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More Thucydides! The Athenians built a wall; we’re going to talk about that wall some more.
Thucydides, I.93
In this way the Athenians built walls for their city in such a short time. And the structure is still visible now, which came into being in such haste; for the foundations lie under all sorts of rocks, and not ones fitted together in any way, but each is where it happened to be carried, and many stone blocks from painted columns and engraved stones were built into the wall. And the wall encircling the city was built out further in every direction, and during this time they were hurrying to use any material the same way.
And Themistocles also convinced them to build the remainder of the wall for Piraeus--its foundation had been laid there in the year that he was archon for the Athenians--since he thought the place was beautiful, having three natural harbors, and that it would help them greatly in getting power by becoming sailors--since he first tried to tell them how they had to keep to the sea--and straightaway he was helping Athens establish its empire.
And by following his plan, they built up the thickness of the wall, which is still visible now near Peiraia; for they built up the stones by means of two wagons facing each other. And inside is no pebble or clay, but huge stones fitted together and squared off, and bound on the outside with iron and lead. The height came up to half of what he intended.
For he wished to keep away the enemy’s hostile intentions by means of its magnitude and thickness, and he thought that a garrison of a few men--even those unfit for battle--would defend it, and the rest of the men would board the ships. He was relying on the ships, knowing (as it seems to me) that the approach by sea would be easier for the king’s army* to cross than the one by land; he thought Peiraia was more useful than the higher city**, and he urgently told the Athenians many times that, if ever they were attacked by land, they should retreat to this place to make their stand with the ships.
Therefore the Athenians built their walls in this manner and rebuilt their other buildings immediately after the Persian retreat.
---
* That is, the army of Xerxes; he’s frequently referred to in passing as the βασιλεύς without specifying just which king is involved.
** Which would be Athens. I think.
Thucydides, I.93
In this way the Athenians built walls for their city in such a short time. And the structure is still visible now, which came into being in such haste; for the foundations lie under all sorts of rocks, and not ones fitted together in any way, but each is where it happened to be carried, and many stone blocks from painted columns and engraved stones were built into the wall. And the wall encircling the city was built out further in every direction, and during this time they were hurrying to use any material the same way.
And Themistocles also convinced them to build the remainder of the wall for Piraeus--its foundation had been laid there in the year that he was archon for the Athenians--since he thought the place was beautiful, having three natural harbors, and that it would help them greatly in getting power by becoming sailors--since he first tried to tell them how they had to keep to the sea--and straightaway he was helping Athens establish its empire.
And by following his plan, they built up the thickness of the wall, which is still visible now near Peiraia; for they built up the stones by means of two wagons facing each other. And inside is no pebble or clay, but huge stones fitted together and squared off, and bound on the outside with iron and lead. The height came up to half of what he intended.
For he wished to keep away the enemy’s hostile intentions by means of its magnitude and thickness, and he thought that a garrison of a few men--even those unfit for battle--would defend it, and the rest of the men would board the ships. He was relying on the ships, knowing (as it seems to me) that the approach by sea would be easier for the king’s army* to cross than the one by land; he thought Peiraia was more useful than the higher city**, and he urgently told the Athenians many times that, if ever they were attacked by land, they should retreat to this place to make their stand with the ships.
Therefore the Athenians built their walls in this manner and rebuilt their other buildings immediately after the Persian retreat.
---
* That is, the army of Xerxes; he’s frequently referred to in passing as the βασιλεύς without specifying just which king is involved.
** Which would be Athens. I think.