Parthenope was situated where Naples now stands, upon the splendid natural acropolis formed by the hill of Pizzofalcone, and defended on the land side by a fosse which is now the Strada di Chiaja, and a massive wall, of which remains may still be traced at the back of the existing houses.
To the colonists of Parthenope there came afterwards a considerable addition from Athens and Chalcis, and they built themselves a town which they called Neapolis, or the " new city," in contradistinction to the old settlement, which in consequence was styled Palaeopolis or the " old city."
The name of Parthenope became lost, and the city of Palaeopolis fell into gradual decadence.
Hence we find Neapolis variously styled - by Horace otiosa Neapolis, by Martial docta Parthenope, by Ovid in otia natam Parthenopen.
Parthenope, as well as Dikearchia, was formed as a new colony from Cumae, and was so called from a legendary connexion of the locality with the siren of that name, whose tomb was still shown in the time of Strabo.