Map of Asia in 500 AD (500 CE)
In 500 CE the atlas maps 27 states and empires with territory in Asia. The largest by mapped territory was Rouran Khaganate, at about 3.85M km², followed by White Huns. The map below is set to 500 CE; the table lists every state shown, with the modern countries its borders covered.
- States Mapped
- 27
- Largest
- 3.85M km²
- Modern Countries Covered
- 50
- Longest Established
- 291 BCE – 500 CE
Map of Asia in 500 CE
Borders are drawn for 500 CE. Drag the timeline to move to another year.
The Major Powers of 500 CE
Rouran Khaganate
402–554 CEThe 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 CEThe 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 CEQi, 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 CEThe 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 CEThe 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 CEWei, 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
27 mapped, largest territory first. Dates are the span of each state's mapped borders.
| # | 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 | Vakataka Kingdom | 671,270 km² | 260–554 CE | India |
| 9 | Tuyuhun | 554,385 km² | 287–665 CE | China |
| 10 | Protectorate of the Western Regions | 437,554 km² | 117–601 CE | China |
| 11 | Goguryeo | 408,877 km² | 36 BCE – 681 CE | China, South Korea, North Korea |
| 12 | Himyarite Kingdom | 295,961 km² | 110 BCE – 601 CE | Yemen |
| 13 | Lakhmid Kingdom | 259,124 km² | 270–633 CE | Saudi Arabia |
| 14 | Funan | 245,198 km² | 51–640 CE | Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia |
| 15 | Kadamba Empire | 202,263 km² | 353–554 CE | India |
| 16 | Maitraka Dynasty | 144,789 km² | 476–731 CE | India |
| 17 | Kalabhra Dynasty | 137,945 km² | 353–601 CE | India |
| 18 | Kamarupa Kingdom | 130,013 km² | 353–1138 CE | India |
| 19 | Pyu City-States | 116,187 km² | 84–1045 CE | Myanmar |
| 20 | Caucasian Albania | 75,001 km² | 63 BCE – 509 CE | Azerbaijan |
| 21 | Anurādhapura | 73,532 km² | 291 BCE – 1017 CE | Sri Lanka |
| 22 | Chámpa | 72,677 km² | 207–1652 CE | Vietnam |
| 23 | Late Pallava Empire | 37,874 km² | 283–805 CE | India |
| 24 | Baekje | 34,755 km² | 347–660 CE | South Korea |
| 25 | Silla | 23,506 km² | 378–681 CE | South Korea |
| 26 | Tarumanagara | 17,409 km² | 367–673 CE | Indonesia |
| 27 | Byeonhan | 13,603 km² | 91 BCE – 566 CE | South Korea |
500 CE by Region
500 CE: Quick Answers
- What empires and states existed in Asia in 500 CE?
- The atlas maps 27 states in Asia 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 Asia in 500 CE?
- Rouran Khaganate had the largest mapped territory among states present in Asia 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 map of Asia look like in 500 AD?
- In 500 CE the map of Asia was divided between 27 mapped states and empires. Rouran Khaganate held the largest territory, followed by White Huns. Their borders covered parts of 50 present-day countries.
- How many states are shown on the map for 500 CE?
- 27. 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.