Sokastro

Sokastro is a small, uninhabited islet off the west coast of Karpathos, facing the village of Lefkos. Its rocky ground holds the scant remains of a fortified Byzantine settlement, though the site has never been properly excavated and little is known of the medieval ruins. The islet's one firmly documented moment in history came in 960, when it served as the fleet base for General Nikiphoros Phocas, the future Byzantine emperor, during his campaign to reconquer Crete. Today only a few traces of walling survive, enough to hint at a defensive purpose but not to tell its full story. The place carries archaeological interest beyond the castle, yet the lack of research leaves its earlier or later occupation a matter of speculation. For the visitor, it is a bare, rocky outcrop with a quiet air of strategic importance, its history resting on a single, well-recorded campaign rather than a long chronicle of sieges and dynasties.