Piraeus - Long Walls Linked Athens to Piraeus

Definition: Piraeus was the port city of Athens. The Long Walls linking Athens to the port of Piraeus were begun during the time of Themistocles, after his victory at Salamis, in the mid-fifth century B.C. The Long Walls were completed under Pericles. The two walls were 1 stade (160 meters) apart, 6000 meters long, and 20 meters high. There were three harbors at the port of Piraeus, for grain ships, merchant ships, and warships. Through the two well fortified Long Walls, from Piraeus to Athens, Athens was connected to the sea and could receive supplies during the Peloponnesian War. After the Athenians surrendered to the Spartans in 404 B.C., the Long Walls were destroyed. Conon rebuilt them in 393. They were destroyed again by the Roman general Sulla, in 86 B.C.