gerousia, in ancient Sparta, council of elders, one of the two chief organs of the Spartan state, the other being the apella (assembly). The functions of both were likely delineated at the time of the reforms of Lycurgus, probably in the 7th century bc. The gerousia prepared business to be submitted to the apella and had extensive judicial powers, being the only Spartan court that could pronounce sentence of death or exile. Its members, the gerontes (“elders”), whose number was fixed at 30, including the two kings, were chosen for life by acclamation of the citizens from among candidates who had reached age 60.