Piraeus

Piraeus

History of Piraeus• In 511 BC, the hill of Munichia was fortified by Hippias and four years later Pireas City

became a deme of Attica by Cleisthenes. In 493 BC, Themistocles initiated the fortification works in Piraeus and later advised the Athenians to take advantage of its natural harbours’ strategical potential instead of using the sandy bay of Phaleron. In 483 BC, the mighty Athenian fleet was transferred to Piraeus and was built in its shipyards, distinguishing itself at the battle of Salamis against the Persians in 480 BC. Since then Pireas City was permanently used as the navy base for the developed and powerful fleet of Athens. After the second Persian invasion of Greece, Themistocles fortified the three harbours of Pireas City and created the neosoikoi (ship houses); the Themistoclean Walls were completed in 471 BC, turning Pireas City into a great military and commercial harbour. The city’s fortification was farther reinforced later by the construction of the Long Walls under Cimon and Pericles, with which Pireas City was connected to Athens. Meanwhile, Pireas was rebuilt to the famous grid plan of architect Hippodamus of Miletus, called Hippodamian plan, thus the main agora of the city was named after him as an honour. As a result, Pireas City flourished and became a port of high security with a great commercial activity and a city throbbing with life.

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Piraeus destroyed

• During the Peloponnesian War, Piraeus suffered the first breakdown. In the second year of the war the first cases of the Athens plague were recorded in Pireas City. In 404 BC, the Spartan fleet under Lysander blockaded Piraeus and subsequently Athens surrenderred to the Spartans who put an end to the Delian League and the war itself. Pireas City would follow the fate of Athens and was to bear the brunt of the Spartan rage, as the city’s walls and the Long Walls were torn down, the Athenian fleet surrendered to the winners and some of the triremes were burnt,

Plan of Piraeus

The route to and from Athens

What was at Piraeus during the 5th C?

Warehouses (containing goods for export & imports)

Deigma (exhibition area for goods)Makra stoa (grain exchange) and banksHotels (accommodation, bars and meals)BrothelsNumerous shops and houses

Benefits for Athens

Centre of trade for the Eastern Mediterranean meant constant contact with overseas poleis

Profits from trade creating employment.Wide variety of goods enhancing social and

living conditionsWide export markets for Athenian goods and

products (wine, pottery, olive oil.)Shipyards created permanent employment

Centre of Aegean trade

Athenian navy

Permanent port for ship building, repair and crew training

Base for naval protection of trading ships against piracy

Employment opportunities for crews, shipbuilders, labourers.

Permanent navy enabled instant response to problems in allied poleis.