Samos (,
also ; el, Σάμος ) is a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
island in the eastern
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans ...
, south of
Chios
Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of masti ...
, north of
Patmos
Patmos ( el, Πάτμος, ) is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It is famous as the location where John of Patmos received the visions found in the Book of Revelation of the New Testament, and where the book was written.
One of the northernm ...
and the
Dodecanese, and off the coast of western
Turkey, from which it is separated by the -wide
Mycale Strait. It is also a separate
regional unit of the
North Aegean region.
In
ancient times
Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history co ...
, Samos was an especially rich and powerful
city-state
A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...
, particularly known for its
vineyard
A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
s and
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are ...
production. It is home to
Pythagoreion
The Pythagoreion is the archaeological site of the ancient town of Samos in Samos, Greece. It is located in the area of the modern town of Pythagoreio, from which it has got its modern name. The archaeological site contains ancient Greek and Rom ...
and the
Heraion of Samos
The Heraion of Samos was a large sanctuary to the goddess Hera, on the island of Samos, Greece, 6 km southwest of the ancient city of Samos (modern Pythagoreion). It was located in the low, marshy basin of the Imbrasos river, near where it en ...
, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
that includes the
Eupalinian aqueduct
The Tunnel of Eupalinos or Eupalinian aqueduct ( el, Ευπαλίνιον όρυγμα, translit=Efpalinion orygma) is a tunnel of length running through Mount Kastro in Samos, Greece, built in the 6th century BC to serve as an aqueduct. The tunn ...
, a marvel of ancient engineering. Samos is the birthplace of the
Greek philosopher
Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BC, marking the end of the Greek Dark Ages. Greek philosophy continued throughout the Hellenistic period and the period in which Greece and most Greek-inhabited lands were part of the Roman Empire ...
and mathematician
Pythagoras
Pythagoras of Samos ( grc, Πυθαγόρας ὁ Σάμιος, Pythagóras ho Sámios, Pythagoras the Samian, or simply ; in Ionian Greek; ) was an ancient Ionian Greek philosopher and the eponymous founder of Pythagoreanism. His politica ...
, after whom the
Pythagorean theorem
In mathematics, the Pythagorean theorem or Pythagoras' theorem is a fundamental relation in Euclidean geometry between the three sides of a right triangle. It states that the area of the square whose side is the hypotenuse (the side opposite t ...
is named, the philosophers
Melissus of Samos
Melissus of Samos (; grc, Μέλισσος ὁ Σάμιος; ) was the third and last member of the ancient school of Eleatic philosophy, whose other members included Zeno and Parmenides. Little is known about his life, except that he was the ...
and
Epicurus
Epicurus (; grc-gre, Ἐπίκουρος ; 341–270 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher and sage who founded Epicureanism, a highly influential school of philosophy. He was born on the Greek island of Samos to Athenian parents. Influence ...
, and the astronomer
Aristarchus of Samos
Aristarchus of Samos (; grc-gre, Ἀρίσταρχος ὁ Σάμιος, ''Aristarkhos ho Samios''; ) was an ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician who presented the first known heliocentric model that placed the Sun at the center of the ...
, the first known individual to propose that the
Earth revolves around the sun. Samian wine was well known in antiquity and is still produced on the island.
The island was governed by the semi-autonomous
Principality of Samos under
Ottoman suzerainty
Suzerainty () is the rights and obligations of a person, state or other polity who controls the foreign policy and relations of a tributary state, while allowing the tributary state to have internal autonomy. While the subordinate party is ca ...
from 1835 until it joined
Greece in March 1913.
Etymology
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...
derived the name from the
Phoenician word ''sama'' meaning "high".
Geography

The area of the
island
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
is ,
and it is long and wide. It is separated from
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The reg ...
by the approximately
Mycale Strait. While largely mountainous, Samos has several relatively large and fertile plains.
A great portion of the island is covered with
vineyards
A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
, from which
Muscat
Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total population of Muscat Governorate wa ...
wine is made. The most important plains other than the capital,
Vathy, in the northeast, are those of
Karlovasi
Karlovasi ( el, Καρλόβασι) is a town, a municipal unit, and a former municipality on the island of Samos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2019 local government reform it is part of the municipality West Samos, of which it is a municipal ...
, in the northwest,
Pythagoreio
Pythagoreio ( el, Πυθαγόρειο) is a town and municipal unit on the island of Samos, North Aegean, Greece. Before the 2011 local government reform, Pythagoreio was a municipality. Since 2019, it is a municipal unit of East Samos. In 2011, ...
, in the southeast, and
Marathokampos
Marathokampos ( el, Μαραθόκαμπος) is a town, municipal unit, and a former municipality on the island of Samos, North Aegean, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe ...
in the southwest. The island's population is 33,814, which makes it the 9th most populous of the Greek islands. The Samian climate is typically Mediterranean, with mild rainy winters, and warm rainless summers.
Samos's relief is dominated by two large mountains, Ampelos and
Kerkis (anc. Kerketeus). The Ampelos massif (colloquially referred to as "Karvounis") is the larger of the two and occupies the center of the island, rising to . Mt. Kerkis, though smaller in area, is the taller of the two, and its summit is the island's highest point, at . The mountains are a continuation of the
Mycale
Mycale (). also Mykale and Mykali ( grc, Μυκάλη, ''Mykálē''), called Samsun Dağı and Dilek Dağı ( Dilek Peninsula) in modern Turkey, is a mountain on the west coast of central Anatolia in Turkey, north of the mouth of the Maeander a ...
range on the Anatolian mainland.
Fauna
Samos is home to many species including the
golden jackal,
stone marten,
wild boar
The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...
,
flamingos
Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbean ...
and
monk seal.
Climate
Samos has a
Mediterranean climate (
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: ''Csa''), with mild winters and hot summers.
