The area is named after Plato's Academy, which he founded in the area in 387 BC and which continued to operate until it was destroyed by the Roman dictator Sulla in 86 BC.[1] Excavations of Ancient artefacts began in 1929 and continue to the present day, under the auspices of the third General Directorate of Antiquities.
The area saw housing developments in the early part of the 20th century when Athens began to grow. An industrial zone was also laid out during this time. The area was mostly urbanised during the period after World War II and the civil war.