New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-02-02
SKETCHES OF LECTURES.
The Maritime Power Of Ancient Athens.
by Psor. hDOtFHvs xoErFES.


occuI I'D the chsir The minutes Of the previous meet,
/ ing were re.d aud approved. The Executive Commit.
;es repoltsdt the nominations referred 20 hem and the
persons were unanimously elected The Committee
srpcined to audi; tie Tr,aCrer Report reported Ast
they had examined Il and found il correct and il was
sccerted and ordered on file. Nominations for mem.
bershp were then report ard referred 70 the EXecu
/ tive Committee Prot ADoLPHUs L. koErPEN
ther introduced 70 the audience by the ChairmSn and
read a paper ION Late Archaeological Discoveries in
the Peiraus Illustrating the Naval Supremacy and 'aa
Con- uercia ard Colonial Development Of tie A'henian
Republic We give 4 careful abstract Of the paper,
which was listened to with close attention and great
satisfaction.
/ The next business the paper (or he evening
which was read BY Professor ApoIrHUs L. KoEPPEN.
II contained 4 spirited dissertation the late import
AM archaeological discoveries in the Peiraus the port
Of Athens ard was illustrated by a number Of large
msps plans and pictorial views OF Athens is cnvrons
/ tho monuments and The hsrbors
Professor Kooppen introduced his discourse with
few remarks on the Importance Of it, subects-name-
/ " the Harbors aad Naval Establishments OF the An
Gent Athenians These had the greatest Influence on
the rapid development Of the Republic, is coaques.s
and glorious dominion o. the sea Interesting d!scove
res have lately been made in perfect accordance wiki
the ancient historians, and throwing new light upon
tie whole subject From the time ofthe seventeenth
century down 10 the reign OF King Ohio sill the maps
ard plans published the harbors snd coasts were in
correct End defective nor had the site of Phaleron,
nor the ruins Of the third Phsleric long wall been
discovered
The particular advantage Of the site Of Athens con
sisted not only in the strong rock of the Acropos but
much more in the remarkable character OF tho rocky
coast forming another fortress-the Munychia-which
mainly contributed to the extensive commerce and the
great naval power of the Athenisns.
The Castle of Muny CHA, situated steep HILL now
called CastellOn five hundred feet above the level of
the sea, commanded the three locked harbors-the
Peireus Zea and Munychia-spread cut beautifully at
it, base The largest OF the three Is the reirwus durin
the middle ages called Diskos or Porto Leone, which
is nearly three miles in circumference, ami OF depth
sufficient for men otwor of the first class, South of the
Pcna us and divided from il by low sihmu-, lies the
Zee which was tn principal gaeyport Of the Ancient
Atheniaus ana sui presents immense excavations IN the
coast and ruins Of square blocks inde ain the nsr'e
or shin houses of the gl@y- Fast ot the I'a, nmeii
atey beneath the irOwn'ng rocks OF the castle OF Muny
cha lies the third smaller BASIN called from T. circular
form, The Lantern. the ancient port of Nunychia Az
it, mouth the ruins OF the temple o DIANA the
refuge the eVilcd Athenans, from which they depart
dinto Punishment
The most ancient open hasb0r the Aheuiau, in the
early tes during toe reign of the kings ard long be-
the Persian war; Phalcron. situated according
20 Strato and PaUsaniCs on the southern promOnt0ry
the great Phalerc bay The city Of Athens was attha
time built on the south snd OF the Acropols, AMI
had by the Phalerc road easy cOulmuuica cation with
the emporium at Phslcron. From this open portdepsr
ed tie early expeditions u Creta aud ASIA Minor but II
snevcr aterward mentioned NJ having belonged 20 the
orhed galley harborr during tie bright period 0i Athe
uiGn history Il the great rhemstoces Who, In the
interval beiweed the rt sud second Persian war, sug
gCsted The dcR 90 the AhenRns OF augnnng tue navy
and forty ing the three natural ports 81 the Muuychan
peninsula divided from Athens by an extensive swamp
called the llspedOn salt PLAIN. The gigantic iortui-
