What a book! Starting with the city of Byzantine times, it follows the fortunes of the city itself and its inhabitants through Ottoman and Greek times, as well as Occupation by the Nazis in WW2. The impact each of these periods had on the city, its buildings and make-up is vividly illustrated. It also brings home how tolerant the Ottoman Empire was, at least compared to C20th nationalism, and that ethnic cleansing is not only a recent phenomenon in the Balkans. The history of the Jewish population plays a significant part in the story, as for much of the period the Jews made up the largest proportion of the population. Highly recommended.