Pnyx

The Pnyx is a hill in central Athens. Beginning as early as 507 BC, the Athenians gathered on the Pnyx to host their popular assemblies, thus making the hill one of the earliest and most important sites in the creation of democracy.

Pnyx is a small, rocky hill surrounded by parkland, with a large flat platform of eroded stone set into its side, and by steps carved on its slope. It was the meeting place of one of the world's earliest known democratic legislatures, the Athenian ekklesia (assembly), and the flat stone platform was the bema, the 'stepping stone' or speakers' platform. As such, the Pnyx is the material embodiment of the principle of isēgoría, 'equal speech', i.e. the equal right of every citizen to debate matters of policy.

Today the site of the Pnyx is under the control of the Ephorate of Prehistorical and Classical Antiquities of the Greek Ministry of Culture. The surrounding parkland is fenced, but the traveler can visit it free of charge at any time.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Dimitriou Eginitou 14, Athens, Greece

Details

Founded: 570 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Greece