Back Lange Mauern ALS Uzun divarlar Azerbaijani Дълги стени Bulgarian Muralla llarga Catalan Lange Mauern German Μακρά Τείχη Greek Muros Largos Spanish Pitkät muurit Finnish Longs Murs French חומות ארוכות HE

Long Walls

The Piraeus and the Long Walls of Athens
Ancient Athens

Although long walls were built at several locations in ancient Greece, notably Corinth and Megara,[1] the term Long Walls (Ancient Greek: Μακρὰ Τείχη [makra tei̯kʰɛː]) generally refers to the walls that connected Athens' main city to its ports at Piraeus and Phaleron.

Built in several phases, they provided a secure connection to the sea even during times of siege. The walls were about 6 km (3.7 mi) in length.[2] They were initially constructed in the mid-5th century BC, and destroyed by the Spartans in 403 BC after Athens' defeat in the Peloponnesian War. They were rebuilt with Persian support during the Corinthian War in 395–391 BC.

The Long Walls were a key element of Athenian military strategy, since they provided the city with a constant link to the sea and thwarted sieges conducted by land alone.

  1. ^ "Long Walls, the," from The Oxford Classical Dictionary, Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth, ed.
  2. ^ Mark Cartwright (June 2, 2013). "Piraeus". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 23, 2016.

Developed by StudentB