Ancient Mithymna

The town of Mithymna occupies a small peninsula on the northern part of Lesvos and was possibly founded as part of the Aeolian colonization. According to the new excavation findings, this city met its greatest expansion in the Archaic Period, almost as large as the contemporary urbanized area. In the 4^th century BC the city was restricted to the Acropolis and the Dapia, where we can still see remnants of the Hellenistic defense fortifications which were later incorporated to the Medieval Castle. Scattered ruins of the ancient port dock still survive in the modern harbor, while a bath complex was uncovered to the east, with a rectangular chamber of hot and cool baths dating between the 3^rd century BC and the 3^rd century AD. Some ruins of the Roman era aqueduct still survive which carried water from Lepetymnos to Mithymna. Finally, the Dapia vicinity was the site of an Archaic Era cemetery, along with structural remnants of the Hellenistic town. The Hellenistic and Roman era necropolises were unearthed along the road connecting Mithymna with Petra.