New discoveries in the Piraeus

Abstract

Numerous archaeological finds have come to light in the Piraeus in the last 15 years. These finds enrich our knowledge of the deme's city planning, domestic architecture, water system, quarries, ports and walls in the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods.Since Klaus-Valtin von Eickstedt's (1991) seminal study on the Hippodamian development of the Piraeus, which was based on excavation data for houses and roads, more evidence has become available. Numerous new domestic complexes have been excavated on the Akte (ID1718, ID4907, ID4908, ID4909, ID4935, ID4981, ID4982, ID4983, ID4984, ID4985; ADelt 56-59 [2001-2004] B1: 441-42) and on the rest of the peninsula (ID4877, ID4910, ID4914, ID4915, ID4932). New roads and sections of roads already included in Höpfner and Schwandner 1994 (fig. 14) have been revealed in several areas (ID1718, ID2438, ID4907, ID4908, ID4909, ID4921, ID4935, ID4937; ADelt 56-59 [2001-2004] B1: 442). Amongst these is the road that ran between the Long Stoa and the walls of the Piraeus (ID4937). Additionally, a horos stone, marking the limits of the Emporion and its adjacent road, was found in Akte Miaouli. The inscription had been built into the wall of a small rubble structure; the date of the structure has not been identified, but it is thought to postdate the Classical period (ID4935).