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Athens Page 3

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ATHENS : THE CITY

In B.C 500, 30 000 people (out of a total 300 000 in Attica) lived in the city of Athens. Crafstmen were in numerous and most of them were metic (foreigners). They lived together in districts according to their craft: the iron-smiths in the “Piraeus”, the potters in Ceramic, the tanners on the banks of the river Illisos… There were also many slaves. They were the property of the State or a master. The town centre was called the “Agora”, a public square, surrounded by government buildings( where the “Boulé” or the “Heliée” , the headquarters of the strategists, were situated). The Agora had also an economic part to play: the market took place there, and it served as a meeting place for casual visitors. Click here for further information.

The agora : the square

The Acropolis : the hill where the temples are situated.

The Pnyx : the hill where the Ecclesia gathers, the citizens’ assembly.
(the word “Pnyx” means “the place where people cram together”. Pericles, Demosthene, Themistocle.. pronounced  famous speeches there).

The Aeropagus : Ares’s hill where criminals were tried.
(a place , dedicated to Ares, the god of crimes and to Erinyes, the goddess of retaliation, whose shrine was used as a shelter for criminals).

The sacred way : the path that was used in the procession of Panathenaea