Search

[German version] (Αἰγαῖον πέλαγος; Aigaîon pélagos). The ‘Aegean Sea’ (AS), first mentioned in Aesch. Ag. 664; Hdt. 2,97; 4,85; 7,55; Ps.-Scyl. 58, extended according to Hdt. 2,113; Str. 10,4,2 from the opening of the Hellespontus to the island of Crete. According to other sources, it extended only as far as the island of Cos (Str. 7,7,4; 2,5,21), or ended west of Sounion (Plin. HN 4,9,19). Str. 2,5,21 reports the AS to be 4,000 stades ( c. 708 km) long and 2,000 stades wide ( c. 354 km). The frequent separation of the Icarian Sea defines the south-eastern extent along the arch…

[German version] (Αἰδηψός; Aidēpsós). The spa of A. on  Euboea, famous even in antiquity because of its hot (78°C) mineral springs, sacred to  Heracles, was located about 3 km north of the modern resort of Loutra Aidepsou, location of the polis of A. A. was initially part of the polis of  Histiaea which, in its prime, dominated the entire north of the island. The earthquake of 427 BC caused the springs to run dry for three days (FGrH 85 Demetrius of Callatis fr. 6). As early as in the 3rd cent. BC,…

[German version] (Ἀμάρυνθος; Amárynthos). The town A. on the island  Euboea belonged as deme to  Eretria. A. lay c. 10 km east of modern Eretria on the Palaiochoria or Palaiokastro hill (formerly Kato Vatheia) on the coast. The place was already important in the neolithic period and remained continuously inhabited up into the Byzantine period. The name has pre-Greek origins. The sanctuary of  Artemis Amarysia lay in A.; her festival was lavishly celebrated annually (Str. 10,1,10; Liv. 35,38,3) and extended all the way to  Attica to the deme of  Athmonon (modern Marusi). Kalcyk, Hansjör…

(Γεραιστός; Geraistós). [German version] [1] Southernmost tip of Euboea In antiquity, G. was the name for the southernmost tip of Euboea: Hdt. 8,7,1; 9,105; Str. 10,1,2; Plin. HN 4,63; GGM I, 500; Scyl. 58. Called Cape Tzeraso in the Middle Ages, it became an anchorage for Genoan and Venetian ships (remnants of fortifications). Today Cape Mandelo. Kalcyk, Hansjörg (Petershausen) Bibliography F. Geyer, Top. und Gesch. der Insel Euboia 1, 1903, 111ff. Lauffer, Griechenland, 231. [German version] [2] Harbour on the southern coast of Euboea The only safe harbour on the dreaded sou…

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Persian Wars (Ἱστίαια; Histíaia). City on the north coast of Euboea, still not identified, probably to be found near Xirochori, a settlement of Thessalian Hellopii and Perrhaebi. The territory of H. originally covered the entire north of Euboea (Dem. Or. 23,213) and was known for its wine (Hom. Il. 2,537). The temple of Artemis Proseoa in Artemisium was its main sanctuary. After the naval battle at Cape Artemisium, the Persians occupied and plunde…

[German version] (Αἰγιλία, Αἰγιαλία; Aigilía, Aigialía). Island in the southern  Aegean Sea; Plin. HN 4,57; Plut. Cleom. 31), with an area of 22 km2. In Byzantine times called Antikythera, under Venetian rule Cerigotto. The seemingly sole ancient settlement was located near Palaiokastro in the north-east of the island. To the north of A., an ancient shipwreck was discovered in AD 1900, where the ‘Youth of A.’ and other bronze and marble statues have been found (nowadays at the National Museum in Athens). Amongst the f…

[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 …

[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…

[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] (Καλαύρεια; Kalaúreia). Island in the south of the Saronic Gulf off the coast of the Argive Acte (21 km2, up to a height of 283 m), modern Poros. Grave finds have verified that the island was already inhabited in Mycenaean times [1. 297ff.]. The ancient town with its famous  Poseidon sanctuary (right of asylum) -- partially extant and excavated -- was situated in the interior of the island. The earliest finds from the sanctuary date back to the geometric period; the temple was built at the end of …

[German version] (Κίμωλος; Kímolōs). Island of the Cyclades (35 km2) north-east of Melos, mountainous (Palaiokastro 398 m), composed of the same volcanic tuff as Melos. ‘Cimolian earth’ (cimolite), a grease-dissolving soapy clay, was used for washing and for the production of porcelain. Another Cimolian export article were figs. The ancient town was situated in the south-west near the modern Hellenika. Some graves in the necropolis even date back to pre-Mycenaean times; finds range from the 2nd millenni…

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Attica (Βούδορον; Boúdoron). Settlement on  Salamis, important Athenian base during the Peloponnesian War. In 429 BC,  Cnemus laid siege to the fortress to no avail. From his base in B.,  Nicias captured the Megarian fortress of Minoa and Nisaea in 427 BC. Remains of walls were found south-west of the monastery of Phaneromeni (founded in 1661). Kalcyk, Hansjörg (Petershausen) Bibliography P. W. Haider, s.v. Salamis, in: Lauffer, Griechenland, 596.

[German version] (Γύαρος; Gýaros). Island 17 km2 in size, uninhabited today (micaceous slate) of the north-western Cyclades, modern Jura or Gioura. On the eastern side there are traces of old terrace cultures, and close to a spring and an old mole are the remains of the ancient town of G. that minted its own copper coins in the 3rd cent. BC; at the time of Strabo G. was still only a poor fishing village, in the Imperial period it was a feared place of exile (Tac. Ann. 3,68; 4,30; Plut. Mor. 602c.; Ju…

[German version] (Κοῖλα; Koîla). The south-east coast of  Euboea (Hdt. 8,13f.; Dion. Chrys. 7,2; 7; Eur. Tro. 84; 90; Ptol. 3,15,25) that was feared because of its storms. In Str. 10,1,2; Val. Max. 1,8,10; Liv. 31,47,1; Oros. 6,15,11, C. is the southern part of the straits of Euboea up to Euripos. Kalcyk, Hansjörg (Petershausen) Bibliography F. Geyer, Top. und Gesch. der Insel Euboia 1, 1903, 7ff.

[German version] (Ἀμοργός; Amorgós). Easternmost island of the  Cyclades (121 km2), mountainous (Krikelon 821 m). The three ancient main towns of the island were all located on its north-western coast:  Aegiale, Minoa (near the modern main port of Katapola, and modern Chora, officially A.), and Arcesine. The island was densely populated in the prehistoric period, and supposedly served as a trade post from the 3rd millennium onwards. Rich grave finds from the early Cycladic period show close links with Cer…