It is almost impossible to describe the view while approaching Samothrace: a huge massif of carven granite seems like floating in the waters of the Thracian Sea located 28 nautical miles away from Alexandroupolis and at the northeastern edge of the Aegean Sea. The imposing Mount Feggari or Saos, with an altitude of 1664 meters, the Sacred Mountain of antiquity and the highest mountain on an island of the Aegean Sea, awes the visitors and initiates them into the mystic atmosphere of the island. The very name of the island derives from its mountainous appearance, since the pre-Hellenic word "Samos" means "height" and Samothrace means "tall" Thrace. Unlike the classic Cycladic island, Samothrace encloses in the 45 acres, in which it extends, an exuberant nature, with the deep blue sea embracing the island and the waters of the waterfalls cooling its mountain peaks as well as a rich history, which is rooted in the mists of time. According to archeological findings, the island has been inhabited since the prehistoric times and certainly during the Neolithic period. Its first inhabitants were the Carians, and it was later inhabited by Thracian tribes. Both its geographical position and the tremendous reputation added by the celebration of the Kabeiria Mysteries made it an important city-state, with its own currency and fleet, while it reached its heyday of prime and emerged as a National and international religious center in the late 7th and early 6th century BC. In the course of time, it was occupied by the Persians, entered the Athenian alliance, and was then commanded by the Spartans, while it was under the Macedonian domination since 168 BC. Moreover, it became part of the Roman Empire in 70 AD and remained part of the Byzantine Empire till 1204 AD. Later, the island was under the reign of the Venetians and was commanded by the Genoan family of the Gattilusi, while it was conquered by the Ottomans in 1457. The island's participation in the national liberation struggle of 1821 was disastrous. After the Turkish invasion, the island was pillaged and its population was massacred. The island was brought back to life by the 33 families that survived. Finally, it was released from the Turkish yoke on the 19th October 1912 and was annexed to Greece in February 1914. The population of Samothrace increased significantly from 1922 onwards, thanks to the migratory flows caused by the Asia Minor Disaster and it even reached a population of 4,174 inhabitants in 1951. However, the internal migration that followed and the exodus to the big urban centers has resulted in the decrease of residents, currently reaching 3,000 in number. Yet, these few inhabitants of the island have great love for their place and are making considerable efforts to promote its cultural heritage. Despite the fact that the island is relatively cut off from the rest of Greece, they remain down-home people, soft-spoken and particularly hospitable. They are mainly working on stockbreeding and agriculture emphasizing on bread crop, while large areas of olive groves, which add a Mediterranean breeze to the island, are extending in its southern part. During the summer, a significant part of the population works on tourism, as the number of tourists has been continuously increasing lately.
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