540s BC deaths

ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician

Anaximander ( ; Anaximandros; ) was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher who lived in Miletus, a city of Ionia (in modern-day Turkey). He belonged to the Milesian school and learned the teachings of his master Thales. He succeeded Thales and became the second master of that school, where he counted Anaximenes and, arguably, Pythagoras amongst his pupils.

Croesus ( ; ) was the last king of Lydia from 561 BC to 547 BC. He ruled Lydia until his defeat at the siege of Sardis by the Persian king Cyrus the Great.

ancient Chinese king of the Zhou dynasty

Adad-guppi (; c. 648-544 BC), also known as Addagoppe, was a devotee of the moon god Sîn in the northern Assyrian city of Harran, and the mother of King Nabonidus (ruled 556–539 BC) of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

father of Master Kong (Confucius)

'''Jia'ao (), personal name Xiong Yuan''', was from 544 BC to 541 BC the king of the Chu state. He succeeded his father, King Kang, as ruler.

King of Chu from 559 to 545 BC

qing dynasty aristocrat

ruler of Lu

Byzantine lawyer

ruler of Qi, ancient China, 553 to 548 BC