The area was farmland until the reign of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (193-211 AD). Severus constructed the port of the city, which was used until the Venetian rule and by the Venetians. The port was located in the present day area by Gounaris Street up to Trion Navarchon Street 1 km southwest of downtown. At the entrance of the port there were two towers. The depth was around 4 m and is in the today's Ipsila Alonia Square. With the destruction of the city from the Venetians, the area used the port other than the continuation in which that time it had a lot of odour and plague in the city. In 1883, it filled up the earth and drained and it extended the city.