Roads and houses of Ancient Piraeus- Leosthenous Street
Roads and houses, a part of the residential fabric of ancient Piraeus.
Modern and Contemporary era (1821 - )
1981 Excavation began.
2001 Completed.
Ottoman era (1453- 1821)
Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)
Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)
Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)
Classical era (478-323 BC)
Archaic era (800-479 BC)
Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)
Prehistory (-1100 BC)
What I can see
Initially, it was estimated that this small archaeological site of 1800 square metres, was the Roman market of Piraeus, i.e. houses with stores. There were various historical layers however, starting from the classical years and the Hippodamian city and reaching up to the early-Byzantine, as evidenced by workshops of the 6th century AD. Aqueducts, cisterns under a courtyard, roads, a four-columned atrium, stores, workshops and 4 houses of the classical period were discovered, which merged during the Roman years and formed 2 houses, one of which later became multi-storey. In other words, today we mainly see the Roman phase of the site. Unfortunately, the site is not always accessible and its maintenance is usually poor.
What I can't see
The antiquities were discovered when construction works began for a new courthouse. Among them were many objects, such as inscriptions, a statuette of Cybele, a hermaic stele, weights and measures and many market inspector’s and trade objects. This area was the heart of the Hippodamian city of ancient Piraeus. It was named after the pioneering urban planner and architect Hippodamus of Miletus, who designed it in the 5th century BC.
Bibliography
Unsigned, (2020), Αόρατα αρχαία στον Πειραιά, [Invisible antiquities in Piraeus], in Kathimerini
https://www.kathimerini.gr/culture/561132586/aorata-archaia-ston-peiraia/
Last visit 9/9/2023
Krassonikolakis D., (2013), Ρωμαϊκό τετράγωνο Πειραιά, αρχαιολογικό πάρκο, [Roman square of Piraeus, archaeological park]
https://dimitriskrasonikolakis.blogspot.com/2013/07/blog-post_18.html
Last visit 9/9/2023
Mpelavilas N., (2021), Ιστορία της πόλης του Πειραιά, 19ος και 20ος αιώνας, [The History of the City of Piraeus, 19th and 20th centuries], Alexandria Publication
MLP, (2014), Ρωμαϊκό οικιστικό τετράγωνο Πειραιά, [Roman residence square of Piraeus], in
https://mlp-blo-g-spot.blogspot.com/2014/08/RwmaikoTetragwno.html
Last visit 9/9/2023