Boule

Boule
/booh"lee, booh lay"/, n.
1. the legislative assembly of modern Greece.
2. (sometimes l.c.) a state legislative, advisory, or administrative council in ancient Greece.
[1840-50; < Gk: a council, body of chosen ones]

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Deliberative council in the city-states of ancient Greece.

It existed in almost all constitutional city-states, especially from the late 6th century BC. In Athens the boule was created as an aristocratic body by Solon in 594 BC; later, under Cleisthenes, 500 members were elected to represent the 10 tribes (50 each). A certain number, in rough proportion to size, were allotted to each deme. Complementing the work of the ecclesia and areopagus, the boule controlled finances, managed the fleet and cavalry, evaluated officials, received foreign ambassadors, and advised the strategus. The boule model largely influenced the organization of councils of other cities in the Hellenic period.

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▪ ancient Greek council
Greek  Boulē,  

      deliberative council in ancient Greece. It probably derived from an advisory body of nobles, as reflected in the Homeric poems. A boule existed in virtually every constitutional city-state and is recorded from the end of the 6th century BC at Corinth, Argos, Athens, Chios, and Cyrene. It appeared during a transition to democracy when the aristocratic gerousia (q.v.) was either modified, replaced, or opposed by a new council (the boule). Thus in Athens in 594 BC Solon did not abolish the Areopagite Council but is said to have created a boule of 400 to guide the work of the assembly, or Ecclesia (q.v.; Greek ekklēsia). Cleisthenes increased the membership of the Athenian Boule to 500 in 508 BC.

      After the reforms of Cleisthenes, the Athenian Boule was elected by lot every year, except during the brief periods of oligarchic reaction in 411 and 404 BC. Each of Cleisthenes's 10 tribes was provided 50 councillors who were at least 30 years old; a certain number of councillors was allotted to each deme (rural district or village) of the tribe in rough proportion to its size. The functions of the Athenian Boule were defined by the oath for the members, introduced in 501 BC. A man chosen by lot was not obliged to serve. Since poorer citizens might be unwilling to serve, the Boule was dominated by men of property. Property qualifications did not operate, however, before 322 BC.

      The most important task of the Athenian Boule was to draft the deliberations (probouleumata) for discussion and approval in the Ecclesia. The Boule also directed finances, controlled the maintenance of the fleet and of the cavalry, judged the fitness of the magistrates-elect, received foreign ambassadors, advised the stratēgoi (see strategus) in military matters, and could be given special powers by the Ecclesia in an emergency. The Boule, even after the reforms of Ephialtes (462), never totally replaced the Areopagus (q.v.) in political importance, however.

      The Athenian system largely influenced the organization of the councils of other cities in the Hellenistic period, though other types survived or were introduced. The Boeotian League cities operated with four councils: each in turn acted as a boule, preparing the agenda for the other three, which then functioned as a primary assembly. The Delphi Boule split its 30 councillors into two groups, each directing the general conduct of affairs for six months. By the end of the 3rd century AD, with hereditary membership gradually replacing the recruitment of councillors by lot, election, or selection by magistrates, the boule had everywhere become a permanent body and gradually came to resemble the curiae of the Western Roman Empire.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • boule — 1. (bou l ) s. f. 1°   Corps rond en tous sens. Boule de bois, de cuivre, d ivoire.    Dans un langage à la fois poétique et familier, la terre. •   Jeté sur cette boule, Laid, chétif et souffrant, BÉRANG. Vocation..    Par extension. Une boule… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • Boulê — Boulè  Pour les articles homophones, voir Boulay, Boulet et Boulé. Dans les cités de la Grèce antique, la Boulè (en grec ancien Βουλή aussi transcrit Boulê) est une assemblée restreinte de citoyens chargés des affaires courantes de la cité.… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • boule — BOULE. s. fém. Corps sphérique, corps rond en tout sens, servant à divers usages, soit pour le jeu, soit pour l ornement. Boule de bois. Boule d ivoire. Une boule à jouer au mail. Une boule de mail. Une boule à jouer aux quilles. f♛/b] On dit d… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • Boulé — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Areópago desde la Acrópolis En las ciudades de Grecia Antigua la Boulé (en griego Βουλή, también trascrito por Bulé) era una asamblea restringida de ciudadanos encargados de los asuntos corrientes de la ciudad. Su… …   Wikipedia Español

  • boule — BOULE. sub. fem. Corps rond en tout sens, ou, spherique. Boule de bois. boule d yvoire. boule de verre. boule de quilles. jeu de boule. joüer à la boule. c est un bon joueur de boule. du chevrefueille, du myrthe taillé en boule. une boule de… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Boule — 〈[ bu:l] n.; od. s, s oder f. 10; unz.〉 frz. Kugelspiel (ähnlich dem Boccia) [frz., „Kugel“] * * * Boule [bu:l ], das; [s], auch: die; [frz. boule = Kugel < lat. bulla, ↑ 2Bulle]: dem Boccia ähnliches französisches Kugelspiel. * * * I Boule …   Universal-Lexikon

  • BOULE — (Gr. Βουλή), in ancient Greece, a state council; in Ereẓ Israel a city council which played an important role during and after the Second Temple period. One of the Hellenistic institutions established in cities founded by Herod and his sons, the… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Boule — (fr. Kugel) bezeichnet: ein Geschicklichkeitsspiel bzw. die offiziellen Kugelsportarten, siehe Boule Spiel eine Variante des Roulettes, siehe Boule (Glücksspiel) die Ratsversammlung in antiken griechischen Städten, siehe Bule eine Gemeinde im… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Boule — Boule, Boulework Boule work , n. Same as {Buhl}, {Buhlwork}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Boule — Bou le, n. [Gr. ?.] 1. (Gr. Antiq.) A legislative council of elders or chiefs; a senate. Note: The boule of Homeric times was an aristocratic body of princes and leaders, merely advisory to the king. The Athenian boule of Solon s time was an… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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