The name Marseille is thought to derive from the words for 'a protected place' but this is not at all certain.
The city was founded by Greek traders from Phocaea in the seventh century BC was originally known as Phokaia. It soon became an important trading centre, and a rival of Carthage.
It became a Roman colony, known by the name of Massilia, in 480 B.C., after which it was conquered first by the Visigoths, then by the Ostrogoths and Franks.
From the seventh to the ninth century Marseille was ruled by the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties then, in 1214, a part of the town known as the Ville Basse, became an independent republic. To guard this position it had to fight against the hegemony of the Duke of Provence, until, in 1252, it was taken by Charles of Anjou (1226-1285), who awarded it some significant municipal privileges.
In 1720 the history of Marseille took a turn for the worse when it was hit hard by the plague and lost half of its population (estimated at 80,000).
Its economic development over the centuries have depended in large part by the political events that France was involved in. In the nineteenth century, for instance, the conquest of Algiers and the opening of the Suez Canal led to increased activity of its port. As a result the ancient port of Marseille was insufficient for the intense traffic with the colonies and much increased its size - now approximately 400 hectares.
The city is now a growing industrial and commercial centre, home to a University, high school of commerce, and a school of fine arts and other important cultural institutions. It also boasts many religious and civic buildings of considerable interest resulting from the long and active history of the city.