Pnyx

Meeting place for the Athenian citizens' assembly, the ecclesia, on a slope about 455 m/500 yd east of the Acropolis.

On the northeastern slope of the hill is a double terrace (120 m/130 yd by 65 m/70 yd), the lower part of which is supported by a huge semicircular retaining wall dating from the 4th century BC. This wall was originally much higher and carried tiers of seats or steps which sloped towards the upper terrace. From the centre of the semicircle projects a cube of rock, approached on each side by steps. This was the orator's platform. Until the late 5th century BC the Pnyx could accommodate about 6,000 people, and its capacity was almost doubled in 340 BC.