Remains of a Byzantine castle on the coast southwest of Pythagoreio in Samos island, next to the harbor.

History

The site was inhabited since the Late-Neolithic Age (end of 4th millennium BC) and was fortified at least since the Archaic period. Probably here was the palace of the tyrant Polycrates of Samos. The fortification remained in use through the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

In 5th century AD, when Christianity had prevailed, three basilicas were built in the site, one of which must have been the Episcopal seat of the island.

The Byzantine castle was probably built around the end of the 7th century, when the Byzantines realized they had to take measures to protect the population of the islands from Arab pirates who had started to raid the Aegean after their victory in the Balltle of the Masts in 655.

The castle was repaired often during the next centuries. The final renovation was by the Genoans (the Giustiniani family) around the middle of the 14th century. The castle was abandoned in 1475, after the Ottoman conquest. Actually, in that period, the whole island was deserted.

The castle was revived again in the 19th century when Lykourgos Logothetis used again the fortification in the fight against the Turks. Between 1824 and 1827 Logothetis rebuilt one of the Byzantine towers which functioned as the administrative center of the island. The tower, which became also his residence, is presented in a separate page of this site.

Sources