Silla

Quick Facts: Who was Silla?

Subject:

Silla

Known for:

A powerful Korean kingdom that spanned from 57 BCE to 935 CE, forming one of the Three Kingdoms.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Silla (Korean: 신라; Hanja: 新羅; Old Korean: 徐羅伐, Yale: Syerapel) was a Korean kingdom that existed between 57 BCE and 935 CE and was located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Paekche and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Silla had the lowest population of the three, approximately 850,000 people (170,000 households), significantly smaller than those of Paekche (3,800,000 people) and Goguryeo (3,500,000 people) and was considered less developed and weaker compared to both Goguryeo and Paekche. Silla was one of the longest-lasting countries in Korean history. Its foundation can be traced back to the semi-mythological figure of Hyeokgeose of Silla (Old Korean: *pulkunae lit.

Career & Major Achievements

'light of the world'), of the Park clan. The country was first ruled intermittently by the Miryang Park clan for 232 years and the Wolseong Seok clan for 172 years and beginning with the reign of Michu Isageum the Gyeongju Kim clan for 586 years. Park, Seok and Kim have no contemporary attestations and went by the Old Korean names of Geoseogan (居西干, 1st century BCE), Chachaung (次次雄, 1st century CE), Isageum (泥師今, Old Korean: *nisokum) and Maripkan (麻立干, 5th–6th century) instead. It began as a chiefdom in the Jinhan confederacy, part of the Samhan, and after consolidating its power in the immediate area, conquered the Kaya confederacy. Eventually allying with Sui China and then Tang China, it conquered the other two kingdoms, Paekche in 660 and Goguryeo in 668.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Thereafter, Unified Silla occupied most of the Korean Peninsula, while the northern part re-emerged as Parhae, a successor-state of Goguryeo. Unified Silla was a prosperous country, and its metropolitan capital of Seorabeol (present-day Gyeongju) was the fourth-largest city in the world at the time. After nearly 1,000 years of rule, Silla fragmented into the brief Later Three Kingdoms of Silla, Later Paekche, and Taebong, handing over power to Goryeo in 935. Until the official adoption of Hanja names for its administration, Silla was recorded using the Hundok reading of Hanja to phonetically approximate its native Korean name, including 斯盧 (사로; Saro), 斯羅 (사라; Sara), 徐那 (伐) (서나[벌]; Seona[beol]), 徐耶 (伐) (서야[벌]; Seoya[beol]), 徐羅 (伐) (서라[벌]; Seora[beol]), and 徐伐 (서벌; Seobeol). In 504, Jijeung of Silla standardized the characters into 新羅 (신라), which in Modern Korean is pronounced Silla.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Silla

True or False: “The capital city of Silla was always known by its modern name, Seoul, throughout its entire history.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The capital's name evolved; it was once called Seorabeol and later changed to Syeobeul before becoming the basis for modern Seoul.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Silvana Armenulić — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Iconic Yugoslav singer, celebrated as the "Queen of Sevdalinka"
• Silvana Mangano — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Iconic Italian actress, celebrated for her neorealist roots and enduring star power.
• Silvia Neid — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Highly decorated German football player and successful national team coach.
• Silvio Berlusconi — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Italian media tycoon and politician who served as Prime Minister multiple times.
• Silvio Santos — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Brazilian media mogul, founder of SBT, and iconic television personality.
• Siméon Denis Poisson — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Pioneering French mathematician and physicist known for differential equations.

Frequently Asked Questions about Silla