Lesbos, sometimes referred to as Mytilini after its capital, is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea.

It has an area of 1,632 square kilometers (630 sq mi) with 320 kilometers (199 miles) of coastline, making it the third largest Greek island.

It is separated from Turkey by the narrow Mytilini Strait.Mytilene is founded in the 11th century BCE by the family Penthilidae, who arrive from Thessaly, and rule the city-state until a popular revolt (590–580 BCE) led by Pittacus of Mytilene ends their rule.