Munichia

Munychia (Greek Μουνιχία; alternative spellings Munichia or Mounychia ) is the ancient name of the 86.5 m high hill on the Piraeus peninsula in Greece. The modern term for this survey is Kastella.

The Munychia rises up directly at the entrance of Piraeus peninsula and falls northwest to Piraeus Bay, southwest of Zea Bay and to the southeast to the Bay of Phalerum from. On the hill is a sanctuary of Bendis and v. from the 5th century BC was been here every year for 16 Munichion (April / May), a festival in honor of Artemis organized to commemorate the victory at Salamis, the most important to the cultic festivals Athens counted. On the western slope of the hill there was also a theater, which was dedicated to Dionysus.

The tyrant Hippias led in 411/ 0 BC the expansion of Munychia to a military facility that housed a permanent garrison which the voltage applied to the peninsula ports kantharos (the great port of Piraeus ), Zea (now Pasalimani ) and Munychia (now Tourkolimano ) guarded. For Athens this hill had since been of great strategic importance, guaranteed control of him but at the same time control of the Piraeus ports on which justified the sea-power of the city. With the Long Walls, he resigned himself to the defense concept Athens one to control and defend its main harbor. At the foot of the hill was in 404 BC, the democratic opposition Athens decisive victory over the thirty tyrants of it.

A foreign occupation of Munychia amounted to a restriction of political sovereignty of Athens, since one could stop him from the power of the city. After the defeat in the war Lamian 322 BC Athens had the Munychia to a Macedonian garrison troops: passed, which could be BC sold again after a siege by Demetrius Poliorketes 307 ( Menyllos commanders, Nicanor, Dionysios ). During the tyranny of Lachares ( 300-294 BC), the democratic opposition had on the Munychia their base. After Demetrios Poliorketes was drafted 294 BC a second time in Athens, the People's Assembly willingly gave him control of the hill. Just as the long walls and the fortress on the Munychia after the siege of Piraeus was probably 86 BC Sulla looped through.

There is also evidence, however, a settlement since pre- Greek period. This is especially evident in the caves of Aretousa and Serangeion that are commonly associated with the culture of Minyae.