I am not sure about it. There were towns here in Northern Europe that were immense during the Middle Ages. Like Cologne which seems to have had some 50.000 people and the cities of Andalusian Spain. Granada seems to have had over 100.000 during the Middle Ages. Amsterdam had 200.000 during the early 18th century.
View from the top,with Patras on the lower left side from the mountain Panachaikon.
Pontikonisi and Vlacheraina monastery seen from the hilltops of Kanoni (on Corfu).
A marching band from Austria, a frequent visitor, through the Corfu landmark of Liston (it). In the background the western arch of Palaia Anaktora.
The plains of Marathon today. On this very place in the year 490 BC an allied army of Athenians and Plataeaens defeated the Persians.
Syntagma with parliament building, Athens.
The Pnyx with the carved steps of the speaker's platform in the centre.
The 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 the world's first democratic legislature, 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 isēgoria (Greek: ἰσηγορία), "equal speech", i.e. the equal right of every citizen to debate matters of policy. The other two principles of democracy were isonomia (Greek: ἰσονομία), equality under the law, and isopoliteia (Greek: ἰσοπολιτεία), equality of vote and equal opportunity to assume political office. The right of isēgoria was expressed by the presiding officer of the Pnyx assembly, who formally opened each debate with the open invitation "Tis agoreyein bouletai?" (Greek: "Τίς ἀγορεύειν βούλεται;", "Who wishes to speak?").
The Pnyx was used for popular assemblies in Athens as early as 507 BC, when the reforms of Cleisthenes transferred political power to the citizenry. It was then outside the city proper, but close enough to be convenient. It looks down on the ancient Agora, which was the commercial and social centre of the city
Bookmarks