History
Early and Classical Antiquity

In classical antiquity, the island was a center of
Ionian culture and luxury, renowned for its Samian wines and its red pottery (called
Samian ware
Terra sigillata is a term with at least three distinct meanings: as a description of medieval medicinal earth; in archaeology, as a general term for some of the fine red Ancient Roman pottery with glossy surface Slip (ceramics), slips made in sp ...
by the Romans). Its most famous building was the
Ionic order
The Ionic order is one of the three canonic orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric and the Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan (a plainer Doric), and the rich variant of Corinthian called the composite ...
archaic Temple of goddess
Hera
In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; grc-gre, Ἥρα, Hḗrā; grc, Ἥρη, Hḗrē, label=none in Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she ...
—the
Heraion.
Concerning the earliest history of Samos, literary tradition is singularly defective. At the time of the great migrations, it received an Ionian population which traced its origin to
Epidaurus in
Argolis
Argolis or Argolida ( el, Αργολίδα , ; , in ancient Greek and Katharevousa) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese, situated in the eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula and part of the trip ...
: Samos became one of the twelve members of the
Ionian League
The Ionian League ( grc, Ἴωνες, ''Íōnes''; , ''koinón Iōnōn''; or , ''koinē sýnodos Iōnōn''; Latin: ''commune consilium''), also called the Panionic League, was a confederation formed at the end of the Meliac War in the mid-7th ce ...
. By the 7th century BC, it had become one of the leading commercial centers of Greece. This early prosperity of the Samians seems largely due to the island's position near trade routes, which facilitated the importation of textiles from inner Asia Minor, but the Samians also developed an extensive oversea commerce. They helped to open up trade with the population that lived around the Black Sea as well as with Egypt, Cyrene (Libya), Corinth, and Chalcis. Among the
colonies the Samians founded, most of them in the sixth century BCE, were
Bisanthe
Bisanthe ( grc, Βισάνθη) was a great city in ancient Thrace, on the coast of the Propontis, which had been founded by the Samians. About 400 BCE, Bisanthe belonged to the kingdom of the Thracian prince Seuthes II. At a later period its ...
,
Perinthus
Perinthus or Perinthos ( grc, ἡ Πέρινθος) was a great and flourishing town of ancient Thrace, situated on the Propontis. According to John Tzetzes, it bore at an early period the name of Mygdonia (Μυγδονία). It lay 22 miles west ...
, and
Samothrace
Samothrace (also known as Samothraki, el, Σαμοθράκη, ) is a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea. It is a municipality within the Evros regional unit of Thrace. The island is long and is in size and has a population of 2,859 (2011 ...
(northern
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans ...
),
Cydonia
Cydonia may refer to:
Music
* ''Cydonia'' (album), a 2001 album by The Orb
* "Cydonia", a track by heavy metal band Crimson Glory from '' Astronomica''
Places and jurisdictions
* Kydonia or Cydonia, an ancient city state on Crete, at modern ...
(Crete),
Nagidos
Nagidos ( grc, Νάγιδος; la, Nagidus) was an ancient city of Cilicia. In ancient times it was located between Anemurion to the west and Arsinoe to the east. Today its ruins are found on the hill named ''Paşabeleni'' at the mouth of the ...
and
Kelenderis (southern
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The reg ...
),
Dicaearchia (Italy), and
Oasis Polis (Egypt). The trade caused them to become bitter rivals with
Miletus. Samos was able to become so prominent despite the growing power of the Persian empire because of the alliance they had with the Egyptians and their powerful fleet. The Samians are also credited with having been the first Greeks to reach the Straits of Gibraltar.
The feud between
Miletus and Samos broke out into open strife during the
Lelantine War (7th century BC), with which a Samian innovation in Greek naval warfare may be connected, the use of the
trireme
A trireme( ; derived from Latin: ''trirēmis'' "with three banks of oars"; cf. Greek ''triērēs'', literally "three-rower") was an ancient vessel and a type of galley that was used by the ancient maritime civilizations of the Mediterranean S ...
. The result of this conflict was to confirm the supremacy of the Milesians in eastern waters for the time being; but in the 6th century, the insular position of Samos preserved it from those aggressions at the hands of Asiatic kings to which
Miletus was henceforth exposed. About 535 BC, when the existing oligarchy was overturned by the tyrant
Polycrates, Samos reached the height of its prosperity. Its navy not only protected it from invasion but also ruled supreme in Aegean waters. The city was beautified with public works, and its school of sculptors, metal-workers and engineers achieved high repute.
Eupalinian aqueduct

In the 6th century BC, Samos was ruled by the famous
tyrant
A tyrant (), in the modern English usage of the word, is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defend their positions by resorting to r ...
Polycrates. During his reign, two working groups under the leadership of the engineer
Eupalinos dug a tunnel through Mount Kastro to build an
aqueduct to supply the ancient capital of Samos with fresh water, as this was of the utmost defensive importance (since being underground, it was not easily detected by an enemy who could otherwise cut off the supply). Eupalinos's tunnel is particularly notable because it is the second earliest tunnel in history to be dug from both ends in a methodical manner. With a length of over , Eupalinos's subterranean aqueduct is today regarded as one of the masterpieces of ancient engineering. The aqueduct is now part of the
UNESCO World Heritage Site, the
Pythagoreion
The Pythagoreion is the archaeological site of the ancient town of Samos in Samos, Greece. It is located in the area of the modern town of Pythagoreio, from which it has got its modern name. The archaeological site contains ancient Greek and Rom ...
.
Persian Wars and Persian rule
After Polycrates's death, Samos suffered a severe blow when the Persian
Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Based in Western Asia, it was contemporarily the largest emp ...
conquered and partly depopulated the island. It had regained much of its power when in 499 BC it joined the general revolt of the
Ionian city-states against Persia; but owing to its long-standing jealousy of Miletus, it rendered indifferent service, and at the decisive battle of Lade (494 BC), part of its contingent of sixty ships was guilty of outright treachery. In 479BC, the Samians led the revolt against Persia, during the Battle of Mycale, which was part of the offensive by the Delian League (led by Cimon).
