,755 km²

Kingdom of the Franks

28,612 km²

24,529 km²

23,506 km²

17,409 km²

14,414 km²

13,603 km²

5,674 km²

5,657 km²

4,349 km²

1,959 km²

185 km²

500 CE: Quick Answers

What empires and states existed in 500 CE?

The atlas maps 56 states in 500 CE. The largest by mapped territory were Rouran Khaganate, White Huns, Southern Qi, The Sasanian Empire, Eastern Roman Empire, Northern Wei.

What was the largest empire in 500 CE?

Rouran Khaganate had the largest mapped territory in 500 CE, about 3.85M km², followed by White Huns (3.30M km²). Areas are measured from the mapped borders and are approximate.

What did the world map look like in 500 AD?

In 500 CE the map of the World was divided between 56 mapped states and empires. Rouran Khaganate held the largest territory, followed by White Huns. Their borders covered parts of 84 present-day countries.

How many states are shown on the map for 500 CE?

56. The map shows the states recorded in the atlas's dated border dataset for that year; states and peoples absent from that dataset are not shown.

Map of the World in 500 AD (500 CE)

Map of the World in 500 CE

The Major Powers of 500 CE

Rouran Khaganate

White Huns

Southern Qi

The Sasanian Empire

Eastern Roman Empire

Northern Wei

States and Empires in 500 CE

500 CE by Region

500 CE: Quick Answers