In classical antiquity, the island of Samos is a center of Ionian culture and luxury, renowned for its Samian wines and its red pottery (called Samian ware by the Romans).

Its most famous building is the Ionic order archaic Temple of goddess Hera - the Heraion.Concerning the earliest history of Samos, literary tradition is singularly defective.

At the time of the great migrations it receives an Ionian population that traces its origin to Epidaurus in Argolis: Samos becomes one of the twelve members of the Ionian League.