Hellenistic and Roman Buildings in the Mediaeval Walls of Mytilene

D UE TO THE CONTINUOUS OCCUPATION of the town site, ancient Mytilene for the most part lies buried under modern structures. Many Greek and Roman buildings, however, can still be recognized from elements reused in more recent construction. The late mediaeval fortification walls of the Genoese castle on the acropolis constitute a prime source of such material. At the invitation of the Town Council of Mytilene (Lesbos) the Canadian Archaeological Institute at Athens in May 1983 undertook a survey of the numerous classical architectural fragments built into the walls. The buildings identified have provided information about types of stone used at various periods, local architectural styles, and the place of Mytilenean buildings in more general architectural developments, especially during the Hellenistic and Roman periods when Western Asia Minor was important in the creation of distinctive forms of buildings and of architectural decor

Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Archaeology and Historical Studies · History