610

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This article is about the year 610.

Events

By Place

Byzantine Empire

• October 4 — Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows East Roman Emperor Phocas and becomes Emperor. His first major act is to change the official language of the East Roman Empire from Latin to Greek (already the language of the vast majority of the population). Because of this, after AD 610 the East Roman Empire is customarily referred to as the Byzantine Empire (the term Byzantine is a modern term invented by historians in the 18th Century; the people of the Empire itself always referred to themselves as "Ρωμιούς" - in English, Romious).

Europe

• The Avars try to invade Italy.
• Gundemar succeeds Witteric as king of the Visigoths.
• The Serbs begin to settle in the Balkans.

By Topic

Arts and Sciences

• Paper technology is imported into Japan from China by the Korean Buddhist priest, Dam Jing.

Religion

• According to Islamic belief, the archangel Gabriel first appears to Muhammad, reciting to him the first verses of surat Iqra (al-`Alaq), thus beginning the revelation of the Qur'an (approximate date).
• St. Columbanus and St. Gall begin missionary work in Bregenz.
• St. John the Merciful becomes Patriarch of Alexandria.

Births

• Lai Ji

Deaths

• Phocas, Byzantine emperor (by mob)
• Witteric, king of the Visigoths
• Waraqah ibn Nawfal, Cousin of Muhammad and first to declare him a prophet

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Last updated on Wednesday February 20, 2008 at 22:01:10 PST (GMT -0800)
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