Siphae, Archaeological port site in Alyki, Greece
Siphae is an ancient harbor city on the coast of the Gulf of Corinth in Greece, with remains that show walls, towers, and gates from around the 4th century BC. The ruins lie near the modern town of Alyki and spread across the land between the beach and higher ground.
The harbor city was founded to support the trade connections of the nearby city of Thespiai and thrived as an important port over several centuries. Archaeological finds show that people settled in the area from very early times, long before the classical structures were built.
The name Siphae comes from its ancient role as a harbor, and you can see how people lived here and worked with the sea through the remains scattered across the site. People settled in this location for centuries, which you notice when walking through the layers of different ruins.
The site sits in a coastal area where you can walk between the beach and higher ground while observing the old walls and structures. It works best to visit on a day when you have several hours to explore the different parts of the ruins.
The site is connected to the legendary Argo, the ship from Greek mythology used for the famous voyage of the Argonauts. This link is recorded in ancient texts and gives this location a place in the great myths of the ancient world.
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