The Knights of Rhodes [antikvár]

RHODES: HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDLike an enormous dolphin basking in the Aegean sea between Asia Minor and Crete, lies the island of Rhodes. Its mild climate, fertile land and location on the sea route between East and West are the three main contributory factors to the rich history of this privileged isle.Its beginnings emerge from the mists of the ancient myths, for Pindar relates that when the world was divided among the gods, Helios chose Rhodes, then rising up from the depths of the sea, as his domain. This echoes the folk memory of a geological event now confirmed by the findings of science. The germ of historical truth can also be seen in the motley web of myths Diodoros took from the historian Zenon: Al-thaimenes is said to have fled his native Crete, pursued by a curse and to escape killing his father, and landed at Kamiros on Rhodes. Kad-mos too, in his wanderings in search of Europa, is said to have come to Rhodes. All these reflect actual happenings, validated by archaeological research through the discovery of Minoan colonies on the'island.Recent finds of Neolithic date, from the region of the villages of Archangelos and Kallithies, indicate that Rhodes was not deserted in that period. Excavation data also show that by the Middle Helladic period (1900-1550 BC) Greeks were installed on the island. The settlement of Trianda on the northwest coast is dated circa 1550 BC. The rich finds from the extensive cemeteries of lalysos and Kamiros reveal a floruit in Mycenaean times. According to ancient tradition, when the Dorians reached Rhodes their leader, TIepolemos, divided the island into three cities, lalysos, Lindos and Kamiros.The economic development of Lindos in Geometric times paralleled that of the Ionian cities of Asia Minor. Located on an arid and infertile part of the east coast, overlooking the shipping lane to the East, its siting alone reveals the intentions of its founders and all those who livedthere afterwards: the sea was its raison d'etre. Thus, Lindos developed into a major naval and-mercantile centre between the 8th and 6th cen-tury BC. Its decline began in the early years of the 5th century BC, when it came into conflict with Persian imperialism and the expansionist policy of the king of the Medes in the Aegean.The three Rhodian cities evidently lived together in peace and harmony. No wars or lesser internecine strife are mentioned as disrupting relations between them. Indeed, circa 700 BC, together with Kos and two cities of the Asia Minor littoral, Knidos and Halikarnassos, they formed the Dorian hexapolis (subsequently pentapolis after Halikarnassos' withdrawal), the religious centre of which was the Sanctuary of Apollo Triopios at Knidos. Kamiros and Lindos minted their own coinage in the 6th century BC and lalysos in the 5th.The economic development of the Rhodian cities was interrupted for some years as a conse^ quence of Persian domination. During the Persian Wars, the subjugate Rhodians were forced to fight on the side of the foe (in the naval battle at Salamis). Around the middle of the 5th century BC. Rhodes became a member of the Athenian League and thenceforth, at least until the close of that century, lalysos played a leading role in island politics. During the final decades of the 5th century, Dorieus from lalysos, son of the Olympic victor Diagoras and himself an Olympic victor, persuaded the Rhodians to build a large modern city to be settled by the citizens of all three existing cities. The charter for the synoecism was drawn up in circa 411 BC and building of the new city, which was called Rhodes, commenced in 408 BC.The city of Rhodes was founded at the northernmost tip of the Island and designed to the latest specifications. It was traversed by a grid of streets at right angles and had an excellent water supply and sewerage svstem. Sanctuaries and