Extending from the entrance of the Hellespont to the mouth of the Hermus, Aeolis was the northernmost region of the western coast of Asia Minor to be colonised by migrant Greeks. Around the 900s BC the island of Lesbos was colonised by Aeolians from Thessaly and Boeotia. In the following centuries Aeolian expeditions colonised the northwest Asia Minor coast. The major city of mainland Aeolis was Cyme.
Lesbos (Mytilene)
Lesbos is the third largest Greek island (1633 km2), separated from mainland Turkey by the Mytilini Strait which at its narrowest is about six miles (≈10 km) wide. The five original Lesbian cities (‘pentapolis’) comprised Eresus (west), Antissa (northwest), Methymna (north), Mytilene (southeast), and the previously Mycenaean township of Pyrrha (central).
Mytilene was the strongest city-state, though it never completely dominated the others. The poet Alcaeus (c.620-6th century BC), an alleged lover of Sappho (c.630-6th century BC), provides us with a contemporary glimpse of the political events in his city during his lifetime.
Mytilene was ruled by the Penthilidae, who claimed descent from Penthilus, a son of Orestes. Sometime during the late seventh century BC the Penthilids were overthrown and rival factions of the aristocracy contended with each other for supreme power. To put an end to this strife, Melanchrus, a noble himself, was set up to rule in 612 BC and became the first tyrant of Mytilene. Melanchrus was deposed by Pittacus (c.640-568 BC) and the older brothers of Alcaeus.
The people of Mytilene then put Pittacus in charge of their army in a struggle against the Athenians in a territorial dispute over Sigeum on the Hellespont and subsequently Pitticus gained renown for killing the Athenian commander Phrynon (c.607 BC) in single combat. Pittacus, though the hero, still did not seize absolute power. A nobleman Myrsilus was appointed the second tyrant instead.
When Myrsilus died c.597 BC Pittacus was awarded, perhaps in c.590 BC, an appointment as aesymnetes (‘arbitrator’ or ‘umpire’). After ten years of reforms he retired to private life, his wisdom causing him to be numbered among the Seven Sages of Greece (c.620-550 BC).
In c.546 BC Pisistratus of Athens (r.c.561*527 BC) seized Sigeum from Mytilene. Periander of Corinth (r.c.625-c.585 BC) later arbitrated the possession of Sigeum in favour of Athens. In c.522 BC Mytilene and the rest of the island fell to the advancing Persians. The Mytileneans participated in the doomed Ionian revolt and after the Persian wars they became members of the Delian League.
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