Samian War
In the
Delian League
The Delian League, founded in 478 BC, was an association of Greek city-states, numbering between 150 and 330, under the leadership of Athens, whose purpose was to continue fighting the Persian Empire after the Greek victory in the Battle of Plat ...
, Samos held a position of special privilege and remained actively loyal to Athens until 440 BC, when a dispute with
Miletus, which the Athenians had decided against them, induced them to secede. With a fleet of sixty ships, they held their own for some time against a large Athenian fleet led by
Pericles himself, but after a protracted siege, they were forced to capitulate. Samos was punished, but
Thucydides
Thucydides (; grc, , }; BC) was an Athenian historian and general. His ''History of the Peloponnesian War'' recounts the fifth-century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of " scientif ...
tells readers not as harshly as other states which rebelled against Athens. Most in the past had been forced to pay tribute, but Samos was only told to repay the damages that the rebellion had cost the Athenians: 1,300 talents, to pay back in installments of 50 talents per annum.
Peloponnesian War
During the
Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC) was an ancient Greek war fought between Athens and Sparta and their respective allies for the hegemony of the Greek world. The war remained undecided for a long time until the decisive intervention of ...
(431–404 BC), Samos took the side of
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
against
Sparta
Sparta (Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referred t ...
, providing their port to the Athenian
fleet
Fleet may refer to:
Vehicles
* Fishing fleet
*Naval fleet
* Fleet vehicles, a pool of motor vehicles
* Fleet Aircraft, the aircraft manufacturing company
Places
Canada
* Fleet, Alberta, Canada, a hamlet
England
* The Fleet Lagoon, at Chesil Be ...
. At the end of the Peloponnesian War, Samos appears as one of the most loyal dependencies of Athens, serving as a base for the naval war against the Peloponnesians and as a temporary home of the Athenian democracy during the
revolution of the Four Hundred at Athens (411 BC), and in the last stage of the war was rewarded with the Athenian franchise. This friendly attitude towards Athens was the result of a series of political revolutions, which ended in the establishment of a democracy. After the downfall of Athens, Samos was besieged by
Lysander and again placed under an oligarchy.
In 394 BC, the withdrawal of the Spartan navy induced the island to declare its independence and reestablish a democracy, but by the peace of Antalcidas (387 BC), it fell again under Persian dominion. It was recovered by the Athenians in 366 after a siege of eleven months, and received a strong body of military settlers, the
cleruchs
A cleruchy (, ''klēroukhia'') in Classical Greece, was a specialized type of colony established by Athens. The term comes from the Greek word , ''klērouchos'', literally "lot-holder".
History
Normally, Greek colonies were politically independen ...
, which proved vital in the
Social War (357-355 BC). After the
Lamian War
The Lamian War, or the Hellenic War (323–322 BC) was fought by a coalition of cities including Athens and the Aetolian League against Macedon and its ally Boeotia. The war broke out after the death of the King of Macedon, Alexander the Great, ...
(322 BC), when Athens was deprived of Samos, the vicissitudes of the island can no longer be followed.
Famous Samians of Antiquity

Perhaps the most famous persons ever connected with classical Samos were the philosopher and mathematician
Pythagoras
Pythagoras of Samos ( grc, Πυθαγόρας ὁ Σάμιος, Pythagóras ho Sámios, Pythagoras the Samian, or simply ; in Ionian Greek; ) was an ancient Ionian Greek philosopher and the eponymous founder of Pythagoreanism. His politica ...
and the fabulist
Aesop
Aesop ( or ; , ; c. 620–564 BCE) was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as '' Aesop's Fables''. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales ...
. In 1955, the town of Tigani was renamed Pythagoreio in honor of the philosopher.
Other notable personalities include the philosophers
Melissus of Samos
Melissus of Samos (; grc, Μέλισσος ὁ Σάμιος; ) was the third and last member of the ancient school of Eleatic philosophy, whose other members included Zeno and Parmenides. Little is known about his life, except that he was the ...
and
Epicurus
Epicurus (; grc-gre, Ἐπίκουρος ; 341–270 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher and sage who founded Epicureanism, a highly influential school of philosophy. He was born on the Greek island of Samos to Athenian parents. Influence ...
, who were of Samian birth, and the
astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, moons, comets and galaxies – in either ...
Aristarchus of Samos
Aristarchus of Samos (; grc-gre, Ἀρίσταρχος ὁ Σάμιος, ''Aristarkhos ho Samios''; ) was an ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician who presented the first known heliocentric model that placed the Sun at the center of the ...
, whom history credits with the first recorded
heliocentric model
Heliocentrism (also known as the Heliocentric model) is the astronomical model in which the Earth and planets revolve around the Sun at the center of the universe. Historically, heliocentrism was opposed to geocentrism, which placed the Earth at ...
of the
Solar System. The historian
Herodotus, known by his
Histories
Histories or, in Latin, Historiae may refer to:
* the plural of history
* ''Histories'' (Herodotus), by Herodotus
* ''The Histories'', by Timaeus
* ''The Histories'' (Polybius), by Polybius
* ''Histories'' by Gaius Sallustius Crispus (Sallust) ...
, resided in Samos for a while.
There was a school of sculptors and architects that included
Rhoecus, the architect of the
Temple of Hera (Olympia), and the great sculptor and inventor
Theodorus, who is said to have invented with
Rhoecus the art of
casting statues in bronze.
The vases of Samos were among the most characteristic products of Ionian pottery in the 6th century.
Hellenistic and Roman Eras
For some time (about 275–270 BC), Samos served as a base for the Egyptian fleet of the
Ptolemies
The Ptolemaic dynasty (; grc, Πτολεμαῖοι, ''Ptolemaioi''), sometimes referred to as the Lagid dynasty (Λαγίδαι, ''Lagidae;'' after Ptolemy I's father, Lagus), was a Macedonian Greek royal dynasty which ruled the Ptolemaic ...
