A bouleuterion ( grc-gre, βουλευτήριον, ''bouleutērion''), also translated as and was a building in

ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...

which housed the council of citizens (, ''boulē'') of a democratic

city state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...

. These representatives assembled at the bouleuterion to confer and decide about public affairs. There are several extant bouleuteria around Greece and its former colonies. It should not be confused with the

Prytaneion A ''prytaneion'' ( grc, Πρυτανεῖον, la, prytanēum) was seat of the '' prytaneis'' ( executive), and so the seat of government in ancient Greece. The term is used to describe any of a range of ancient structures where officials met (n ...

, which housed the executive council of the assembly and often served as the boule's mess hall.

Athens

The

Athenian Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...

Boule is better known as the Council of 500. Solon was credited with its formation in 594 BC as an assembly of 100 men each from Athens's four original tribes. At the adoption of the new constitution around 507 BC, this was changed to 50 men each from the 10 newly created tribes. (Each served a one-year term) The

Old Bouleuterion Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...

was built on the west side of the

Agora The agora (; grc, ἀγορά, romanized: ', meaning "market" in Modern Greek) was a central public space in ancient Greek city-states. It is the best representation of a city-state's response to accommodate the social and political order of t ...

below the

Agoraios Kolonos Agoraios Kolonos (; grc, Κολωνός Ἀγοραῖος; ell, Αγοραίος Κολωνός, meaning "the hill next to the Agora"), located to the south and adjacently situated on a hill near the Temple of Hephaestus, used to be the meetin ...

around 500 BC. It was almost square and included an oblong antechamber and a main council chamber, a large rectangular egg with wooden benches arranged in rows along the walls. The roof was supported by five columns. It is now better known as the Metroon ("House of the Mother") since it was repurposed as her temple after the construction of the New Bouleuterion. The New Bouleuterion was built west of the old building in the late 5th century BC. It was bigger and more sophisticated, with an amphitheater-like system of twelve levels of semicircular benches. Both the Old and the New Bouleuterion used the nearby Tholos.

Olympia

The

Bouleuterion of Ancient Olympia The Bouleuterion (Council House) of Ancient Olympia was a building inside the archaeological site of Olympia. A bouleuterion was an assembly house for local legislatures and other meetings. Building complex comprising two main buildings, a squar ...

was shaped like an early Greek temple, a kind of square horse-shoe. It had a tiered seating arrangement and was located near the city's

agora The agora (; grc, ἀγορά, romanized: ', meaning "market" in Modern Greek) was a central public space in ancient Greek city-states. It is the best representation of a city-state's response to accommodate the social and political order of t ...

Other bouleuteria

Other notable bouleuteria are located at: * Anemourion (

Anamur Anamur is a town and district in Mersin Province, Turkey, the westernmost district of that province, bordering on Antalya Province. Anamur contains Anatolia's southernmost point, It is a coastal resort known for its bananas and peanuts. Etymolo ...

, Turkey) *

Aphrodisias Aphrodisias (; grc, Ἀφροδισιάς, Aphrodisiás) was a small ancient Greek Hellenistic city in the historic Caria cultural region of western Anatolia, Turkey. It is located near the modern village of Geyre, about east/inland from t ...

(

Geyre Geyre is a small town in the District of Karacasu, Aydın Province, Turkey. Also known as ''Yeni koy'' (the "new village"), it was relocated around 1960, from over the ancient Greek city of Aphrodisias archeological site to a new location nearby ...

, Turkey) * Argos in Greece; * Ancient Mantineia (Gortsouli, Arkadia), Glanon ( St-Rémy, France) * Lemnos in Greece * Paestum (Italy) * Philippopolis ( Plovdiv,

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Maced ...

) - Bouleuterion of Philippopolis *

Priene Priene ( grc, Πριήνη, Priēnē; tr, Prien) was an ancient Greek city of Ionia (and member of the Ionian League) located at the base of an escarpment of Mycale, about north of what was then the course of the Maeander River (now called t ...

( Güllübahçe Turun, Turkey) *

Messene Messene (Greek: Μεσσήνη 𐀕𐀼𐀙 ''Messini''), officially Ancient Messene, is a local community within the regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') of Messenia in the region (''perifereia'') of Peloponnese. It is best known for the ...

(

Messini Messini ( el, Μεσσήνη, before 1867: Νησί ''Nisi'') is a municipal unit (''dimotiki enotita'') and the seat town (''edra'') of the municipality (''dimos'') of Messini within the regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') of Messenia in t ...

, Greece) * Termessos ( Güllük Dağı, Turkey) * Troy ( Hisarlik, Turkey)

External links

{{commonscat, Bouleuterion
Bouleuterion: Birthplace of Democracy

Bouleterion at Mantineia
Ancient Greek buildings and structures Legislative buildings Greek words and phrases

Athens

Olympia

Other bouleuteria

See also

External links