Greece - Korina Miller [414]
The Dodecanese islanders were the first Greeks to become Christians. This was through the tireless efforts of St Paul, who made two journeys to the archipelago during the 1st century, and through St John, who was banished to Patmos where he had his revelation and added a chapter to the Bible.
The early Byzantine era saw the islands prosper, but by the 7th century AD they were plundered by a string of invaders. The Knights of St John of Jerusalem (Knights Hospitaller), arrived in the 14th century and eventually became rulers of almost all the Dodecanese, building mighty fortifications that were strong enough to withstand time but not sufficient to keep out the Turks in 1522.
The Turks were ousted by the Italians in 1912 during a tussle over possession of Libya. The Italians, inspired by Mussolini’s vision of a vast Mediterranean empire, made Italian the official language of the Dodecanese and prohibited the practice of Orthodoxy. The Italians constructed grandiose public buildings in the Fascist style, which was the antithesis of archetypal Greek architecture. More beneficially, they excavated and restored many archaeological monuments.
After the Italian surrender of 1943, the islands (and particularly Leros) became a battleground for British and German forces, with much suffering inflicted upon the population. The Dodecanese were formally returned to Greece in 1947.
Return to beginning of chapter
RHODES ΡΟΔΟΣ
Rhodes (ro-dos) is the jewel in the Dodecanese crown. It embraces you with its mild climate and charms you with the best of both worlds – the buzz of its beautiful, cultured capital and the tranquillity of its beaches and stunning scenery. It has worthwhile sights and quiet villages and offers plenty of places to get lost – from the labyrinthine back streets of the almost magical World Heritage–listed Old Town to the snaking mountain roads. Rhodes is also a great base for daytrips to surrounding islands and is very family-friendly. No wonder so many people make it their sole destination.
History
The Minoans and Mycenaeans were among the first to have outposts on the islands, but it wasn’t until the Dorians arrived in 1100 BC that Rhodes began to exert power and influence. The Dorians settled in the cities of Kamiros, Ialysos and Lindos, and made each of them prosperous and autonomous states.
Rhodes continued to prosper until Roman times, switching alliances like a pendulum. It was allied to Athens in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC), in which the Persians were defeated, but had shifted to the Persian side by the time of the Battle of Salamis (480 BC). After the unexpected Athenian victory at Salamis, Rhodes hastily became an ally of Athens again, joining the Delian League in 477 BC. Following the disastrous Sicilian Expedition (416–412 BC), Rhodes revolted against Athens and formed an alliance with Sparta, which it aided in the Peloponnesian Wars.
In 408 BC the cities of Kamiros, Ialysos and Lindos consolidated their powers for mutual protection and expansion by co-founding the city of Rhodes. Rhodes became Athens’ ally again, and together they defeated Sparta at the Battle of Knidos (394 BC). Rhodes then joined forces with Persia in a battle against Alexander the Great but, when Alexander proved invincible, quickly allied itself with him.
In 305 BC Antigonus, one of Ptolemy’s rivals, sent his son, the formidable Demetrius Poliorketes (the Besieger of Cities), to conquer Rhodes. The city managed to repel Demetrius after a long siege. To celebrate this victory, the 32m-high bronze statue of Helios Apollo (Colossus of Rhodes), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was built.
After the defeat of Demetrius, Rhodes knew no bounds. It built the biggest navy in the Aegean and its port became a principal Mediterranean trading centre. The arts also flourished. When Greece became the battleground upon which Roman