Located in western
Attica, the southern
peninsula of
Greece that holds the capital city of
Athens. The second largest city in Greece, though sometimes considered more a suburb of Athens.
The port of Piraeus was created in the 5th century B.C. by
Themistocles, one of the most famous maritime planners in history. Themistocles believed that the future of Athens was in the sea, and developed of a secure
harbor for Athens' commerce and an expanding navy. First the wall of Piraeus was built (493 to 479 B.C.), then later fortified by
Pericles with the Makra Teiche (the Long Walls), which protected both sides of the road all the way from the port to Athens.
Today Piraeus is the major port of
Greece and one of the largest in the Mediterranean.