During antiquity, Patras remained a farming region but in Classical times it became an important port. In 419 BC the town was, on the advice of Alcibiades, connected with its harbour by long walls in imitation of those at Athens.
The passage describes how Patras transitioned from a primarily agricultural town to a major port during the Classical period, with Alcibiades' strategic decision to build long walls connecting the town to its harbor.