The island was named after Sými (daughter of King Ialysós of Ródos), who was brought to the island by god Glávkos (sea god of the Aegean islands). Výron Polýdoras, in his article in the newspaper “Kathimeriní” published July 1996, wrote that “The legend is based on two symbolic and eternal qualities of Glávkos. He could…
The name “TÍLOS” is very ancient. The island was also known as AGATHOÚSA, but the name TÍLOS prevailed. In the cave of “Charkadió”, bones from dwarf elephants (of height 1.20 – 1.60m) were found that lived on the island around 7000BC. Actually, after this discovery the island was called “Elephant island”. The island was inhabited…
The name of the island comes from antiquity, from the Pre-Hellenes, and its meaning is not known. However, Greek Mythology has it that during the war of the Titans with the Giants, god Poseidónas of the sea chased the Giant Polyvótis and caught up with him close to N. Kós, and there he cut a…
Kos is the island of the father of medicine Ippokrátis (mid 5th – mid 4th century BC). The island’s name has been Kós since antiquity. Findings in the Áspri Pétra cave (south of Kéfalos) prove inhabitance from the Early Neolithic Age (4000BC). Minoans from Crete came around the 15th century BC and colonised the island.…
The island is referred to as “KÁPARI” on old charts, possibly because there are many caper (kápari) shrubs growing here. The island has been inhabited since ancient times (an ancient settlement has been unearthed). There are Early – Christian churches dating from the 5th century in Chóra, Grafiótissa and Petrí. You will enjoy the absolute…
The oldest name of the island is “KALÝNDA”. Homer named the island, together with the island of Léros, “Kalýndai Nísoi”, and wrote that 30 ships were sent to Troy from here, together with the neighbouring islands, under the command of Pheidíppos and Antíphos Irakleidós. After the Trojan war, four ships from Árgos (Pelopónnisos), were shipwrecked…
Léros played an important strategic role in the Aegean, due to its central position and deep, protected bays. The dictionary “Babiniótis” informs us that its name probably comes from the word “levrós”, which means “smooth”. This name appeared in the 6th century BC (in inscriptions dating from that era). A settlement that was unearthed in…
The island was called PHARMÁKO during antiquity (this is how Rígas Ferraíos calls it on his “Chárta”). There are ruins of ancient buildings on the island and various objects that have been dated to the Roman Age. Julius Caesar was kept on the island by pirates (1st century BC) and when he was liberated he…
The islands have been inhabited since the Prehistoric Age, and the locals boast that this is where Calypsó bewitched Odysséas (now, if there is any relation between LEIPSÓS and KALYPSÓ, I am unaware of it). The temple dedicated to Apóllonas of Leipsós (4th century BC) once stood on the site of the church of Ágios…
The island was referred to by many of the ancient writers (Thoukydídis, Strávonas) as PÁTNOS and, like N. Léros, was protected by goddess Ártemis. There are remains of an ancient settlement with a citadel (4th century BC) in “Kastélli”. The island was used as a place of exile during the Roman rule, and one of…