date) 545 BC—Death of Zhou ling wang, King of the Zhou Dynasty of China 544 BC—Birth of Sun Tzu 543 BC—Death of Gautama Buddha (traditional in Thailand and elsewhere—basis of the Thai solar calendar) 543 BC—Death of Thales, Greek philosopher 540 BC—Amyntas I becomes king of Macedonia (approximate date) Amasis Painter, Greek painter Exekias, Greek painter References