The Agora and the Birth of Democracy
At a glance
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Duration: approximately 2 hours.
Walking tour, with a private guide.
The itinerary includes:
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A tour of the Ancient Agora - the political, economic, and social heart of ancient Athens - and its museum.
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Optional G&I twist: A picnic by the open-air archaeological site of Pnyx, the place where the legendary Democratic Assembly convened (+ 1 hour).
Ideal for:
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Travellers who want to discover more about the birth of democracy – the very foundation of the Western Civilization – and walk at the very place where it was born and practiced.
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Travellers who want to immerse themselves in history by strolling through open-air, non-crowded sights.
In depth
Learning about the history of Athens for the first time, it can strike you as quite peculiar, how this modest-sized city-state in a corner of the Mediterranean Sea, got to become the epicenter of the whole learned world - a place where philosophical discussions were flowing profusely, sciences were making breakthroughs, and craftsmanship, art, and architecture were constantly pushing the limits of greatness and beauty.
While there is no simple answer to the question, there is one Athenian invention that played a vital role to the above development, and that is none other than democracy. With this tour, we want to unmask for you the story of the invention of the Athenian democracy, and philosophize on the impact that it had on world, both ancient and modern. And what better backdrop for such a discussion, than the Ancient Agora, the heart of ancient Athens. Not only was it the social, economic, and shopping hub of the city – the place where Socrates, Plato and many more legendary figures would spend most of their day – but also the area where all the democratic institutions - from the parliament to the public courthouse - were situated.
Optionally, we can continue our walk to the Pnyx, the legendary place where the Democratic Assembly convened, for a picnic and discussion with a view.