; at other periods, it recognized the overlordship of
Seleucid
The Seleucid Empire (; grc, Βασιλεία τῶν Σελευκιδῶν, ''Basileía tōn Seleukidōn'') was a Greek state in West Asia that existed during the Hellenistic period from 312 BC to 63 BC. The Seleucid Empire was founded by th ...
Syria. In 189 BC, it was transferred by the Romans to their vassal, the
Attalid
The Kingdom of Pergamon or Attalid kingdom was a Greek state during the Hellenistic period that ruled much of the Western part of Asia Minor from its capital city of Pergamon. It was ruled by the Attalid dynasty (; grc-x-koine, Δυνασ ...
dynasty's Hellenistic kingdom of
Pergamon
Pergamon or Pergamum ( or ; grc-gre, Πέργαμον), also referred to by its modern Greek form Pergamos (), was a rich and powerful ancient Greek city in Mysia. It is located from the modern coastline of the Aegean Sea on a promontory on t ...
, in
Asia Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The reg ...
.
Enrolled from 133 in the Roman province of Asia Minor, Samos sided with
Aristonicus (132) and
Mithridates (88) against its overlord, and consequently forfeited its autonomy, which it only temporarily recovered between the reigns of
Augustus and
Vespasian
Vespasian (; la, Vespasianus ; 17 November AD 9 – 23/24 June 79) was a Roman emperor who reigned from AD 69 to 79. The fourth and last emperor who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty that ruled the Emp ...
. Nevertheless, Samos remained comparatively flourishing and was able to contest with
Smyrna
Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...
and
Ephesus the title "first city of lonia"; it was chiefly noted as a health resort and for the manufacture of pottery. Since Emperor Diocletian's
Tetrarchy
The Tetrarchy was the system instituted by Roman emperor Diocletian in 293 AD to govern the ancient Roman Empire by dividing it between two emperors, the ''augusti'', and their juniors colleagues and designated successors, the ''caesares''. ...
, it became part of the Provincia Insularum, in the diocese of ''Asiana'' in the eastern empire's pretorian prefecture of ''Oriens''.
Byzantine and Genoese Eras

As a portion of the
Byzantine Empire, Samos became part of the
namesake theme. After the 13th century, it passed through much the same changes of government as
Chios
Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of masti ...
, and, like the latter island, became the property of the Genoese firm of Giustiniani (1346–1566; 1475 interrupted by an Ottoman period). It was also ruled by
Tzachas
Tzachas ( gr, Τζαχᾶς, Tzachás), also known as Chaka Bey ( tr, Çaka Bey)"Tzachas" is the Hellenized form of a Turkish name which does not appear in any historical documents, but was likely "Chaka", "Chagha", or "Chaqan". The name "Chak ...
between 1081–1091.
Ottoman rule

Samos came under Ottoman rule in 1475
or c. 1479/80,
at which time the island was practically abandoned due to the effects of piracy and the plague. The island remained desolate for almost a full century before the Ottoman authorities, by now in secure control of the Aegean, undertook a serious effort to repopulate the island.
In 1572/3, the island was granted as a personal domain (''hass'') to
Kilic Ali Pasha, the ''
Kapudan Pasha
The Kapudan Pasha ( ota, قپودان پاشا, modern Turkish: ), was the Grand Admiral of the navy of the Ottoman Empire. He was also known as the ( ota, قپودان دریا, links=no, modern: , "Captain of the Sea"). Typically, he was base ...
'' (the
Ottoman Navy's chief admiral). Settlers, including Greeks and
Arvanites from the
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridge whi ...
and the
Ionian Islands, as well as the descendants of the original inhabitants who had fled to
Chios
Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of masti ...
, were attracted through the concession of certain privileges such as a seven-year tax exemption, a permanent exemption from the
tithe
A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash or cheques or more ...
in exchange for a lump annual payment of 45,000
piastres, and a considerable autonomy in local affairs.
The island recovered gradually, reaching a population of some 10,000 in the 17th century, which was still concentrated mostly in the interior. It was not until the mid-18th century that the coast began to be densely settled as well.
Under Ottoman rule, Samos (
Ottoman Turkish
Ottoman Turkish ( ota, لِسانِ عُثمانى, Lisân-ı Osmânî, ; tr, Osmanlı Türkçesi) was the standardized register of the Turkish language used by the citizens of the Ottoman Empire (14th to 20th centuries CE). It borrowed exten ...
: سيسام ''Sisam'') came under the administration of the ''Kapudan Pasha''s
Eyalet of the Archipelago, usually as part of the
Sanjak of Rhodes rather than as a distinct province.
Locally, the Ottoman authorities were represented by a ''
voevoda'', who was in charge of the fiscal administration, the ''
kadi'' (judge), the island's Orthodox bishop and four notables representing the four districts of the island (
Vathy,
Chora,
Karlovasi
Karlovasi ( el, Καρλόβασι) is a town, a municipal unit, and a former municipality on the island of Samos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2019 local government reform it is part of the municipality West Samos, of which it is a municipal ...
and
Marathokampos
Marathokampos ( el, Μαραθόκαμπος) is a town, municipal unit, and a former municipality on the island of Samos, North Aegean, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe ...
).
Ottoman rule was interrupted during the
Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774, when the island came under Russian control in 1771–1774.
The
Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca
The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca ( tr, Küçük Kaynarca Antlaşması; russian: Кючук-Кайнарджийский мир), formerly often written Kuchuk-Kainarji, was a peace treaty signed on 21 July 1774, in Küçük Kaynarca (today Kay ...
that concluded the war contained clauses that enabled a great expansion of the commercial activities of the Ottoman Empire's Greek Orthodox population. Samian merchants also took advantage of this, and an urban mercantile class based on commerce and shipping began to grow.
