▁Ath ens , ▁Motor way ▁ 6 , ▁passes ▁through ▁I rak le io . ▁I rak le io ▁is ▁served ▁by ▁a ▁sub way ▁station ▁( I rak lio ▁station ) ▁and ▁by ▁a ▁comm uter ▁railway ▁station ▁( I rak lio ▁railway ▁station ). ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁I rak lio ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁a ▁san ctu ary ▁of ▁Her acles ▁that ▁was ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁classical ▁anti qu ity . ▁Before ▁the ▁Greek ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁the ▁village ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁A rak li . ▁▁ ▁I rak lio ▁was ▁ref ounded ▁as ▁a ▁military ▁col ony ▁for ▁the ▁Bav arian ▁A ux ili ary ▁Corps ▁by ▁King ▁Otto . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁divide ▁between ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Bav ari ans ▁and ▁the ▁Orth odox ▁Gree ks , ▁the ▁local ▁Catholic ▁past or ▁had ▁to ▁function ▁as ▁match - maker , ▁bringing ▁in ▁a ▁boat load ▁of ▁Catholic ▁girls ▁from ▁Sy ros ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁col ony ' s ▁continued ▁existence . ▁The ▁col ony ▁never theless ▁quickly ▁assim il ated ▁into ▁Greek ▁society , ▁so ▁that ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s , ▁German ▁was ▁almost ▁no ▁longer ▁known . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁Heinrich ▁Him ml er , ▁who ▁learned ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁origin ▁of ▁many ▁I rak li otes , ▁came ▁in ▁person ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁and ▁took ▁measures ▁to ▁ensure ▁their ▁comfort ▁amid st ▁the ▁Great ▁Fam ine . ▁About ▁a ▁hundred ▁I rak li otes ▁were ▁even ▁persu aded ▁to ▁move