The year 540 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as year 214 Ab urbe condita. The denomination 540 BC 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.

540 BC —Cyrus attacks Babylonia. 540 BC— Greek city of Elea of southern Italy founded (approximate date). 540 BC—Persians conquer Lycian city of Xanthos now in southern Turkey (approximate date). c. 540 BC— Amasis Painter makes Dionysos with maenads, black-figure decoration on an amphora. It is now at Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Paris.

The naval Battle of Alalia took place between 540 BC and 535 BC off the coast of Corsica between Greeks and the allied Etruscans and Carthaginians. A Greek force of 60 Phocaean ships defeated a Punic-Etruscan fleet of 120 ships while emigrating to the western Mediterranean and the nearby colony of Alalia (now Aléria ).

540 BC—Greek city of Elea of southern Italy founded (approximate date). 540 BC—Persians conquer Lycian city of Xanthos now in southern Turkey (approximate date). c. 540 BC—Amasis Painter makes Dionysos with maenads, black-figure decoration on an amphora.

The Battle of Alalia, fought around 540 BCE, was a significant naval conflict in the western Mediterranean involving the Greeks, Etruscans, and Carthaginians. The battle took place near the coast of Alalia (modern Aleria) on the island of Corsica.

Exekias, Attic black figure amphora with Ajax and Achilles playing a game, c. 540-530 B.C.E., Archaic Period, 61.1 cm high, found in Vulci (Gregorian Etruscan Museum, Vatican)

540 BC - PERSIAN CONQUEST OF ANATOLIA In 549 BC, Cyrus the Great of Persia seized Cilicia from Babylonia. He then subjected Lydia, Caria, and all the other Greek settlements on the coast, by 546...

540 BC — Persians conquer Lycian city of Xanthos now in southern Turkey (approximate date). c. 540 BC — Amasis Painter makes Dionysos with maenads, black-figure decoration on an amphora. It is now at Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Paris. c. 540 BC — Exekias makes The suicide of Ajax, black-figure decoration on a amphora.

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540 BC—Cyrus attacks Babylonia. 540 BC—Greek city of Elea of southern Italy founded (approximate date). 540 BC—Persians conquer Lycian city of Xanthos now in southern Turkey (approximate date). c. 540 BC—Amasis Painter makes Dionysos with maenads, black-figure decoration on an amphora. It is now at Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris.