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, took power and increased democracy
• 506 BC - Battle of Bai ju Forces 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 the 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