cations OF the ports md the first attCp. O uniting IN IN
to the city by oug walls made Immediately ate
the def at the PeIsana at Plaea, about the year Az
b C. The Ahenana having not yetahandOned their Old
port OF Phaleron snd lei ring the landing OF the enemy
In the open bay constructed one wall forty sandia In
length 10 the PcTBus and another hve sandia shorter
10 phaeron Cumon, the son ot Mlltades finished this
expensive undertaking before his expedition 70 Cyprus
nli9 f. &. third or MIDDLE wall running parallel win
the Poiraic wall was aerwsrd added by Perices, who
thus completed the extensive tortrcaOns oiAthens AMI
ia land locked harbors, embracing circumference OF
thirty English miles, at the beginning of the PelopOnnes
ian war. At it, unhappy termination In i0i all the tor
hcatiOns the harbOrs and long ais were demolsh
ed But parallel walls called martrG sk>ls were
aiierward rebuilt by Conon who perhaps may have
ployed the stones Of the southern Phalerc wall
which restored. because Phalcron hal ceased
I 70 be used a. port
/ Many interesting traces of the parallel walls still
ste the ani al Of King Ohio but unhsppy the regal
engineers employed the enormous square blocks
wall running so feet south Of the Peirac wall msy
.ll be traced through the gardens and vineyards
ering the pnin and some suhstrucons Of the s older
Phaeric wall are here and there along the road
from PhalcrCn 10 the base Of the bin Museon on the
west of the AcfopOs some highly interesting inscTp
r.ons found the pavement OF the church santa
Irene al Athens in l- They belong to the Pc mol i'm
mcdiuteiy preceding the fatal battle OF Chcrsneia, III
3- h. C. and contain decree OF the Ahcnans for the
pairs OF the walls From these inscriptions appears
that they were, ia part built Of brick, and formed
4 II. . 81
breadth was twelve 70 fourteen eet their high. only
twenty ee, and they were together with the iorthca
lions C the city and the hsrhors divided into eu military
stations.
M walls of the Perous tself were much stronger
They were according to Appnn torty feet high, and
their brcsdh the north Of the Peireus Is eighteen
i,et squsre blocks The towers IRE square,
Standing older circular bases thus proving hat mo
walls Of CoBon we've built upon those II lhemisoces
SylG tie Roman eXeTte all the strength Of the X oman
sIus Ia dismsnlle the Psrrus Trace still
the north O. mine that lad been beneath tower
| which Is standing IA leaning position. The Romans
Destroyed the Pe.rtus with fire and sword IL, for
/ uesses, arsenas whsrye. and proud monuments we're
cyelcd 70 the ground and when StTAbo, eighty years
later listed that place be found nothing but ruins Nor
/ wa. II rebuilt during the middle ares This accounts
for the immense accumulation o. rusOsh broken tiles
and pottery covering the whole ancsEt site TO night
/ Of twelve or sixteen feet The city bulk IN the
time q Thems,c'e- by the cetebratc srchtecL Hippo
| 9smus, from Metrs From the large square the HIP
podamean market place, large avenue extended along
where IA l-4J a curious colunln founs with tie IN
scriptou "IEs is The street AID hmi Of the empo-
run" On beth sides OF the street the foundations OF
buidings anu pOrcoes with beautiful nOsae pavemsnns
discovered currg the late excavations. Cbtolns,
% great dep,h sometime forming large .ubeura
Chambers eCTe found dpersel ell over the hhs. They
40 doubt served i.r vine OIL gran aud other
provisions. some even contain water, end seem 10
lave communicated With No gleat ssbtenaneen srie-
Duct which from III plain Wa ed along tic walls down
o. toe PeTsus
Tie irrermot par o. zee bsna i0rnet the great
commercial port Of the repcble Five large pOrtcOe~
az stoai among eJicn The Dstema central exhibi
Ucn tal ,or The gain ard prGVsCns o. Athens sett n
rom her coonies AID tributary Gles, occupied the
rusys Gcng the Larb1r On tie scuih shore st0od The
temple ofVeru to- ApL-Odsoa, buiitby Ccuon,
arG IA hay The sCuthgeat ,he galley port Can
iharus Lear tie great Arseu 81 Fhloa where N l@i'
tire 8.erest. registers II he Atenisn teet nom tae