500s BC

Centuries: 7th century BC – 6th century BC – 5th century BC

Decades: 550s BC – 540s BC – 530s BC – 520s BC – 510s BC – 500s BC – 490s BC – 480s BC – 470s BC – 460s BC – 450s BC

Events and trends

• 509 BC – Foundation of the Roman Republic
• 508 BC – Office of pontifex maximus created in Rome
• 507 BC – Cleisthenes, Greek reformer, takes power and increases democracy
• 506 BC – Battle of Bai ju: Forces of the Kingdom of Wu under Sun Tzu defeat the forces of Chu
• 505 BC – First pair of Roman consuls elected
• 502 BC – December 4: Solar eclipse darkens Egypt. (computed, no clear historical record of observation)
• 502 BC – The Latin League defeats the Etruscans under Lars Porsenna at Aricia.
• 502 BC – Naxos rebels against Persian domination sparking the Ionian Revolt.
• 501 BC – Cleisthenes reforms democracy in Athens.
• 501 BC – Naxos is attacked by the Persian Empire.
• 501 BC – In response to threats by the Sabines, Rome creates the office of dictator.
• 501 BC – Confucius is appointed governor of Chung-tu.
• 501 BC – Gadir (present-day Cádiz) is captured by Carthage. (approximate date)
• 500 BC – Bantu-speaking people migrate into south-west Uganda from the west. (approximate date)
• 500 BC – Refugees from Teos resettle Abdera.
• 500 BC – Darius I of Persia proclaims that Aramaic be the official language of the western half of his empire

Significant people

• 502 BC – Death of Anaximenes of Miletus, philosopher

See also: List of state leaders in 500 BC