Pnyx is not only a consultancy firm, it is also a hill. The hill Pnyx (Greek: Πνυξ, pronounced "Pnuks" in Ancient Greek, Πνυκα "Pnika" in Modern Greek) is located one kilometer west of the Acropolis in central Athens. It was the meeting place for the world’s first known democratic legislature, the Athenian ekklesia (assembly).
The Athenian democracy is dated back to 507 BCE and the reforms of Cleisthenes. It lasted until the Macedonians put an end to the practice in 322 BCE.
In democratic Athens all male citizens over the age of 20 were expected to participate in the rule of the city-state. At least 6,000 of them needed to be present on Pnyx to vote.
A simple majority system was used. The chairperson of the Assembly was the equivalent of a modern day president. He was chosen by lottery in the morning of the meeting, and held his position for one day only. Lottery was seen as more democratic than elections. By using lottery instead of elections, problems like corruption, political fractioning and vote buying were more easily avoided. It has been estimated that more than one third of all male citizens over the age of 30 sometime during their lifetime served as president of the city-state for a day.
- Isegoria Equal speech, the equal right to participate in the debate.
- Isonomi Equality under the law.
- Isopoliteia Equality of vote and equal opportunity to assume political office.
These principles remain pillars of democracy. Thus, many great ideas can be traced back to the hill Pnyx, 2,500 years ago. (Human rights, however, is not one of them. Rights were neither considered universal, nor inalienable. Political rights were awarded male citizens only and they could be revoked, together with the citizenship. Women and slaves had no rights.)