585 BC facts for kids

The year 585 BC was a long time ago, more than 2,500 years before today! It was a time when ancient civilizations were growing and new ideas were starting to shape the world. In this year, an important king began his rule in China, and two very famous thinkers were born in ancient Greece.

Events

A New King in China

In 585 BC, King Jian became the new ruler of the Zhou Dynasty in China. The Zhou Dynasty was a very long-lasting period in Chinese history. It began around 1046 BC and lasted until 256 BC.

During this time, China was not one single country like it is today. Instead, it was made up of many smaller states that were often led by powerful families. The Zhou kings were seen as the most important leaders, even if their direct power changed over time. King Jian's rule was part of the later period of the Zhou Dynasty, when the kings had less direct control over all the different states. However, they still played a key role in the culture and traditions of ancient China.

Important Births

Famous Thinkers Are Born

The year 585 BC was also special because two very important thinkers were born in ancient Greece. These people would later become famous for their ideas about the world and numbers.

Anaximenes of Miletus

One of these thinkers was Anaximenes of Miletus. He was a Greek philosopher, which means he was someone who loved to think deeply about life, knowledge, and the universe. Anaximenes lived in a city called Miletus, which was a busy trading port. He believed that everything in the world was made from one basic thing: air. He thought that air could become different things, like fire, water, or earth, just by getting thinner or thicker. His ideas were an important step in how people tried to understand the natural world.

Pythagoras the Mathematician

Another famous person born in 585 BC was Pythagoras. He was also a Greek philosopher, but he is most famous for being a brilliant mathematician. Pythagoras is known for his ideas about numbers and how they relate to everything around us, including music and the shapes we see.

He founded a special group of followers who studied mathematics, music, and philosophy together. One of his most famous discoveries is the Pythagorean theorem, which is a rule about the sides of a right-angled triangle. Even today, students around the world learn about Pythagoras and his amazing contributions to math!