Kinematics of faults in the Northern Aegean show three extensional tectonic regimes the tensional directions of which trend (1) WNW‐ESE, (2) NE‐SW and (3) N‐S. These were active during the Upper Miocene, Pliocene‐Lower Pleistocene and Mid Pleistocene‐Present day, respectively. The main characteristics of the stress patterns (1) and (2) on the overall Aegean is tentatively explained by variations of the horizontal lithospheric stress value σzz due to the slab push and of the vertical lithospheric stress value σzz due to mass heterogeneities. During the Mid Pleistocene‐Present, due to the slab push, tectonics were compressional along the arc boundary: σzz was σ1. In the Aegean basins, tectonics were extensional, c2Z was σ1 as a consequence of the thickness of the continental crust and, possibly of an updoming asthenosphere; thus σzz became σ2, allowing tension σ3 to be orthogonal to the compression along the arc, i.e. to be roughly parallel to the arc trend. During the Pliocene‐Lower Pleistocene, the extensional regime was distinctly different. The tensional directions were roughly radial to the arc. It is suggested that σzz was weakly compressional, or eventually tensional, due a seaward migration of the slab so that σzz became σ3. In the Northern Aegean, the stress pattern has been also controlled by the westward push of the Anatolian landmass. During the Mid Pleistocene‐Present day, this was typically extensional (al was vertical) and the right lateral strike‐slip motion on the North Anatolian Fault transformed into a N‐S‐stretching, E‐W‐shortening of the Northern Aegean. Dextral strike‐slip motions along the North Aegean Trough fault zone were possible on NE‐SW‐striking faults. During the Pliocene‐Lower Pleistocene, normal fault components were higher; however, because the angle between the NE‐SW trend of the tensional axis and the strike of the fault zone was acute, dextral strike‐slip components were possible on all the faults striking NE‐SW to E‐W. A clockwise 15o rotation of Limnos with respect to Samothraki, Thraki and Thassos, suggested by structural data, was probably associated with these dextral motions. The WNW‐ESE trending tension during the Upper Miocene indicates that the dextral North Anatolian Fault had not yet merged into the North Aegean Trough fault zone at that time. We propose that the formation of Aegean basins during the Cenozoic was related to the activity of two major Hellenic arcs. The ‘Pelagonian‐Pindic Arc’ resulted in the formation of the subsident Aegean basins of Middle Eocene‐Lower Miocene age and of the older Northern Aegean orogenic volcanism. The ‘Aegean Arc’ resulted in the formation of the subsident Aegean basins of Middle Miocene to Present day age and of the Southern Aegean orogenic volcanism. Were these arcs associated with a unique subduction zone or with two such zones ? In the first case, the slab is no more than 16 Myr old, in the second it may be as old as 45–50 Myr. The answer depends on the accuracy of the seismic tomography profiles.

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