520

Year 520 (DXX) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rusticus and Vitalianus (or, less frequently, year 1273 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 520 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Events

Priscian, Latin grammarian, writes the Institutiones Grammaticae ("Grammatical Foundations"). In Constantinople, he codifies this manuscript in 18 volumes, which will be widely used through the Middle Ages. It provides the raw material for the field of speculative grammar.
July – Byzantine general Vitalian becomes consul, and is shortly later murdered, probably on the orders of Justinian, the nephew and heir-apparent of Emperor Justin I.<ref>Template:Cite journal The month of Vitalian's death is taken from the chronicle of Marcellinus Comes, sub anno 520. Alan Cameron discussed the supporting evidence, concluding that Marcellinus is correct.</ref>

King Pabo Post Prydain of the Pennines (Northern England) abdicates his throne, and divides the kingdom between his two sons. He retires, as a hermit, to Anglesey.<ref name="Small">Template:Cite book</ref>
The Kingdom of East Anglia is formed, by the merging of the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, and perhaps the eastern part of The Fens (approximate date).
King Budic II returns to Cornouaille (Brittany), to claim the Breton throne (approximate date).

February 25 – Epiphanius is elected patriarch of Constantinople by Byzantine Emperor Justin I.
The construction of the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, is started (approximate date).

The monastery of Seridus, where Barsanuphius and John the Prophet lived as hermits, is founded in the region of Gaza.<ref name="KofskyBitton">Template:Cite book</ref>