The Samian merchants' voyages across the Mediterranean, as well as the settlement of Greeks from the Ionian Islands (which in 1797 had passed from Venice to the
French Republic
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
), introduced to Samos the progressive ideas of the
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment or the Enlightenment; german: Aufklärung, "Enlightenment"; it, L'Illuminismo, "Enlightenment"; pl, Oświecenie, "Enlightenment"; pt, Iluminismo, "Enlightenment"; es, La Ilustración, "Enlightenment" was an intel ...
and of the
French Revolution, and led to the formation of two rival political parties, the progressive-radical ''Karmanioloi'' ("Carmagnoles", named after the French Revolutionary song ''
Carmagnole'') and the reactionary ''Kallikantzaroi'' ("
goblins") who represented mostly the traditional land-holding elites. Under the leadership of
Lykourgos Logothetis, in 1807 the ''Karmanioloi'' gained power in the island, introducing liberal and democratic principles and empowering the local popular assembly at the expense of the land-holding notables. Their rule lasted until 1812, when they were overthrown by the Ottoman authorities and their leaders expelled from the island.
Greek Revolution

In March 1821, the
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. The Greeks were later assisted b ...
broke out, and on 18 April, under the leadership of Logothetis and the ''Karmanioloi'', Samos too joined the uprising. In May, a revolutionary government with its
own constitution was set up to administer the island, mostly inspired by Logothetis.
The Samians successfully repulsed three Ottoman attempts to recapture the island: in summer 1821, in July 1824; when Greek naval victories off
Samos and at
Gerontas averted the threat of an invasion, and again in summer 1826. In 1828, the island became formally incorporated into the
Hellenic State under Governor
Ioannis Kapodistrias, as part of the province of the
Eastern Sporades, but the
London Protocol of 1830
The 1830 Protocol of London was a treaty signed between the Kingdom of France, the Russian Empire, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on February 3, 1830. It was the first official, international diplomatic act recognizing Greec ...
excluded Samos from the borders of the independent Greek state.
The Samians refused to accept their re-subordination to the Sultan, and Logothetis declared Samos to be an independent state, governed as before under the provisions of the 1821 constitution. Finally, due to the pressure of the
Great Powers, Samos was declared an autonomous, tributary principality under Ottoman
suzerainty
Suzerainty () is the rights and obligations of a person, state or other polity who controls the foreign policy and relations of a tributary state, while allowing the tributary state to have internal autonomy. While the subordinate party is ca ...
. The Samians still refused to accept this decision until an Ottoman fleet enforced it in May 1834, forcing the revolutionary leadership and a part of the population to flee to independent Greece, where they settled near
Chalkis.
Autonomous Principality

In 1834, the island of Samos became the territory of the
Principality of Samos, a semi-independent state tributary to Ottoman Turkey, paying the annual sum of £2,700. It was governed by a Christian of Greek descent though nominated by the Porte, who bore the title of "Prince." The prince was assisted in his function as chief executive by a 4-member senate. These were chosen by him out of eight candidates nominated by the four districts of the island: Vathy, Chora, Marathokampos, and Karlovasi. The legislative power belonged to a chamber of 36 deputies, presided over by the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan. The seat of the government was the port of Vathý.
The modern capital of the island was, until the early 20th century, at Chora, about from the sea and from the site of the ancient city.
After reconsidering political conditions, the capital was moved to Vathy, at the head of a deep bay on the North coast. This became the residence of the prince and the seat of government.
Since then a new town has grown, with a harbour.
Modern era

The island was united with the
Kingdom of Greece in March 1913, five months after the outbreak of the
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War ( sr, Први балкански рат, ''Prvi balkanski rat''; bg, Балканска война; el, Αʹ Βαλκανικός πόλεμος; tr, Birinci Balkan Savaşı) lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and invo ...
. Although other Aegean islands had been quickly captured by the
Greek Navy, Samos was initially left to its existing ''status quo'' out of a desire not to upset the Italians in the nearby
Dodecanese. The Greek fleet landed troops on the island in March 1913. The clashes with the Ottoman garrison were short-lived as the Ottomans withdrew to the Anatolian mainland, so that the island was securely in Greek hands by 16th March.
King George II visited Samos in 1937 during the
4th of August Regime.
During
World War II, the island was
occupied by the Italians in May 1941, with the
6th Infantry Division "Cuneo" being stationed on the island. During the winter of 1941–42 Samos was affected by the
Great Famine which killed 2,000 Samiots and forced thousands more to flee the island for the Middle East. In December 1942, local communists founded a branch of
ELAS
The Greek People's Liberation Army ( el, Ελληνικός Λαϊκός Απελευθερωτικός Στρατός (ΕΛΑΣ), ''Ellinikós Laïkós Apeleftherotikós Stratós'' (ELAS) was the military arm of the left-wing National Liberat ...
resistance organization, the following month the resistance came into contact with the British military who provided them with material support. In spring 1943, the Cuneo Division launched an unsuccessful, two-month-long counter-insurgency operation in Karvouni. In June 1943, ELAS came into contact with the anti-fascist organization within the Cuneo Division resulting in an unofficial two-month truce between the two sides. After the
Fall of the Fascist regime in Italy
The fall of the Fascist regime in Italy, also known in Italy as 25 Luglio ( it, Venticinque Luglio, ; "25 July"), came as a result of parallel plots led respectively by Count Dino Grandi and King Victor Emmanuel III during the spring and su ...
on 25 July,
Pietro Badoglio replaced division commander
Mario Soldarelli with Lieutenant General Pierola and reinforced the Samos garrison with 1,500
Blackshirts
The Voluntary Militia for National Security ( it, Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale, MVSN), commonly called the Blackshirts ( it, Camicie Nere, CCNN, singular: ) or (singular: ), was originally the paramilitary wing of the Nati ...
