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Paul's Visit
Acts 20:14-15 (ESV) “And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and
went to Mitylene. And sailing from there we came the following day opposite
Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to
Miletus.” The reference in Scripture to Samos is almost certainly a
reference to the city today known as Pythagorio. |
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Roman Period
Evidence for a large Jewish population on Samos is indicated by the
instruction of the Roman consul Lucius in the 2nd century BC. Lucius sent a
letter to rulers in the Roman empire, including the ruler of Samos,
instructing them to treat the Jews well because Jewish ambassadors had
given him a large shield made of 1,000 minas of gold (1,250 pounds (567
kg)) as a gift (1 Macc 15:23). |
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Famous People
Samos was the birthplace of the philosopher Epicurus (341-270 BC). The
mathematician Pythagoras (c. 582-507 BC) was born on Samos, and later moved
as a young man to Italy and Egypt. He is best known for the “Pythagorean
theorem.” The ancient city of Samos was known in modern times as Tigani
until 1955 when the name was changed to Pythagorio in honor of the
mathematician. |
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Eupalinos Tunnel
In the 6th century BC, the Eupalinos Tunnel was constructed underneath
Mount Kastro to supply the city of Samos with water. It is one of the
engineering marvels of the ancient world. Designed by Eupalinos, the tunnel
was 3,410 feet (1,040 m) long, 7 feet (2 m) wide and 7 feet (2 m) high. The
Eupalinos Tunnel was built a century later, is twice as long, and is much
wider than Hezekiah’s Tunnel in Jerusalem. Both tunnels were carved
simultaneously from either end, and both met in the middle with virtually
no difference in elevation. |
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Temple of Hera
Built in the 6th century BC on the site of earlier temples, the Great
Temple of Hera (or Heraion) was called by Herodotus the largest temple of
its time. It was 300 feet (90 m) by 150 feet (45 m) in size and had 160
columns. Because of a poor foundation, however, the temple lasted only a
few decades. The one standing column today is from the uncompleted
rebuilding by Polycrates. A bronze horse frontlet inscribed with the name
of Hazael, king of Damascus (2 Kings 8) was found in the temple during
excavations. |
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