Psyttaleia (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Psyttaleia (Greek: ) is an uninhabited island in the Saronic Gulf a few miles off the coast of Piraeus, Greece. It covers an area of 0.375 square kilometers. The island currently houses the largest sewage treatment plant in Europe, with a projected daily maximum drying capacity of 750 tons of sewage. Administratively it is part of the Municipality of Piraeus. In 480 BC, before the naval battle of Salamis, the Persians installed in the island a garrison of soldiers and noblemen. After the Greek victory, the Persian fleet retreated towards Phaliron and the guard was abandoned. Aristides, the Athenian strategos (general), landed on the island and executed all the Persians. From the Middle Ages until recently the island was called Lipsokoutali ( - lit. half-spoon) because it resembled a half-spoon when seen from the Aegaleo mountain.