Personalities of Samos

The philosophy and the scientific thinking started in Ionia, and Samos used to be one of its cities and was not at all aloof. Pythagoras, the great mathematician and Aristarchus the astronomer (who was the first that formulated the solar system), were the basic representatives.
Zenith for arts and education in Samos was during tyranny of Polycrates. He established library with the most important documents.

Epicurus from Samos, the ancient Greek philosopher as well as the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism.

Kallistratos from Samos, supplement the Greek alphabet with letters “ζ, ξ, η, ψ, ω”. The new alphabet was accepted by the whole of Greece and remains unchanged until today.

The great painter Agathargos was the first which draw with perspective in his paintings in order to create the illusion of third dimension, creating the depth. He also co-operated with Eschilus the tragedian for his scenography.

Rhoecus and his sons Theodoros and Teleklis, who established the Great School of Arts are classified among the first artists of the world. They create the temple of Artemis at Ephesus (one of the seven wonders of antiquity) and the Temple of Hera in Samos (of the largest at that period). Considered a masterpiece and the “statue of the Night” (work Rhoikos), located in the temple of Artemis at Ephesus, which Romans ripped. Theodore with Teleclus created the giant statue of Apollo, of which half was made by Theodore in Ephesus and the other half the Teleclus in Samos.  Theodore created a bronze statue of himself, (a little bigger than a fly, technical miracle) which in one hand clutching chisel and other chariot with four horses. Other works of Theodore was the “golden crater“, dedicated by Croesus to Delphi. Work from the same school is the monolithic colossal kouros, 4.75 meters height, unique in the world, the jewel of the museum of Samos.  Also, the same artists discovered the lathe, the setsquare and the screw and manufacture hollow bronze statues and at Theodore B ‘attributed the construction of the legendary “ring of Polycrates”. The Samians considering the great work of Theodore, construct bronze coins with the head of Hera crowned, the bust lion and the name of Theodore.

Other major personalities from Samos, known by their work is the great mathematician Conon (280 BC – 220 BC), friend and classmate of Archimedes, the historians Aethlios, Alexis, Douris, the poets Asclepiades, Kreofilos and Menekratis, the fabulist Aesop (620 – 564 BC), the navigator Colaeus who arrived until Tartessus (beyond Gibraltar), the engineer Mandroklis who construct floating bridge at Bosphorus to pass the army of Darius during his campaign against the Scythians and many more.

Herodotus, the great historian, also lived in Samos, during the period 487-486 as an exile, following his participation in a conspiracy for the overthrow of tyranny “Lygdamis” in his native Halicarnaso.