. Pierola then launched another counter-insurgency operation in Kerkis, which resulted in the death of 40 resistance members. Following the
Italian surrender in September 1943, the Cuneo Division joined forces with ELAS in arresting local collaborationists and freeing jailed resistance fighters. Samos was briefly taken over by the
Sacred Band and British forces, but following the Allied defeat in the
Battle of Leros and a fierce aerial bombardment of Vathy and Tigani, the island was abandoned by most of the ELAS members, the anti-fascist Italians and the Allied troops and taken over by Germans without a fight. The Germans then destroyed the harbors of Karlovasos and Ormos Marathokampos with explosives. On 15 September 1944, an Allied aerial bombardment destroyed the German ship "Aslan" along with three support ships in the Vathy harbor. Upon the departure of the Germans, ELAS and a 120-man unit of the Sacred Band forced the remaining 1,000 Blackshirts to surrender; ending the island's occupation on 5 October 1944.
Many of the Samiot ELAS members that abandoned the island following its occupation by the Germans, enlisted in the
Greek Armed Forces in the Middle East, participated in the communist-led
1944 Greek naval mutiny and were subsequently imprisoned in British prison camps. Approximately 4,500 of them returned to the island after the end of the war. The anti-communist
persecutions that came in the aftermath of the
Treaty of Varkiza led many former ELAS members to create self-defense militias which gradually evolved into the Samos branch of the
Democratic Army of Greece
The Democratic Army of Greece (DAG; el, Δημοκρατικός Στρατός Ελλάδας - ΔΣΕ, Dimokratikós Stratós Elládas - DSE) was the army founded by the Communist Party of Greece during the Greek Civil War (1946–1949). At ...
(DSE). The Samiot DSE drew manpower from nearby
Icaria
Icaria, also spelled Ikaria ( el, Ικαρία), is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, 10 nautical miles (19 km) southwest of Samos. According to tradition, it derives its name from Icarus, the son of Daedalus in Greek mythology, who was b ...
which was a notable place of
internal exile for Greek communists, it was also able to capture large quantities of weapons and ammunition abandoned by the Italians during World War II. During the course of the
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War ( el, ο Eμφύλιος όλεμος ''o Emfýlios'' 'Pólemos'' "the Civil War") took place from 1946 to 1949. It was mainly fought against the established Kingdom of Greece, which was supported by the United Kingdom ...
, Samos became one of the biggest centers of DSE resistance outside of the Greek mainland. The last DSE unit surrendered in Kerkis on 26 August 1949, the defeat of the communist resistance was followed by a celebratory visit of the
Greek royal family
The Greek royal family (Greek: Ελληνική Βασιλική Οικογένεια) is a branch of the Danish royal family, itself a branch of the House of Glücksburg, that reigned in Greece from 1863 to 1924 and again from 1935 to 1973. I ...
on 15 October 1949. A total of 197 Samiot DSE fighters were killed during the course of the civil war.
On August 3, 1989, a
Short 330 aircraft of the Olympic Airways (now
Olympic Airlines) crashed near
Samos Airport; 31 passengers and the crew died.
A substantial migrant camp has been developed on the island at the site of a Greek military camp at Vathy to cope with the influx of migrants crossing the strait between the island and the Turkish mainland. It is estimated that in April 2020 the Vathy camp held 6,800 migrants, ten times the number it was originally designed for. The presence of large numbers of migrants on the Greek islands has caused tensions and some civil unrest on the part of island residents and migrants being kept in camps. In 2020, the Greek government announced a new closed reception centre will be built near the village of Zervou to replace the current temporary open camps by 2021.
On October 30 2020, a
magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck offshore near the island, triggering a tsunami. Samos recorded two deaths with some churches and buildings in Ano Vathy and
Karlovasi
Karlovasi ( el, Καρλόβασι) is a town, a municipal unit, and a former municipality on the island of Samos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2019 local government reform it is part of the municipality West Samos, of which it is a municipal ...
damaged, however, neighbouring Turkey suffered 117 deaths.
Government
Samos is a separate
regional unit of the
North Aegean region, and since 2019 it consists of two
municipalities:
East Samos and
West Samos.
Between the 2011
Kallikratis government reform and 2019, there was one single municipality on the island: Samos, created out of the 4 former municipalities on the island. At the same reform, the regional unit Samos was created out of part of the former
Samos Prefecture.
The municipality of East Samos consists of the following municipal units (former municipalities):
*
Pythagoreio
Pythagoreio ( el, Πυθαγόρειο) is a town and municipal unit on the island of Samos, North Aegean, Greece. Before the 2011 local government reform, Pythagoreio was a municipality. Since 2019, it is a municipal unit of East Samos. In 2011, ...
*
Vathy
The municipality of West Samos consists of the following municipal units:
*
Karlovasi
Karlovasi ( el, Καρλόβασι) is a town, a municipal unit, and a former municipality on the island of Samos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2019 local government reform it is part of the municipality West Samos, of which it is a municipal ...
*
Marathokampos
Marathokampos ( el, Μαραθόκαμπος) is a town, municipal unit, and a former municipality on the island of Samos, North Aegean, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe ...
Samos has a sister town called
Samo
Samo (–) founded the first recorded political union of Slavic tribes, known as Samo's Empire (''realm'', ''kingdom'', or ''tribal union''), stretching from Silesia to present-day Slovakia, ruling from 623 until his death in 658. According t ...
, which is located in
Calabria
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, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
, demographics1_info1 =
, demographics1_title2 ...
,
Italy.
Province
The province of Samos ( el, Επαρχία Σάμου) was one of the
provinces
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outs ...
of the Samos Prefecture. It had the same territory as the present regional unit.
[ ] It was abolished in 2006.
Economy

The Samian economy depends mainly on agriculture and the tourist industry which was growing steadily since the early 1980s and reached a peak at the end of the 1990s. The main agricultural products include
grapes,
honey
Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primaril ...
,
olives,
olive oil
Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...
,
citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to S ...
fruit, dried
figs
The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the worl ...
,
almonds
The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genu ...
and flowers. The
Muscat grape is the main crop used for wine production. Samian wine is also exported under several other appellations.
