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(Εὔβοια; Eúboia). [1] Greek island [German version] I. Location The largest Greek island other than Crete extends parallel to the eastern coast of central Greece (Locris, Boeotia and Attica). E. is about 160 km long, about 5.5 to 50 km wide and has an area of 3,580 km2. It is separated by a strait from the mainland which narrows at its centre to a 40-m wide channel, the  Euripus [1]. Since the 5th cent. BC several bridges linked E. at this point to the mainland. Because of its steep cliffs the east coast is almost inaccessible with Cyme a…

[German version] (Χρύσα, Χρύση; Chrýsa, Chrýsē). Name of various islands and towns, among them a) an island near Lemnos, which sank in the time of Pausanias (8,33,4); b) in the time of Strabo a deserted port in the plain of Thebes on the Gulf of Adramyttium in southern Aeolis (ἡ Κιλίκιος Χ., Str. 13,1,48; 63), one of the residences of the Apollo priest Chryses (Hom. Il. 1,37); c) in the time of Strabo (13,1,47f.), a village located on a cliff above the sea near the Lecton promontory (Baba burnu?) with a temple of Apollo Smintheus, generally located on Göz Tepe. Kalcyk, Hansjörg (Petershausen) Bib…

[German version] (Ἁλόννησος; Halónnēsos). This island in the north Aegean (Str. 9,5,16; Mela 2,106; Harpocr. s.v.), modern Hag. Eustratios, Hagistrati or Strati, was the object of a conflict between Philip II and Athens: Demosth. 7 hypoth.; 7,2; 12,12; 18,69; Aesch. 3,83; Plut. Demosthenes 9,5; Dion. Hal. Demosthenes 9; 13; Ath. 6,223d-224b. The island, which belonged to Athens, was occupied by pirates; Philip II drove them out, but did not return the island to the Athenians. Traces of ancient settlement. Kalcyk, Hansjörg (Petershausen) Bibliography L. Bürchner, H. (2), in: RE…

(Μάρπησσα; Márpēssa, ‘the robbed one’). [German version] [1] Daughter of the Aetolian river god Evenus Daughter of the Aetolian river god Evenus [3]. She is kidnapped by Idas, who escapes the persecuting Evenus with the help of his father Poseidon. M.'s father plunges into the river, which is named after him. M. is then taken from Idas by Apollo, and a fight ensues between him and the god, during the course of which Idas disarms the god of his bow (Hom. Il. 9,555ff.). Zeus settles the dispute by leaving the ch…

[German version] I. Persons (Δίων; Díōn) Meister, Klaus (Berlin) [German version] [I 1] Close friend of Plato and defender of his philosophy Son of Hipparinus, brother-in-law and son-in-law of Dionysius I of Syracuse, b. 409 BC, close friend of Plato and defender of his philosophy since Plato's first visit to Syracuse in 388. He gained prestige and wealth as Dionysius' I' trusted friend and advisor and also remained an influential person under Dionysius II. In 366, he arbitrated the peace with Carthage and called Pl…

[German version] [1] Cyclades island (Μῆλος/ Mêlos, Doric Μᾶλος/ Mâlos; Latin Melos, modern Milos). Name of the westernmost of the Cyclades islands, the fifth largest at 161 km2. Included in the archipelago of M. are Kimolos off the northeastern point, Polaegus (modern Polivo) to the east, and Erimomilos to the west of M., plus a number of very small islands and rocks. M. is the caldera of a Pliocene volcano; its relics are still present today in the sulphurous thermal springs in the northeast and southeast. The sea has access to the caldera of the crater …

[German version] (Ἰκός; Ikós). Island, 62 km2 in size, in the northern Sporades, modern Hallonesos (also Chelidromia or Chilidromia); member of the  Delian League with a tribute of 1,500 drachmae, likewise of the  Athenian League. After the conclusion of peace between the Athenians and Philippus II in 338, the island came under Macedonian suzerainty; in Athenian possession from 42 BC to the late Roman Imperial period. After the fall of Constantinople, I. was under Venetian influence; after 1537 under…

