Achilleas Samothrace was born in Aino, Eastern Thrace in 1876 and died in Athens in 1944. He studied at the Zarifeia Didactic Schools of Philippopolis (Eastern Rumelia) and served a few years as a teacher in Aino and Dedeagats (today’s Alexandroupolis). He continued his studies at the Medical School of the University of Athens and in 1906 was awarded a doctorate. He then settled in Zagatzik, Egypt, where he practiced medicine for 15 years. At the same time he wrote and studied. His literary work was enormous. He signed many works under the pseudonym Sarpedon.

In 1920, he was called by the High Commissioner of Thrace, Antonios Sachtouris, and took over the organization and management of the Adrianople Civil Hospital, which had 150 beds. After 7 months he settled in Alexandroupolis, as a physician, legal practitioner and school doctor. For 20 years he taught Hygiene at the Gymnasium and the Pedagogical Academy. He became the Health Inspector of the Region and was also the first president of the Evros Medical Association. In 1940, persecuted by the Bulgarians, like all the inhabitants of Alexandroupolis, he fled to Athens, where he lived difficult years, unknown. In 1944 he died and was buried in the Patission cemetery.