542
| Years: 538 539 540 541 - 542 - 543 544 545 546 | |
| Decades: 510s 520s 530s - 540s - 550s 560s 570s | |
| Centuries: 5th century - 6th century - 7th century | |
| Contents |
Events
- Ostrogoth king Totila reconquers Naples, Benevento, and other parts of Italy.
- Childebert I captures Pamplona and besieges Zaragoza.
Environmental change
- An outbreak of the plague killed upwards of 100,000 in Constantinople and perhaps two million or more in the rest of the Byzantine Empire (possibly exaggerated).