Ancient harbor

Today, there are obvious identified traces in one of the five ancient, port structures. In the southwestern ancient port of the city of Abdera, the eastern breakwater is mainly preserved. The breakwater automatically protects the port, from the very annoying, even today north - eastern wind, "Mesi", as it was called by the ancient Greek sailors.

The ancient breakwater, built by large, granite boulders, is currently on the eastern side of the modern port and protects sufficiently the harbor from the strong winds of the area. On its edge, even today, you can see in the center of the modern port and submerged in water, the round base, which supported the ancient lamp (beacon). View of the ancient breakwater, as seen by the Byzantine Polystylon.

Throughout the period of Antiquity, the port facilities of Abdera were the most dynamic and with greater commercial traffic among the ports of the Aegean Thrace. Built in a strategic position, between Thassos and Samothrace, they had supervision of maritime, trade routes in the region and led very soon the city of Abdera in great economic boom. The port facilities of Avdira were so robust and strong, as reported by ancient sources, that during the first Persian invasion of Greece in 512 BC, Darius, forced his general Megabazos to transfer all the ships of Thasos and trap them in the port of Abdera.