Cuisine
Local specialities:
*''Bourekia'' (
Börek
Börek or burek are a family of pastries or pies found in the Balkans, Middle East and Central Asia. The pastry is made of a thin flaky dough such as filo with a variety of fillings, such as meat, cheese, spinach or potatoes. Boreks are mainl ...
)
*''Katimeria''
*''
Armogalo'' cheese
*''Katádes'' (dessert)
*''
Moustalevria
Mustalevria ( el, μουσταλευριά) or must jelly (also mustpie and mustcake) is a traditional Greek kind of pudding made of grape must mixed with flour and boiled until thick. Moustokouloura, must biscuits or must cookies is the biscuit ...
'' (dessert)
*''Muscat of Samos'' (wine)
*''Tiganites'' (pancakes)
UNESCO

The island is the location of the joint
UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the
Heraion of Samos
The Heraion of Samos was a large sanctuary to the goddess Hera, on the island of Samos, Greece, 6 km southwest of the ancient city of Samos (modern Pythagoreion). It was located in the low, marshy basin of the Imbrasos river, near where it en ...
and the
Pythagoreion
The Pythagoreion is the archaeological site of the ancient town of Samos in Samos, Greece. It is located in the area of the modern town of Pythagoreio, from which it has got its modern name. The archaeological site contains ancient Greek and Rom ...
which were inscribed in UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1992.
Notable people
Ancient
*
Aegles, athlete
*
Aeschrion of Samos, poet
*
Aesop
Aesop ( or ; , ; c. 620–564 BCE) was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as '' Aesop's Fables''. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales ...
, storyteller
*
Aethlius (writer)
*
Agatharchus
Agatharchus or Agatharch ( grc, Ἀγάθαρχος) was a self-taught painter from Samos, who lived in the 5th century BC. His father was named Eudemos (Εὔδημος).
He is said by Vitruvius to have invented scenic painting, and to have pain ...
, painter
*
Agathocles (writer)
*
Aristarchus of Samos
Aristarchus of Samos (; grc-gre, Ἀρίσταρχος ὁ Σάμιος, ''Aristarkhos ho Samios''; ) was an ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician who presented the first known heliocentric model that placed the Sun at the center of the ...
(3rd century BC), astronomer and mathematician, the first known individual to propose that the
Earth revolves around the Sun.
*
Asclepiades of Samos, epigrammist and poet
*
Asius of Samos
Asius of Samos ( grc-gre, Ἄσιος ὁ Σάμιος, ''Asios ho Samios'') was an ancient Greek poet whose work survives in the form of fragments quoted by other ancient authors. All that is known about the man is that he was from Samos and that ...
, poet
*
Conon of Samos, astronomer and mathematician
*
Creophylus of Samos, legendary singer
*
Duris of Samos (4th-3rd century BC), historian
*
Epicurus
Epicurus (; grc-gre, Ἐπίκουρος ; 341–270 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher and sage who founded Epicureanism, a highly influential school of philosophy. He was born on the Greek island of Samos to Athenian parents. Influence ...
(4th century BC), philosopher, founder of the
Epicurean school of philosophy
*
Melissus of Samos
Melissus of Samos (; grc, Μέλισσος ὁ Σάμιος; ) was the third and last member of the ancient school of Eleatic philosophy, whose other members included Zeno and Parmenides. Little is known about his life, except that he was the ...
, philosopher
*
Nicaenetus of Samos, poet
*
Philaenis
Philaenis of Samos was supposedly the author of a famous ancient sex manual. According to a surviving fragment of a treatise which claims to have been written by her, she was from Samos, and her father was called Ocymenes. However, many modern sc ...
(4th-3rd century BC), courtesan and writer
*
Polycrates (6th century BC), tyrant of Samos
*
Pythagoras
Pythagoras of Samos ( grc, Πυθαγόρας ὁ Σάμιος, Pythagóras ho Sámios, Pythagoras the Samian, or simply ; in Ionian Greek; ) was an ancient Ionian Greek philosopher and the eponymous founder of Pythagoreanism. His politica ...
(6th century BC), philosopher, mathematician, and religious leader, after whom the
Pythagorean theorem
In mathematics, the Pythagorean theorem or Pythagoras' theorem is a fundamental relation in Euclidean geometry between the three sides of a right triangle. It states that the area of the square whose side is the hypotenuse (the side opposite t ...
is named.
*
Telauges, philosopher
*
Pythagoras (sculptor)
*
Rhoecus (6th century BC), sculptor
*
Telesarchus of Samos (6th century BC), aristocrat
*
Theodorus (6th century BC), sculptor and architect
*
Theon of Samos, painter
Modern
*
Lykourgos Logothetis (1772–1850), leader of the Samians during the revolution of 1821
*
Ion Ghica (1816–1897), Romanian revolutionary, mathematician, diplomat, prime minister of Romania, first president of the Romanian Academy, prince of Samos
*
Themistoklis Sofoulis (1860–1949), politician,
Prime Minister of Greece
*
Kostas Roukounas
Konstantinos (Kostas) Roukounas ( el, Κώστας Ρούκουνας) ( Principality of Samos, 1903 – Athens, 11 March 1984) was a Greek singer. His repertoire included both "traditional" (''δημοτικά'') and "popular" songs (''λαϊκά ...
(1903-1984), singer of
Rebetika
*
Nikos Stavridis (1910–1987), actor
*
Nerses Ounanian (1924-1957), Armenian-Uruguayan sculptor
Gallery
File:Samos town - Archaeological museum and Municipal building.jpg, The town hall and the archaeological museum in Vathy
File:Samos town Agios Spyridonas church 01.jpg, St Spyridon, Samos town
File:Former tobacco factory, Samos Town. - panoramio.jpg, Old tobacco factory, Samos town
File:Kokkari Sea Beach.JPG, Kokkari beach
File:FlughafenSamos.jpg, Samos International Airport
See also
*
1904 Samos earthquake
*
Xenophon
Xenophon of Athens (; grc, Ξενοφῶν ; – probably 355 or 354 BC) was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian, born in Athens. At the age of 30, Xenophon was elected commander of one of the biggest Greek mercenary armies o ...
