Historical place profile

Mytilene

An ancient settlement. The early fortified core of the city was located on an islet off the east coast of Lesbos, now joined to the mainland. That site is dominated by the remains of a Byzantine fortress with Ottoman and Genoese repairs and additions. This original city later expanded onto the main island.

Record details
Research ID
catholon:place:pleiades:550763
Catalogue ID
pleiades:550763
Place type
settlement
Coordinates
39.110475, 26.547048
Precision
precise
Locator semantics
representative_point_not_boundary

Historical description

An ancient settlement. The early fortified core of the city was located on an islet off the east coast of Lesbos, now joined to the mainland. That site is dominated by the remains of a Byzantine fortress with Ottoman and Genoese repairs and additions. This original city later expanded onto the main island.

Geographic evidence

The coordinates are a representative_point_not_boundary. They identify a research anchor and do not by themselves assert an ancient administrative boundary or the full extent of the settlement.

Provenance: Barrington Atlas: BAtlas 56 D3 Mytilene

Source and reuse

This profile derives from the Pleiades current GIS record, licensed CC BY 3.0. Pleiades place record The profile preserves the source name, point, type, description, precision and provenance without silently adding a boundary reconstruction.

Research path

Compare this place with the chronological map at the relevant year, nearby political units, routes, institutions and the period portals. Where the source record is silent about jurisdiction, population or ecclesiastical rank, this profile makes no such claim.

Phase II — chronological and spatial research layer

Historical problem

An ancient settlement. The early fortified core of the city was located on an islet off the east coast of Lesbos, now joined to the mainland. That site is dominated by the remains of a Byzantine fortress with Ottoman and Genoese repairs and additions. This original city later expanded onto the main island.

Spatial reading

The record classifies this location as settlement with precise point precision. The coordinate is a research anchor, not a timeless urban, political or ecclesiastical boundary.

Source path

Geographic provenance: Barrington Atlas: BAtlas 56 D3 Mytilene. The place should be compared with the active time slice, routes, neighbouring polities, institutions and dated textual witnesses.

Questions for further dossier work

  1. Which occupation phases are directly attested at this coordinate?
  2. Which ancient or medieval names refer to the same site, and which remain disputed?
  3. Which political and ecclesiastical jurisdictions changed over time?
  4. Which routes, ports or regional centres explain the place’s historical importance?