History of the Peloponnesian War

It was in this manner that the Athenians got their wall built in so short a time, and even to-day the structure shows that it was put together in haste.[*](The remains of the walls now seen around the Peiraeus are not those of the Themistoclean walls, which were destroyed at the end of the Peloponnesian War, but of the walls built by Conon in 393. A small part of these remains, on the flat ground north of the Peiraeus toward the mainland, answers exactly to Thucydides' description--being of solid stone and over 25 feet thick--but most of the remains are of two outer faces of stone, the intermediate spaces filled in with rubble and earth. On Munychia there is no trace anywhere of a solid wall of the age of Themistocles.)

For the lower courses consist of all sorts of stones, in some cases not even hewn to fit but just as they were when the several workers brought them, and many columns from grave monuments and stones wrought for other purposes were built in. For the circuit-wall of the city was extended in every direction, and on this account they laid hands upon everything alike in their haste.

Themistocles, moreover, persuaded them also to finish the walls of the Peiraeus, a beginning of which had been made during the year in which he was archon of the Athenians; for he considered that the Peiraeus with its three natural harbours[*](The Peiraeus, here in widest sense, is the peninsula, the heart of which is the steep height of Munychia, from which it stretches into the sea like an indented leaf, forming three natural basins—the Peiraeus, Zea, Munychia.) was a fine site to develop and that to have become a nation of seamen would be a great advantage to the Athenians themselves, with a view to their acquisition of power—

indeed it was he who first dared declare that they must apply themselves to the sea—and so he immediately took the first steps in this undertaking.[*](Others render: immediately began to help them to lay the foundation of their empire.)

And following his advice they built the wall round the Peiraeus of the thickness that may still be observed; for two wagons carrying the stones could meet and pass each other. Inside, moreover, there was neither rubble nor mortar, but stones of large size hewn square were closely laid together, bound to one another on the outside with iron clamps and lead.

But the wall was completed to only about half of the height he originally intended, for what he wished was to be able to repel the assaults of the enemy by the very height and thickness of the wall, and he thought that a few men, and these the least effective, would suffice to guard it, while all the rest might man the ships.

For Themistocles devoted himself particularly to the navy, because, as it seems to me, he had observed that the approach of the King's forces was easier by sea than by land; and he thought that the Peiraeus would prove more serviceable than the upper city, and often advised the Athenians, if ever they were hard pressed on land, to go down to the Peiraeus, and resist all their opponents with their fleet.

It was in this way, then, that the Athenians got their walls built, and came to be engaged upon their other fortifications, immediately after the withdrawal of the Persians.