The Pnyx hill is located about 500 metres westwards of the Acropolis. Green parks surround this rocky hill, which is a quite important historical monument.
The Pnyx in Athens was used by city residents as a place of meetings where they were having discussions on political matters and items related to their city. Here the democracy was born. It was on this hill that all the city residents were proclaimed to have equal rights, which meant that they could vote and make decisions. The residents of Athens did not want to entrust such significant task to a single person, the ruler. This procedure has developed for a long period of time and eventually brought the world to the current forms of democracy.
According to the myths, the area is associated with the epic of Theseus’ struggle with the Amazons after he kidnapped their queen, Hippolyta. Since the ancient times Pnyx was an important religious place. And later the Athenian assembly, the ecclesia, was gathering on the hill.
The Pnyx is generally believed to have been founded about 2500 years ago. It has overcome 3 architectural periods. Originally, this place was a flatland with a retaining northern wall. Then a semicircular wall was erected. The way up the two stairs was leading to a special stone platform, from where the speakers could deliver their speeches to the residents of the city. At that time, there were 500 wooden seats for the Council members. In the 1st century BC, the Pnyx began to lose its popularity, as Athens was developing, and it was uncomfortable for the people to visit the hill. Later, the Athenian meetings were taking place in the Dionysus theatre.
The Pnyx can accommodate up to 20 000 people, although just 6 000 residents of Athens were enough for discussing pressing issues, according to the city's rules. Every 9 days the Assembly met to make necessary decisions.
In 1765, this place was defined as the site of the Athenian Assembly. George Hamilton-Gordon, the earl of Aberdeen, was greatly interested in classical history. So, he explored the hill in 1803 and managed to find an oratorical podium there and a number of memorial plaques dedicated to Zeus Hypsistos. There were several other investigations but only in 1910, the Greek archaeological society began to excavate the site. In the 30s of the 20 century, H. A. Thompson carried out another excavations, which helped to recreate a certain picture of various stages in the architecture and history of the hill. Remains of ancient structures were discovered: an altar and two big shelters for the case of bad weather.
It is easy to get to the Pnyx hill from anywhere in Athens. You will find it in a big park just below the National Observatory, about a kilometre westwards of the Acropolis.
