King. He founded the Persian Empire. When King Croesus attacked him, he defeated him, but magnanimously spared his life and permitted him to live in comfort. As part of his policy of religious tolerance, he also ended the Babylonian captivity of the Jews and allowed them to reestablish their religion in Jerusalem.
| fl. 550 BCE | Zoroaster |
| 570–480 BCE | Xenophanes |
| fl. 550 BCE | Lucius Tarquinius Superbus |
| fl. c. 650–c. 550 BCE | Solon |
| 556–468 BCE | Simonides of Ceos |
| 610–580 BCE | Sappho |
| fl. 550 BCE | Pythagoras |
| 650–570 BCE | Pittacus of Mytilene |
| ?–554 BCE | Phalaris |
| 630–562 BCE | Nebuchadnezzar II |
| fl. 550 BCE | Lucretia |
| fl. 550 BCE | Laozi |
| fl. 550 BCE | Kapila |
| 622–570 BCE | Ezekiel |
| 548–486 BCE | Darius I |
| ?–546 BCE | Croesus |
| 551–479 BCE | Confucius |
| 563–483 BCE | Buddha |
| 530–468 BCE | Aristides |
| 611–547 BCE | Anaximander |
| 585–525 BCE | Anaximenes |
| 570–475 BCE | Anacreon |
| fl. c. 550–c. 450 BCE | Ananda |
| fl. 550 BCE | Aesop |
