6th-century BC deaths

thumb|Alcaeus and Sappho, Attic red-figure calathus, c. 470 BC, [[Staatliche Antikensammlungen (Inv. 2416)]]

Nabonidus (, meaning "May Nabu be exalted" or "Nabu is praised") was the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling from 556 BC to the fall of Babylon to the Achaemenian Empire under Cyrus the Great in 539 BC. Nabonidus was the last native ruler of ancient Mesopotamia, the end of his reign marking the end of thousands of years of Sumero-Akkadian states, kingdoms and empires. He was also the last independent king of Babylon. Regarded as one of the most vibrant and individualistic rulers of his time, Nabonidus is characterised by some scholars as an unorthodox religious reformer and as the f

Exekias (, Exēkías) was an ancient Greek vase painter and potter who was active in Athens between roughly 545 BC and 530 BC. Exekias worked mainly in the black-figure technique, which involved the painting of scenes using a clay slip that fired to black, with details created through incision. Exekias is regarded by art historians as an artistic visionary whose masterful use of incision and psychologically sensitive compositions mark him as one of the greatest of all Attic vase painters. The Andokides painter and the Lysippides Painter are thought to have been students of Exekias.

6th-century BC tyrant of Sicyon

Agasicles, alternatively spelled Agesicles or Hegesicles (), was a king of Sparta, the 13th of the line of Procles.

Euthymides (; ) was an ancient Athenian potter and painter of vases. He was a member of the art movement later known as the Pioneer Group for their exploration of the new decorative style known as red-figure pottery. His works are known for their innovative use of foreshortening, and include the Revellers Vase, inscribed with a taunting message addressed to his fellow painter and rival Euphronios.

ancient Athenian vase painter

Kleitias (Greek: Κλειτίας, sometimes rendered as Klitias) was an ancient Athenian vase painter of the black-figure style who flourished BCE. Kleitias' most celebrated work today is the François Vase (), which bears over two hundred figures in its six friezes. Painted inscriptions on four pots and one ceramic stand name Kleitias as their painter and Ergotimos as their potter, showing the craftsmen's close collaboration. A variety of other fragments have been attributed to him on a stylistic basis.

thumb|317x317px|Delphi|The Temple of Apollo/Delphi Themistoclea (; Themistokleia; also Aristoclea (; Ἀριστοκλεία Aristokleia), Theoclea (; Θεοκλεία Theokleia); fl. 6th century BCE) was a priestess at Delphi who was said to be a teacher of Pythagoras.

archaic Greek architect and sculptor

Oltos was a Late Archaic Greek vase painter, active in Athens from 525 BC to 500 BC. About 150 works by him are known. Two pieces, a cup in Berlin (Antikensammlung F 2264) and a cup in Tarquinia (Museo Nazionale Tarquiniese RC 6848), are signed by him as painter.

Late 6th century BC Athenian red-figure vase-painter

Hippocleides (also Hippoclides) (), the son of Teisander (Τείσανδρος), was an Athenian nobleman, who served as Eponymous Archon for the year 566 BC – 565 BC.

thumb|260px|Sophilos' signature: "sofilos me grafsen" (“Sophilos painted me”) Sophilos (; active about 590 – 570 BC) was an Attic potter and vase painter in the black-figure style. Sophilos is the oldest Attic vase painter so far to be known by his true name. Fragments of two wine basins (dinoi) in Athens are signed by him, indicating that he both potted and painted them. In total, 37 vessels are ascribed to him, mostly amphorae, dinoi, kraters, as well as three pinakes. Apart from his work for the domestic market, he was also one of the masters of major significance in the process of su

Mazares (Median: Mazdara, ) was a Median general who defected to Cyrus the Great when the latter overthrew the Median king Astyages and formed the Persian Empire. Mazares is mentioned by Herodotus as a Median general in the service of Cyrus the Great who died while putting down a revolt in Asia Minor.

Lydos (Greek: Λυδός, the Lydian) was an Attic vase painter in the black-figure style. Active between about 560 and 540 BC, he was the main representative of the "Lydos Group". His signature, ό Λυδός, ho Lydos ("the Lydian"), inscribed on two vases, is informative regarding the cultural background of the artist. Either he immigrated to Athens from the Lydian Empire of King Kroisos, or he was born in Athens as the son of Lydian parents. In any case, he learned his trade in Athens.

thumb|260px|Armoured warrior on a plate acribed to Psiax, circa 510 BC, found in the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia, [[Antikensammlung Berlin.]] Psiax was an Attic vase painter of the transitional period between the black-figure and red-figure styles. His works date to circa 525 to 505 BC and comprise about 60 surviving vases, two of which bear his signature. Initially he was allocated the name "Menon Painter" by John Beazley. Only later was it realised that the artist was identical with the painters signing as "Psiax".

thumb|right|220px|Maenads and [[Dionysos holding a kantharos, stamnos by Smikros, Louvre Museum.]]

ancient Greek Attic artist, vase painter, active between circa 530 and 510 BC

son of Croesus and father of Pythius

wife of Abradatas

Corinthian, son of Periander

ancient Corinthian-Greek vase-painter of the black-figure style

ancient Attic-Greek potter and vase-painter of the black-figure style

painter

Pushkarasarin (Sanskrit: ) or Pukkusati (Pali: ) was a king of the Iron Age Indo-Aryan kingdom of Gandhāra during the time of Gautama Buddha (c. 6th or 5th century BCE), according to Buddhist texts which were written a few centuries later. There are no historical facts known for certain about Puṣkarasārin, and all theories about his reign are speculative. It is debated whether he ruled before or after the Achaemenid conquest of the Indus Valley, and is unknown what kind of relationship he historically had with the Persian Achaemenid rulers.