While the Argolic Gulf may not have the broad international name recognition of the Strait of Salamis or Corinth Canal, few other Greek waters of comparable size can claim to combine more elements of Greece’s storied history and diverse natural wealth.

It was from the shores of the Argolic that ships of the Mycenaean fleet set off on their legendary campaign against Troy, according to Homeric accounts. While the reality behind these legends remains a matter of debate, it is undisputed that here rose one of the earliest European civilizations, with the Mycenaeans dominating land and sea in the northern Peloponnese and beyond from approximately 1600–1100 BC.

Yet even before the great palaces of Mycenae and ancient Tiryns (near Nafplio) were erected, humans had already lived in the area for tens of thousands of years; stone tools found in Franchthi Cave near the settlement of Koilada on the Argolic Gulf show that it was inhabited over 40,000 years ago.

The prehistoric and ancient inhabitants of Argolis benefited from a land almost tailor-made for human habitation. A mild climate limited the privations of the winter months compared to more northern areas. Forested hills and mountains teemed with wild game; rivers and springs provided ample fresh water, while valleys and floodplains with fertile soils facilitated the development of agriculture. Meanwhile, the gulf itself would have featured an abundance of fish and marine life far greater than that seen today, with intact ecosystems that have now been severely degraded or replaced.

Yet from the Bronze Age onwards, the sea would be the source of an even more significant source of wealth, one that would play a key role in shaping the history of this corner of the Peloponnese through antiquity and the Middle Ages right up until the modern era. From the days when the Mycenaeans would set sail from the shores of ancient Tiryns in ships carrying olive oil and wine destined for locations all around the Mediterranean Basin, the Argolic Gulf’s strategic position on key Mediterranean trade routes shaped its people’s fate.