<P> In the 5th century BC, there were 10 fixed assembly meetings per year, one in each of the ten state months, with other meetings called as needed . In the following century the meetings were set to forty a year, with four in each state month . One of these was now called the main meeting, kyria ekklesia . Additional meetings might still be called, especially as up until 355 BC there were still political trials that were conducted in the assembly rather than in court . The assembly meetings did not occur at fixed intervals, as they had to avoid clashing with the annual festivals that followed the lunar calendar . There was also a tendency for the four meetings to be aggregated toward the end of each state month . </P> <P> Attendance at the assembly was not always voluntary . In the 5th century public slaves forming a cordon with a red - stained rope herded citizens from the agora into the assembly meeting place (Pnyx), with a fine being imposed on those who got the red on their clothes . After the restoration of the democracy in 403 BC, pay for assembly attendance was introduced . This promoted a new enthusiasm for assembly meetings . Only the first 6000 to arrive were admitted and paid, with the red rope now used to keep latecomers at bay . </P> <P> In 594 BC Solon is said to have created a boule of 400 to guide the work of the assembly . After the reforms of Cleisthenes, the Athenian Boule was expanded to 500, and was elected by lot every year . Each of Cleisthenes's 10 tribes provided 50 councillors who were at least 30 years old . </P> <P> 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 (generals) in military matters, and could be given special powers by the Ecclesia in an emergency . </P>

Athenian reformer set up the council of 500