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