[German version] (Ἴμβρος; Ímbros, modern Turkish Imroz adası). Island in the northern Sporades at the southern exit of the Hellespont, 30 km long, 13 km wide, 225 square km in area, hill country rising to 597 m. The city of I., modern Kastro, was to the east of the north coast; remains of the city walls. Pelasgi or Tyrrheni are named as original inhabitants. Probably owing to Miltiades, I. became Athenian around 500 BC and remained so into the Imperial period (Hdt. 6,41; 104; Thuc. 7,57,2; Xen. Hell. 5,1,31). I. appears …

(Δῖα, Δία; Dîa, Día). [German version] [1] Female equivalent of Zeus The female equivalent of  Zeus, as Diwiya on the Linear B inscriptions from Pylos and Knossos, with her own sanctuary, just as  Poseidon also has his female counterpart in the Mycenaean pantheon [1]. In the post-Mycenaean period the three heroines who can be linked with the Mycenaean goddess by name, are all linked with Zeus, but the individual derivation is problematical. Graf, Fritz (Columbus, OH) [German version] [2] Heroine in the local cults of Phlius and Sicyon The heroine is most likely D. in the local cult…

[German version] (Κεκρυφάλεια; Kekrypháleia). Island in the Saronic Gulf, presumably the modern Angistri, mentioned in conjunction with the naval battle between Athens and Aegina in 458 BC (Thuc. 1,105; Diod. Sic. 11,78,2; Plin. HN 4,57; Steph. Byz. s.v. Kekryphaleia) Kalcyk, Hansjörg (Petershausen) Bibliography E. Meyer, s.v. Pityonesos, RE 20, 1880f. Philippson/Kirsten 3, 45.

[German version] (Κύθνος; Kýthnos, Lat. Cythnus, the modern Thermia). Island in the western  Cyclades (86 km2): 21 km long, 11 km wide; a monotonous, undulating plain (height 200 to 350 m.), predominantly slate. Its rugged coastline offers no good harbours. Two hot springs, already active in Roman times, are situated near Lutra on the north coast. C. is little fertile, short of water and virtually without trees. In antiquity C. was known for its fine cheese (Poll. 6,63; Eust. in Dionys. Per. 525; Plin. HN 13,134; Steph. Byz. s.v. Kythnos). Finds in a Mesolithic-Neolithic cemete…

This item can be found on the following maps: Writing | Ionic | Colonization | Marble | Peloponnesian War | Persian Wars | Pompeius | Delian League | Athenian League (Second) | Education / Culture (Χίος; Chíos). [German version] A. Introduction Large (856 km2) island, c. 8 km from the mainland. The ancient settlements were on the east coast, where the main city of the same name is today (few traces, an earthquake in 1881 having destroyed nearly all buildings on the island). Highest point is the Pelinaion (1297 m). The east and south-east …

[German version] (Ἑκατόννησοι; Hekatónnēsoi). Archipelago in the north of the eastern strait which divides Lesbos from the mainland of Asia Minor, modern Moschonisia; its largest island was Pordoselene or Nasos, modern Moschonisi. The inhabitants were known as Nēsiṓtai (Hdt. 1,151; Diod. Sic. 13,77; Str. 13,2,5; Plin. HN 5,137; Ptol. 5,2,5; Ael. NA 2,6; Hsch. s.v. H.; Steph. Byz. s.v. Ἑκατόννησοι and Σελήνης πόλις). The city Selḗnēs pólis was probably founded, like Mytilene, by the Aeolians, on whom it was long dependent culturally and politically. H. was a me…

