Samos, Pythagoras’ Island
On Samos lived one of the greatest philosophers and mathematicians of antiquity, Pythagoras. The astronomer Aristarchus and philosopher Epicurus also originated from the Aegean island.
According to mythology, on Samos, near the estuary of the Imvrasos River, goddess Hera was born. Here are the remains of the temple dedicated to the worship of the goddess. It was a magnificent building which in the opinion of Herodotus was the largest and one of the most important of its time. Today the visitor can view the remains of the structure.
In ancient times Samos was an important cultural center and as evidenced by the findings of the excavations on the island, a great civilization flourished during the tyranny regime of Polycrates, around 550BC. At that time Samos was the dominant naval power in the Aegean Sea and center of the Ionian civilization.
At the time, the famous temple of Hera and the Efpalinus Tunnel, the ancient aqueduct, one of the largest structures of antiquity, were built.
Throughout history, Samos followed the common fate of the Aegean islands and as such, it was conquered by the Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans and suffered many pirate raids. Destroyed and reborn through its remains many times, Samos is today more beautiful than ever.
