Marseille is a Mediterranean port city in southeast France. It has endured surges
of trade and conquest well after it held the ancient Greek name of Massilla.1
During the 19th century, Marseille's port traffic swelled considerably following the
French conquest of North Africa and the completion of the Suez Canal. Currently, it
is France's chief port, and a cosmopolitan, multi-faith city, with immigrant communities
built from all corners of the Mediterranean.2
1. John Barzman, Marseille,The Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History.