*
Ancient regions of Anatolia
The following is a list of regions of Ancient Anatolia, also known as "Asia Minor," in the present day Anatolia region of Turkey in Western Asia.
Late Bronze Age regions (circa 1200 BC)
* Alasiya / Alashiya (later Cyprus in the Classical Ag ...
Notes
References
;Attribution
*
*
Further reading
; Ancient sources
*Herodotus, especially book iii.
*Strabo xiv. pp. 636–639
*Thucydides, especially books i. and viii.
*Xenophon, Hellenica, books i. ii.
;Modern texts
*A. Agelarakis, "Anthropologic Results: The Geometric Period Necropolis at Pythagoreion". ''Archival Report''. Samos Island Antiquities Authority, Greece, (2003).
*J. P. Barron, ''The Silver Coins of Samos'' (London, 1966).
*J. Boehlau, ''Aus ionischen and italischen Nekropolen'' (Leipzig, 1898). (E. H. B.; M. 0. B. C.; E. Ga.).
*C. Curtius, ''Urkunden zur Geschichte von Samos'' (Wesel, 1873).
*P. Gardner, ''Samos and Samian Coins'' (London, 1882).
*V. Guérin, ''Description de l'île de Patmos et de l'île de Samos'' (Paris, 1856).
*K. Hallof and A. P. Matthaiou (eds), ''Inscriptiones Chii et Sami cum Corassiis Icariaque'' (Inscriptiones Graecae, xii. 6. 1–2). 2 vols. (Berolini–Novi Eboraci: de Gruyter, 2000; 2004).
*B. V. Head, ''Historia Numorum'' (Oxford, 1887), pp. 515–518.
*L. E. Hicks and G. F. Hill, ''Greek Historical Inscriptions'' (Oxford, 1901), No. 81.
*H. Kyrieleis, ''Führer durch das Heraion von Samos'' (Athen, 1981).
*T. Panofka, ''Res Samiorum'' (Berlin, 1822).
*Pauly-Wissowa (in German, on Antiquity)
*T. J. Quinn, ''Athens and Samos, Chios and Lesbos'' (Manchester, 1981).
*G. Shipley, ''A History of Samos 800–188 BC'' (Oxford, 1987).
*R. Tölle-Kastenbein, ''Herodot und Samos'' (Bochum, 1976).
*H. F. Tozer, ''Islands of the Aegean'' (London, 1890).
*K. Tsakos, ''Samos: A Guide to the History and Archaeology'' (Athens, 2003).
*H. Walter, ''Das Heraion von Samos'' (München, 1976).
*Westermann, ''Großer Atlas zur Weltgeschichte'' (in German)
;Volumes of the ''Samos'' series of archaeological reports published by the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
*1. V. Milojčić, ''Die prähistorische Siedlung unter dem Heraion'' (Bonn, 1961).
*2. R. C. S. Felsch, ''Das Kastro Tigani'' (Bonn, 1988).
*3. A. E. Furtwängler, ''Der Nordbau im Heraion von Samos'' (Bonn, 1989).
*4. H. P. Isler, ''Das archaische Nordtor und seine Umgebung im Heraion von Samos'' (Bonn, 1978).
*5. H. Walter, ''Frühe samische Gefäße'' (Bonn, 1968).
*6.1. E. Walter-Karydi, ''Samische Gefäße des 6. Jahrhunderts v. Chr.'' (Bonn, 1973).
*7. G. Schmidt, ''Kyprische Bildwerke aus dem Heraion von Samos'' (Bonn, 1968).
*8. U. Jantzen, ''Ägyptische und orientalische Bronzen aus dem Heraion von Samos'' (Bonn, 1972).
*9. U. Gehrikg, with G. Schneider, ''Die Greifenprotomen aus dem Heraion von Samos'' (Bonn, 2004).
*10. H. Kyrieleis, ''Der große Kuros von Samos'' (Bonn, 1996).
*11. B. Freyer-Schauenburg, ''Bildwerke der archaischen Zeit und des strengen Stils'' (Bonn, 1974).
*12. R. Horn, ''Hellenistische Bildwerke auf Samos'' (Bonn, 1972).
*14. R. Tölle-Kastenbein, ''Das Kastro Tigani'' (Bonn, 1974).
*15. H. J. Kienast, ''Die Stadtmauer von Samos'' (Bonn, 1978).
*16. W. Martini, ''Das Gymnasium von Samos'' (Bonn, 1984).
*17. W. Martini and C. Streckner, ''Das Gymnasium von Samos: das frühbyzantinische Klostergut'' (Bonn, 1993).
*18. V. Jarosch, ''Samische Tonfiguren aus dem Heraion von Samos'' (Bonn, 1994).
*19. H. J. Kienast, ''Die Wasserleitung des Eupalinos auf Samos'' (Bonn, 1995).
*20. U. Jantzen with W. Hautumm, W.-R. Megow, M. Weber, and H. J. Kienast, ''Die Wasserleitung des Eupalinos: die Funde'' (Bonn, 2004).
*22. B. Kreuzer, ''Die attisch schwarzfigurige Keramik aus dem Heraion von Samos'' (Bonn, 1998).
*24.1. T. Schulz with H. J. Kienast, ''Die römischen Tempel im Heraion von Samos: die Prostyloi'' (Bonn, 2002).
*25. C. Hendrich, ''Die Säulenordnung des ersten Dipteros von Samos'' (Bonn, 2007).
External links
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Municipality of SamosVisit Samos
{{Authority control
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Ionian League
Regional units of the North Aegean
Provinces of Greece
Islands of Greece
Landforms of Samos
Islands of the North Aegean
Populated places in the ancient Aegean islands
Populated places in ancient Ionia
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