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The beginnings of a city in Assos are before the first millennium B.C. An Ionian colony from Lesbos (Mytilene)
settled there later, and then it came under Lydian and Persian domination. In 348 B.C., upon the death of Plato in Athens,
Hermias, the tyrant of Atarneus, invited two of the members of the Academy to his court in Assos. They were Xenocrates and
Aristotle. Aristotle married Pythias, who was Hermias' adopted daughter; his own daughter was also called Pythias. It was
at Assos that Aristotle began his first school, where he taught for three years. He moved about 344 to Lesbos and then became
the teacher of Philip of Macedon's young son, Alexander. Almost as soon as he moved to Pella he heard that Hermias had been
captured by the Persians and tortured to death. That probably inspired his ode, In Praise of Valor, in memory of his friend.
Assos was subject to the kings of Pergamum for a while: it was known as Makhramion during Byzantine times,
but since the 14th century it has had little importance. Today its ruins are immediately next to the village of Behramköy
in modern Turkey.
At present, one can see the city walls, which are in good condition, the lookout towers, council chamber,
theater, gymnasium, and the agora. On the highest point of the volcanic hill of Assos there is the remains of the Doric Temple
of Athena, which was built in the 6th century B.C. The view from it across the seven miles of sea to Mytilene is spectacular.
Although the Greek harbor several hundred yards below is no longer in use, the Roman one next to it still harbors small fishing
boats.
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