608

This article is about the year 608. For other uses, see 608 (disambiguation).

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	6th century 7th century 8th century
Decades:	580s 590s 600s 610s 620s
Years:	605 606 607 608 609 610 611

608 in various calendars

Gregorian calendar	608 DCVIII
Ab urbe condita	1361
Armenian calendar	57 ԹՎ ԾԷ
Assyrian calendar	5358
Balinese saka calendar	529–530
Bengali calendar	15
Berber calendar	1558
Buddhist calendar	1152
Burmese calendar	−30
Byzantine calendar	6116–6117
Chinese calendar	丁卯年 (Fire Rabbit) 3305 or 3098     — to — 戊辰年 (Earth Dragon) 3306 or 3099
Coptic calendar	324–325
Discordian calendar	1774
Ethiopian calendar	600–601
Hebrew calendar	4368–4369
Hindu calendars
- Vikram Samvat	664–665
- Shaka Samvat	529–530
- Kali Yuga	3708–3709
Holocene calendar	10608
Iranian calendar	14 BP – 13 BP
Islamic calendar	14 BH – 13 BH
Japanese calendar	N/A
Javanese calendar	497–498
Julian calendar	608 DCVIII
Korean calendar	2941
Minguo calendar	1304 before ROC 民前1304年
Nanakshahi calendar	−860
Seleucid era	919/920 AG
Thai solar calendar	1150–1151
Tibetan calendar	阴火兔年 (female Fire-Rabbit) 734 or 353 or −419     — to — 阳土龙年 (male Earth-Dragon) 735 or 354 or −418

The Column of Phocas (Rome)

Year 608 (DCVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 608 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

By place

Byzantine Empire

• Heraclius the Elder, exarch of Africa, and his son (also named Heraclius) revolt against emperor Phocas, whose regime in Constantinople has become unpopular and violent.
• Heraclius proclaims himself and his son as consuls, claiming the imperial title—and mint coins with the two wearing the consular robes. Syria and Palaestina Prima revolt.
• Byzantine–Persian War: King Khosrau II invades Armenia and raids deep into Anatolia through the Byzantine provinces of Cappadocia, Phrygia, Galatia, and Bithynia.

Europe

• August 1 – The Column of Phocas at Rome is dedicated in honour of Phocas. The Corinthian column has a height of 13.6 m (44 ft).

Britain

• Eochaid Buide succeeds his father Áedán mac Gabráin as king of Dál Riata (modern Scotland).

Asia

Sui Dynasty Emperor Yang of Sui expressed the desire to control routes to the West, leading to two and a half centuries of Chinese military and trading activities in Central Asia.

By topic

Religion

• September 25 – Pope Boniface IV succeeds Boniface III as the 67th pope of Rome.
• The observance of Halloween in the Roman Catholic Church is first recorded.
• Georgian Orthodox Church returns to Chalcedonism (approximate date).

Births

• Charibert II, king of Aquitaine (approximate date)
• Philibert of Jumièges, Frankish abbot (approximate date)

Deaths

• Áedán mac Gabráin, king of Dál Riata (Scotland)