548

By place

Byzantine Empire

• June 28 - Empress Theodora I, age 48, dies probably of breast cancer. Her body is buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles.
• Emperor Justinian I relieves Belisarius from military service, in favour of the 70-year-old Byzantine general Narses.

  Europe

• Theudigisel, Visigothic general, proclaims himself ruler over the Visigothic Kingdom after King Theudis is murdered.

  Persia

• Lazic War: King Gubazes II revolts against the Persians, and requests aid from Justinian I. He sends a Byzantine expeditionary force to Lazica.
• Gubazes II besieges the fortress of Petra, located on the Black Sea. The Persian army under Mermeroes defeats a small Byzantine force guarding the mountain passes, and relieves Petra.
• Mermeroes stations a garrison of 3,000 men in the stronghold of Petra, and marches to Armenia. The Persians, lacking sufficient supplies, secure the supply routes and plunder Lazica.

  Africa

• Spring - Battle of the Fields of Cato: The Byzantine army, under John Troglita, crushes the Moorish revolt in Byzacena.

  Asia

• April 13 - Emperor Lý Nam Đế of Vietnam is killed by Laotian tribesmen, while on retreat from the Hong River Plain. He is succeeded by his elder brother Lý Thiên Bảo.

  By topic

Commerce

• Cosmas Indicopleustes, Alexandrian merchant, writes his work Christian Topography. He describes the importance of the spice trade in Ceylon, and the harvesting of pepper in India.

  Religion

• Saint Catherine's Monastery is established in the Sinai Peninsula.