Samothrace

Samothrace (also known as Samothraki;

Samothrace was not a state of any political significance in ancient Greece, since it lacks natural harbours, and most of the island is too mountainous for cultivation: Mount Fengari (literally 'Mt. Moon') rises to 1,611 m (5,285 ft). It was, however, the home of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, site of important Hellenic and pre-Hellenic religious ceremonies. Among those who visited this shrine to be initiated into the island cult were Lysander of Sparta, Philip II of Macedon and Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, father-in-law of Julius Caesar.

The ancient city, the ruins of which are called Palaeopolis ("old city"), was situated on the north coast. Considerable remains still exist of the ancient walls, which were built in massive

The traditional account from antiquity is that Samothrace was first inhabited by Pelasgians and Carians, and later Thracians. At the end of the 8th century BC the island was colonised by Greeks from Samos, from which the name Samos of Thrace, that later became Samothrace; however, Strabo denies this. The archaeological evidence suggests that Greek settlement was in the sixth century BC.

The

During the Roman and particularly the imperial period, thanks to the interest of the Roman emperors, the radiation of the sanctuary of the Great Gods surpassed Greek borders and Samothrace became an international religious center, where pilgrims flocked from all over the Roman world. Apart from the famous sanctuary, also playing a decisive role in the great development of Samothrace were her two ports, situated on the sea road from Troas to Macedonia. Furthermore, an important role was played by her possessions in Perea, which were conceded by the Romans at least during the imperial period, as evidenced by inscriptions of the 1st AD century.[5]

The

St. Theophanes died in Samothrace in 818. The

Today

The modern port town of Kamariotissa is on the north-west coast and provides ferry access to and from points in northern Greece such as

• Alonia (pop. 291 in 2011)
• Ano Karyotes (22)
• Ano Meria (57)
• Dafnes (16)
• Kamariotissa (1,069)
• Kato Karyotes (41)
• Katsampas (15)
• Lakkoma (317)
• Makrylies (12)
• Palaiopoli (36)
• Potamia (6)
• Profitis Ilias (189)
• Samothrace/Samothraki (Chora) (653)
• Therma (106)
• Xiropotamos (29)

Province

The province of Samothrace (Greek: Επαρχία Σαμοθράκης) was one of the provinces of the Evros Prefecture. It had the same territory as the present municipality.^[12] It was abolished in 2006.

Climate

Samothraki has a

Historical population

People

• Aristarchus of Samothrace (c. 220 – c. 143 BC), ancient Greek grammarian and Homeric scholar
• Theophanes the Confessor (c. 758 – c. 818)
• Nikolaos Fardys (1853–1901), Greek scholar

Gallery

• 
  Fonias waterfall
• 
  Flowing river on the slopes of Mount Fengari
• 
  Mount Fengari (Saos)
• 
  The Winged Victory of Samothrace, one of the best-known ancient Greek statues (Louvre)
• 
  Chora (Samothraki)
• 
  Venetian towers
• 
  Flag of the revolutionaries of Samothrace during the Greek War of Independence
• 
  The Holocaust of Samothraki (1821) by François-Auguste Vinson

See also

• List of settlements in the Evros regional unit
• Battle of Samothrace (1698)

References

• Michel Mourre, Dictionnaire Encyclopédique d'Histoire, article "Samothrace", Bordas, 1996
• Marcel Dunan, Histoire Universelle, Larousse, 1960

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Samothraki.

Samothrace travel guide from Wikivoyage

• Official Samothrace webpage (in Greek)
• Samothraki Visitor Information Website (in English)