[German version] (Κάλυμνα; Kálymna) Island of the Sporades north of Cos (also Kálydna or Kálydnai, which probably also referred to the surrounding smaller islands), with the more common modern name of Kalymnos (109 km2, predominantly limestone, maximum height: 686 m). Documented in Hom. Il. 2,677; Stadiasmus maris magni 280f.; Scyl. 90; Hdt. 7,99,2f.; Str. 10,5,19; Diod. Sic. 5,54,1f.; Plin. HN 5,133; 11,32; Steph. Byz. s.v. Kalymna.; [1; 2. 8f. no. 10]. The earliest finds date back to the Neolithic. at the northern end of C., near Emporios, a Mycenaean tholos t…

[German version] (Ἴος; Íos). Sparsely fertile island of the southern Cyclades between Naxos and Thera, with an area of 103 km2 and rising to 735 m (Pirgos). The eponymous town was located on the eastern side, near the modern main town. Few remains: the chief sanctuary of Apollo Pythios [2. 308f.; 311f.] is extant, also some prehistoric finds [1. 24], and the ruins of an ancient guard tower (Psaropyrgos). I. claims to be the home of  Homer and displays his tomb close to the northern tip of the island near the moder…

(Κάλυδναι; Kálydnai). [German version] [1] Archipelago between Tenedus and the mainland Archipelago between Tenedus and the mainland (Sen. Tro. 839; Quint. Smyrn. 7,407; 12,453; Lycoph. 25); in disagreement with Str. 13,1,46, probably not between Lecton and Tenedus, but north of Tenedus; modern Tavşan Adaları. Kalcyk, Hansjörg (Petershausen) [German version] [2] see Calymna see  Calymna Kalcyk, Hansjörg (Petershausen) Bibliography L. Bürchner, s.v. K., RE 10, 1761f.

[German version] (Αἴγινα; Aígina). The island of A. (83 km2), named after the nymph A. (favourite daughter of the river god Asopus), lies almost in the centre of the Saronic Gulf; the port of A. is only 16 nautical miles from  Piraeus. The island is stony, arid, but not entirely barren. According to Str. 8,6,16, it had a circumference of 180 stades ( c. 32 km), and its ancient inhabitants numbered between 13,000 and 20,000. The oldest traces of settlements (end of the 4th millennium BC) have to date been found near Cape Skenderotti (Kolonna). In about 2500 …

[German version] (Λέλαντον, Ληλάντιον or Ληλάντου πεδίον; Lélanton, Lēlántion or Lēlántou pedíon). Fertile plain between Chalcis and Eretria, the possession of which was the object of the ‘Lelantine War’ at the beginning of the 7th cent. BC between these two cities and their allies. Str. 1,3,16; 10,1,9; 3,6; 10,3,6; H. Hom. 2,220; Callim. H. 4,289; Plut. Mor. 153f; Theophr. Hist. pl. 8,8,5; 8,10,4; Ael. VH 6,1; SEG XIII, 178; 312. In the Middle Ages the Lelantion pedion was still called Lilanto. Kalcyk, Hansjörg (Petershausen) Meyer, Ernst (Zürich)

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Byzantium | Colonization | Pergamum (Κίος; Kíos). Port town in the eastern part of the Gulf of  Propontis (which is named after it) on the river of the same name, modern Gemlik. C. was the starting-point of the roads to  Nicaea and  Prusa. According to Apoll. Rhod. 4,1470, a foundation of the Argonauts ( Argonautae, map), coins show Hercules as the founder of the city (HN 512-514); according to Plin. HN 5,144 founded by Milesians. C. participated in …

(Ἀρτεμίσιον; Artemísion). [German version] [1] Coastal strip of Euboia facing Magnesia A. was probably the ancient name for the entire coastal strip of  Euboea facing the  Magnesia peninsula (Plin. HN 4,64). Close to the modern village of Artemision, above the bay of Pevki, are the remains of a small temple of Artemis ‘facing towards the east’ (Proseoa), which as an amphictyonic sanctuary also formed the cultural centre of the region around  Histiaea. The famous bronze statue of Poseidon (nowadays in the N…