Samothrace
Samothrace
Σαμοθράκη | |
---|---|
UTC+3 (EEST) | |
Postal code | 680 02 |
Area code(s) | 25510 |
Vehicle registration | ΕΒ |
Website | www.samothraki.gr |
Samothrace (also known as Samothraki;
History
Antiquity
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
Middle Ages to Modern era
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
A 2019 article estimated that the current population of
Landmarks
The island's most famous site is the
. The Winged Victory is featured on the island's municipal seal.Communities
- 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
Climate data for Kamariotissa village (90m) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 11.5 (52.7) |
12.7 (54.9) |
14.5 (58.1) |
17.2 (63.0) |
23.7 (74.7) |
28.7 (83.7) |
31.9 (89.4) |
32.3 (90.1) |
27.6 (81.7) |
22.2 (72.0) |
17.8 (64.0) |
13.9 (57.0) |
21.2 (70.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 6.8 (44.2) |
7.1 (44.8) |
8.6 (47.5) |
10.5 (50.9) |
15.8 (60.4) |
20.5 (68.9) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.9 (75.0) |
20.4 (68.7) |
15.8 (60.4) |
12.7 (54.9) |
9.4 (48.9) |
14.6 (58.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 110.1 (4.33) |
55.1 (2.17) |
73.7 (2.90) |
34.7 (1.37) |
29.7 (1.17) |
15.9 (0.63) |
12.2 (0.48) |
9 (0.4) |
8.4 (0.33) |
74.3 (2.93) |
108.3 (4.26) |
101.7 (4.00) |
633.1 (24.97) |
Source: http://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/samothraki/ (2019-2021 averages) |
Historical population
Year | Island population |
---|---|
1981 | 2,871 |
1991 | 3,083 |
2001 | 2,723 |
2011[13] | 2,859 |
2021[2] | 2,596 |
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
References
- ^ a b "Βιογραφικό Δημάρχου – ΔΗΜΟΣ ΣΑΜΟΘΡΑΚΗΣ". Archived from the original on 2017-12-09. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ a b c "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
- ^ a b Initiation into the Mysteries of the Ancient World, p. 37, at Google Books
- ^ Aristophanes. Peace, line 277
- ^ D. C. Samsaris, Historical Geography of Western Thrace during the Roman Antiquity (in Greek), Thessaloniki 2005, p. 120–126
- ^ Acts 16:11
- ^ "Acts 16:11 - King James Version". Bible Gateway. Archived from the original on 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ "SEMADİREK". TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2022-11-10. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
- doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23114. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ Charles Vellay, L'irrédentisme hellénique, 1913, 329 pages. page 131: [1] Archived 2023-02-01 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Associated Press (October 7, 2019). "Tens of thousands of goats munch island into crisis". Morning Ag Clips. Archived from the original on 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
- ^ "Detailed census results 1991" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2012-09-19. (39 MB) (in Greek and French)
- ^ "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority.
External links
Samothrace travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Official Samothrace webpage (in Greek)
- Samothraki Visitor Information Website (in English)