It is said that Homer arrived at Volissos, the largest village in northern Chios and capital of the Municipality of Amani in order to teach the children of a rich man of the land. The top of the village, which preserves its ancient name to this day, is dominated by the Byzantine castle. Tradition says that it was constructed in the 6th century by General Belisarius, a famed military man and partner of emperor Justinian. However, researchers date it to the 11th century. During the 15th century, the Genovese conquerors rebuilt and gave the castle its contemporary form. In 1420, Cristoforo Buondelmonti marked the tomb of Homer in the broader area of Volissos on the map of Chios. In 1549, the French monk and traveler André Thevet visited the island and mentioned that Homer’s tomb lay close to the castle. The castle has a trapezoid ground plan, 6 circular towers around its perimeter and tunnels linking it to the coast.