View source for AD 666

{{redirect|666 (year)|the year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar|666 BC}}
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[[File:Barking abbey curfew tower london.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Barking Abbey]]: curfew tower (east [[London]])]]

Year '''666''' ('''[[Roman numerals|DCLXVI]]''') was a [[common year starting on Thursday]] of the [[Julian calendar]]. The denomination 666 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 ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* Emperor [[Constans II]] grants the request of Bishop [[Bishop of Ravenna#Archdiocese of Ravenna (6th century – 1947)|Maurus]] of [[Exarchate of Ravenna|Ravenna]], allowing the city to consecrate its [[bishop]] without approval from [[Rome]] (approximate date).

==== Europe ====
* Duke [[Lupus of Friuli]] revolts against King [[Grimoald I of Benevento|Grimoald I]], with allied [[Avars (Carpathians)|Avars]]. Grimoald takes and devastates [[Friuli]], tracks down Lupus's son [[Arnefrit of Friuli|Arnefrit]] (allied with the [[Slaves]]), and beats him and kills him in battle at the castle of [[Nimis]]. Grimoald appoints [[Wechtar of Friuli|Wechtar]] as the new [[Duchy of Friuli|duke of Friuli]].

==== Asia ====
* [[China|Chinese]] [[Buddhist]] monks Zhi Yu and Zhi Yuo craft more [[south-pointing chariot]] vehicles (a non-magnetic, mechanical-driven directional-[[compass]] vehicle that incorporates the use of a [[Differential (mechanical device)|differential]]).

====Religion====
* [[Wilfrid]] returns to [[Great Britain]], but is [[shipwreck]]ed in [[Sussex]]. When he finally reaches [[Northumbria]], he finds he has been deposed and is forced to retire to [[Ripon]].<ref name=Reassess34>John "Reassessing Anglo-Saxon England" pp. 34-35</ref>
* [[Earconwald]], Anglo-Saxon [[abbot]], establishes the [[Order of Saint Benedict|Benedictine]] abbeys, [[Chertsey Abbey]] ([[Surrey]]) for men<ref name=Kirby83>Kirby "Earliest English Kings" p. 83</ref> and [[Barking Abbey]] (now in east [[London]]) for women.<ref name=Courts250>Yorke "Adaptation of the Anglo-Saxon Royal Courts" ''Cross Goes North'' pp. 250-251</ref>
</onlyinclude>

[[File:Chertsey Breviary - St. Erkenwald.jpg|alt=manuscript image of a Saxon saint|thumb|St Erkenwald, Saxon Prince, bishop and saint known as the "Light of London": founds two religious houses near London in this year]]

== Births ==
* [[Zhang Jiazhen]], Chinese official

== Deaths ==
* [[Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr]], first child of first [[Rashidun]] caliph, [[Abu Bakr]]
* [[Arnefrit of Friuli|Arnefrit]], [[Duchy of Friuli|duke of Friuli]] ([[Northern Italy]])
* [[Liu Xiangdao]], official of the [[Tang dynasty]] (b. [[596]])
* [[Li Yifu]], chancellor of the Tang dynasty
* [[Dou Dexuan]], official of the Tang dynasty
* [[Liu Xiangdao]], Chancellor of the Tang dynasty
* [[Linghu Defen]], official of the Tang dynasty
* [[Yŏn Kaesomun]], military dictator of [[Goguryeo]]
* [[Umm Habiba]], a wife of [[Muhammad]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:666| ]]