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Ancient Thasos

The history of the island starts with the Phoenician colonization due to the gold and silver mines. The mines are located in the eastern part of the island, as we reported it from Herodotus. According to tradition, the name of the island comes from the Phoenician prince Thassos. Thassos, grandson or son of the Phoenician king Agenor, after looking in different places and islands of Europe finally came to Thassos. Fascinated by the good climate and the lush vegetation of the island and not be able to return with Europe he gives up the search. He settled down on the island together with his entourage, and since then the island bears his name.

Herodotus, the greatest historian of the ancient world is categorically on this subject. The name of Thassos is of course etymologically to the word Dasos (Forest). The island was named is well Idonis, Chrysis, Lerii and Aeria. Before the settlement of Greek tribes from southern Greece were living on the island Greek War tribes from Thrace. The first Greeks from the south who settled in Thassos were Parier of Paros, which found many cities across from Kavala and colonized places that were rich in gold and silver. The colonies of Thassos were Galipsos (beach Karyanis) Aisymi or Isymi (Nea Peramos), the Skapti Yli (in Paggaio - Neapolis (Kavala), Krinides (Philippi) and Strymi near Maronia.

Thassos developed in a short time in a rich navy and commercial state, with two ports. The power had three man, the so-called "Theori" who were elected each year, and their names were written on a wall. Thassians emboss in the 6th century BC coins to build a strong military merchant fleet, the construction of the city walls, the ports and large public buildings. Thus, a flourishing civilization developed through a series of architectural projects, ceramics and sculpture are today to be seen in the Museum of Thassos, but also in other European museums. The distribution of the Thassian trade is visible from the seals on their wine amphorae, findings from Russia and the Black Sea coast to Egypt can be found, as well as coins of the island in Central and Western Europe. Besides the wine was Thassos and is famous for its marble, which was very popular throughout the ancient world. The marble mines are in Aliki that is in the south-eastern part of the island. The location of Thassos not only has promoted trade with the Thracians and the deep main land but also a reed rod for travelers. Thassos was a crossroad by sea from Alexandria Troy on the coast of Thrace, to southern Greece and the Cyclades and to the Black Sea. The ports provided safety for the ships and from the Acropolis which region is inhabited from 700 BC until today was the sea and the opposite coast Control.
On the ruins of the ancient buildings Byzantine buildings were built and on them Venetian and finally destroyed by the Turkish occupation.
The decades follow without interruptions. At the end of the Copper Age Thassos communicated with the Mycenaean world and the mainland of Thrace. Thassos evolving into a cultural center in the northern Aegean and influenced the Hellenism of Thrace and other Greek tribes on the mainland. In the second half of the 7th century BC the first Thassian colonization begin in Thrace. Neapolis (Kavala) and Isymi (Nea Peramos) are the oldest Thassian colonies. Until the beginning of the 5th BC Thassos colonial state ranged from Strimona River to Nestos River and called himself the "Thassian Continent".

The Temple of Poseidon

The Temple of Poseidon is built near the sea in the east of the port and directly opposite the gates of the sea wall so that it was easily accessible to seafarers. Before the facade is still in good condition today kept the altar of Hera. The interior of the temple is divided by walls which are now dilapidated in rooms served as the homes of priests and for different religious purposes.
The ancient wall of Thassos is one of the most beautiful and evocative ruins of the ancient. The wall around the temple and the ancient city with 12 towers has a length of about four kilometers. As for building material was used marble and slate. Often the boulders cause admiration for their size. The numerous gates were dedicated to protectors of the city and gods with very important reliefs. The wall of Thassos is marked by the different eras. Over the centuries there have been disasters and repairs. New fortifications are in I5 and 14th century built by the Genoese also at the Acropolis and the harbor.
The ancient theater of Thassos is one of the most impressive and most beautiful theater of the ancient world that have been restored and now serve for different culture events. The theater was first mentioned by the father of medicine Hippocrates, who lived on the island at the end of the 5th century. Near the harbor, the ruins of the political and religious center of the ancient city, the Agora extend, with monuments and buildings.

The Temple of Artemis

Artemisio is one of the oldest monuments of the island. It dates back to the 6th century BC. and is located south of the Passage of Theories, on the slope of the hill on an artificial hill. In the sanctuary, in 1910, statues of noblewomen of Thassos (Theanai) were found, which were transferred to the Constantinople Museum while the excavations
brought to light votives and vessels of the archaic period (700-500 BC). Most of the finds in this area are things used by women who dedicated them to their patron goddess, Artemis. Gold or copper or ivory jewelry, mirrors, lamps, clay figurines of various types, colorful glass vases, etc. All this shows how important the worship of the goddess was already from the early archaic era. This Sanctuary is the same one that Hippocrates, the inquisitive Greek physician, saw when he arrived in Thassos, at the end of the 5th century BC. century.