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ANCIENT CITY OF KAMIROS

The History of ancient Kamiros

The ancient City Of Kamiros is one of the most significant historical and archeological sites on the island of Rhodes.
If you are a history geek, then your list of local sights to visit would be incomplete without Kamiros.

On the north-western shore of Rhodes, close to the promontory of Saint Minas (the Ancient Mylantio), lies one of the three Rhodian ancient cities, Kamiros.

Kamiros was one of the three large Doric cities of the island, which was united with Ialyssos and Lindos in the 5th century B.C. to create the powerful city-state of Rhodes. Although it was established by the Dorians, it seems like the first residents of the area must have been the Achaeans, as we can tell by the ruins of an ancient Mycenaean necropolis close to the village of Kalavarda. Kamiros was basically an agricultural society which produced oil, wine and figs.

During the city’s golden area in the 6th century, it was the first Rhodian city to cut its own coins. Kamiros has been often compared to Pompeii, despite the fact that Kamiros fall was not caused by a natural disaster.

Its decline, like the decline of Ialyssos, was the result of the gradual urbanization with its residents moving to the city of Rhodes, which was established in 408 B.C. In 1929 archaeologists located the ruins of the ancient city and the excavations that brought it back to life continued till the end of World War II.

The motive to start the excavations was the accidental discovery of some ancient graves, as well as the name of the area, which was Kamiros and which had been reforested by the time. The findings revealed during the process have been taken to the British Museum and the Louvre.

We hope that someday these archaeological treasures will be given back to Greece in order to be exposed to the public in their home, the archaeological museum of Rhodes.

 

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