The Pnyx was the official meeting place of the Athenian democratic assembly (ekklesia). In the earliest days of Athenian democracy (after the reforms of Kleisthenes in 508 B.C.), the ekklesia met in the Agora. Sometime in the early 5th century, the meeting place was moved to a hill south and west of the Acropolis. This new meeting place came to be called "Pnyx" (from the Greek word meaning "tightly packed together". Three phases can be distinguished:
Pnyx I: Probably constructed in the early 5th century. The people apparently sat on the hillside facing a speaker's platform on the north. The seating capacity may have been anywhere from 6000 to 13,000 people. This phase is represented archaeologically only by a few cuttings in the bedrock and a boundary stone (not found in situ), so that it is impossible to determine the date and size with any precision.
Pnyx II: Probably late 5th century B.C. In this phase the orientation of the auditorum was apparently reversed (a recontruction that is based more upon ancient literary sources than from the actual archaeological record). A stepped terrace wall was created on the north to support an artificial terrace, and the people sat facing a speaker's platform on the south. Part of the stepped terrace wall is preserved, as well as a staircase with rock-cut steps leading up to it from the direction of the Agora. The size of the auditorium (as it is restored by the excavators) is not that much larger than Pnyx I.
Pnyx III: The Pnyx was rebuilt and expanded in the 3rd quarter of the 4th century B.C., probably around 345-335 B.C. A massive, curved, retaining wall was built (or at least begun) on the north. The southern side of the auditorium and speaker's platform (bema) were quarried out of the natural bedrock. (Traces of the quarrying process can still be seen at the eastern side of the great rock-cut scarp). On a terrace above (south of) the speaker's platform, the foundations were begun for 2 long stoas (but these seem never to have been finished). It is unknown for how many years Pnyx III was used as the meeting place of the ekklesia, and certainly by the 1st century B.C. the the assembly held their meetings in the Theater of Dionysos on the South Slope of the Acropolis.
Finally, in the Roman period, part of the Pnyx was used as a sanctuary of Zeus Hypsistos. Evidence for the sanctuary consist of c. 50 niches for votive plaques cut into the bedrock scarp east of the speaker's platform. Many of the votive plaques are carved with representations of human body parts (eyes, breasts, etc.), suggesting that this Zeus Hypsistos was a healing divinity.
The Pnyx, as seen from the Acropolis. The Pnyx was the meeting place of the Athenian democratic assembly (Ekklesia). In the earliest phase (called Pnyx I, probably the early 5th century B.C.), people sat on the natural slope of the hill, facing a speaker's platform (Bema) on the north (to the right in this photo). In the next phase (Pnyx II, probably 403 B.C.), the positions of the speaker and the people were reversed: a retaining wall in the north was built to support an artificial embankment sloping down to the south. The speaker's platform was moved to the south, and the people sat with their backs to the north (and the Agora and their homes). In the third phase (Pnyx III, probably in the 330's B.C.), the area was made even bigger. A truly massive retaining wall was built on the north, and the bedrock of the hillside of was cut back on the south to create a speaker's platform and two vertical scarps. Most of what we see today is from Pnyx III. View from the east.
The Pnyx, as seen from the Areopagos. The Pnyx was the meeting place of the Athenian democratic assembly. In this photo you can clearly make out the vertical rock-cut scarps sloping down to the speaker's platform in the center. At the far right, you can also see part of the massive retaining wall of Pnyx III. This retaining wall must have been much higher in antiquity in order to support the earthen fill of the auditorium area. We do not know if the wall was only as high as the speaker's platform (creating a level seating area) or if it was higher (creating a sloping, theater-like area). View from the northeast.The Pnyx. The speaker's platform (Bema) and rock-cut scarp of Pnyx III are at the right side of the photo. The word "Pnyx" means "tightly packed" or "crowded", so we have to imagine several thousand Athenian male (only) citizens crowded together to listen, debate, and vote. The chairs are modern. View from the west.The Pnyx. Speakers platform (bema) and rock-cut scarp. View from the west.The Pnyx. Detail of the speaker's platform (Bema). Note also that there are more rock-cuttings and foundations in the area above (to the right) of the speaker's platform. A large rectangular cutting direclty above the Bema has been interpreted as belonging to an altar that was later moved to the Agora (Altar of Zeus Agoraios).The Pnyx. Detail of the speaker's plaftorm (Bema) of Pnyx III. The Bema was carved right out of the bedrock. View from the northwest.The Pnyx. Detail of the speaker's platform (Bema) of Pnyx III. Cuttings for marble stelai.The Pnyx. View from the speaker's plaftorm (Bema) of Pnyx III. This photo is 1 of 5 in a panorama moving from west to east (left to right).The Pnyx. View from the speaker's plaftorm (Bema) of Pnyx III. This photo is 2 of 5 in a panorama moving from west to east (left to right).The Pnyx. View from the speaker's plaftorm (Bema) of Pnyx III. The red tile roof of the Stoa of Attalos in the Agora is visible near the center of the photo. The Areopagus is just coming into view at the far right. This photo is 3 of 5 in a panorama moving from west to east (left to right).The Pnyx. View from the speaker's plaftorm (Bema) of Pnyx III. The red tile roof of the Stoa of Attalos in the Agora is visible at the left side of the photo. In the center is the Areopagus, and then the Acropolis at right. In the far distance are (from left to right): Mt. Penteli, Mt. Lykabettos, and Mt.Hymettos. This photo is 4 of 5 in a panorama moving from west to east (left to right).The Pnyx. View from the speaker's plaftorm (Bema) of Pnyx III. This photo is 5 of 5 in a panorama moving from west to east (left to right).The Pnyx. View of the rock-cut scarp and speaker's platform (Bema) of Pnyx III from the north).The Pnyx. The stepped retaining wall of Pnyx II (late 5th century B.C.) is visible near the bottom of the photo. Photo taken March 26, 2000.The Pnyx. The stepped retaining wall of Pnyx II (late 5th century B.C.). At the far right side of the photo is one of the huge limestone blocks used on the retaining wall of Pnyx III (4th century B.C.). View from the east. Photo taken March 26, 2000.
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