In the time of Herodotus and Thucydides, the island city of Samos was a leading Greek community, and under the later Hellenistic kingdoms its reputation remained high. Despite its importance, however, this is the first comprehensive study since sustained archaeological investigation began in the 1960s. In reconstructing social and economic trends as well as political and military events, Shipley balances archaeological and geographical evidence with the equally important written sources, including inscriptions and coins. He isolates relatively constant factors in Samos's history (such as its strategic location and its plentiful natural resources) and sets these against substantive developments (such as the loss of independence after Alexander and the decisive influence of Samian emigres on Alexandrian intellectual culture) to provide a broader perspective on the history of Samos.