The roman occupation, although it was not strict during the first years of the Pax Romana, it was always disliked by the Greeks. Samos had a leading role in the revolution against the Romans, which was subsequently crushed the 88 BC. And Samos went through a period of suppression and pillage. In 82 BC Gaios Lucilus Verris stole from Iraion and sent to Rome so many works of art that he provoked the outrage of many important Romans. The case for Samos was presented in the Roman Senate Cicerone and the Samians built in Iraion the altar of Cicerone.

In the 40 / 39 BC Samos was visited by Antony and Cleopatra along with their armies and fleet. After their defeat in the sea battle of Aktio the 31 BC the victorious Octabian Augustus enchanted by the island spent two winters there the 30 and 19 / 18 BC and granted the Samians roman citizenship and returned all statues taken by Antony from Iraion.

• Tiberius heir of Augustus granted back to Iraio the right of asylum, which brought back to Iraio its old splendor.
• Caligula dreamt of rebuilding the palace of Polykrates.
• Nero granted Samos its independence and helped the island to recover after it was hit by disastrous earthquakes.
• Claudius built the temple of Dionysus.
• Vespian, however, abolished the independence of the island and assigned it to the roman province of the island with Rhodes as its administrative center.