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Lesvos Island Aegean Sea Mytilene, the Capital City of Lesbos The capital city of the Greek island of Lesbos, Mytilene has always been a rich and fertile place. Citizens could afford to participate in the Trojan War; Then they began colonizing neighboring areas. A long, varied, yet violent history has left fascinating archaeological ruins. Today local residents press their own olive oil, make their own soap, and they make ouzo! Mytilene is the capital city of the Aegean island, Lesbos. The city is surrounded by fertile farmlands. To the northwest, there are mountains. The city has a beautiful port, with frequent ferries to neighboring islands. This city is home to the center of the University of the Aegean. The whole island of Lesbos was once called Mytilene. The island was the kingdom of Makaras, who had 5 daughters and 4 sons. The cities of the island were named for these children. According to one legend, King Lepithou married one of Makaras' daughters. They had a son named Lesvo. The island was named for him. Or, possibly, the island was named esvou, the Phoenician word for seven. Mytilene has been civilized since 3000 BC. Siding with Troy, Mytilene fought in the Trojan War. By the Classical Age, Mytilene was a major sea power with ships traveling to Carthage and the Black Sea. Since Mytilene had a large population and strong culture, they began moving out and colonizing other areas. Roman conquerors destroyed much of the island. After that Mytilene passed from Byzantine to Saracen to Turkish rule. After the Crusades, Mytilene was given to the Genoese, where the people lived fairly peacefully until the invasion of the Ottoman Empire. Freed in 1912, Mytilene, Lesbos joined Greece in 1923. The Germans did take over the island for 3 years during World War II. After the war, Mytilene was free again. With this long and varied history, archaeologists have uncovered a broad array of fascinating finds. Scientists from the University of British Columbia excavating a medieval castle, discovered the burial chambers of the Gattelusi family. This was the Genoese family that rules much of the north Aegean region from the mid 1300's through the 1400's. They also uncovered a vampire burial. The remains of a middle aged man were found with spikes through his neck, torso and ankles. This may have been associated with an Ottoman cemetery that spanned many periods. Deeper excavation revealed a substantial Roman building. And from the Classical Greek period, archaeologists uncovered a sanctuary dedicated to Demeter and Kore. Modern Mytilene offers concerts, theatrical performances, especially including those of the ancient dramas. Here the people still press their own olive oil. They manufacture their own soaps. Mytilene is home to distilleries. Grapes are distilled in alcohol, and then warmed uniformly so anise can be added. The end product is raki, rakitzides, best known as ouzo, the famed Greek liqueur that turns white when water is added. |
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