History glossary
Council of 500
the Athenian citizen council that prepared business for the Assembly after Cleisthenes' reforms.
- Category
- Political institution
- Region
- Ancient Athens
- Date range
- from 508/507 BCE
What it means
The Council of 500 was created as part of Cleisthenes' reforms in Athens. Chosen from the new tribes, it helped organize public business, prepare matters for the Assembly, and made Athenian government more regular and broadly participatory among male citizens.
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