Through a combination of "sheer luck" and meticulous digging, archaeologists have stumbled upon one of the finds of the century - a cemetery dating back to Pericles and the golden age of Athens.
The director of antiquities at the Culture Ministry, Mr Yannis Tsedakis, has described it as one of the most important such finds in the period since the second World War.
He said archaeologists have discovered parts of the Demosion Sima, a cemetery dating back to the 5th century BC, and thought to be the possible resting place of such statesmen as Pericles, Solon and Lycourgos.
The discovery comes just eight months after archaeologists unearthed the Lyceum where Aristotle taught nearly 2,500 years ago.
Pericles, who lived from 495 to 429 BC, was responsible for bringing democracy to Athens and building such monuments as the Parthenon on the Acropolis. Under his leadership, Athens reached the pinnacle of its power. The Demosion Sima is referred to in the works of Thucydides, one of the greatest of ancient writers, and mentioned in his funeral oration to Pericles.
The cemetery was discovered by chance when the owner of a planned theatre called on archaeologists to survey the site after demolishing an older structure.
In ancient times the Demosion Sima ran along a 1.5 km stretch of road, but notables such as Pericles and war heroes were buried in mass graves called polyandria, meaning many men.
Careful digging led to the discovery of at least four polyandria on the site, while a fifth is believed to be located under an adjacent building. Findings uncovered so far include bones, ashes and ceramics depicting scenes of battle.
Mr Tsedakis said "entire generations" of archaeologists had sought the site and suspected its location, but explained it was "amazing" that they chanced upon it between two buildings. The area is heavily built up.
Archaeologists in January were conducting a dig on the central Athens location of a planned museum of modern art when they discovered a large 4th century BC gymnasium that is thought to be part of Aristotle's Lyceum. Aristotle, who lived from 384 to 322 BC, studied under Plato and tutored Alexander the Great. His Lyceum, where he taught until his death, was founded by him in 335 BC.