Ancient Kamiros

The distance between Kamiros and Rhodes Town is about 32 km. Kamiros used to be one of the most powerful cities on the island. The archaeologists trace its existence up to the 8th century B.C. It was the first city on the island which produced its own coin. Unfortunately, after the foundation of Rhodes Town, Kamiros gradually started to lose its importance. Then there were a number of earthquakes which made the inhabitants to abandon the city. Excavations on the site were used to be the settlement started in the 1850s. At that time many of the precious finds were sent to the British Museum. Systematic excavation and scientific restoration began later in the 20th century. Because of the great work of the archaeologists nowadays we may contemplate the layout and design of this ancient Hellenistic city.

Kamiros was built on three levels. On top of the hill there was the Acropolis with the Temple of Athena Kameiras. There was also a huge reservoir which supplied with water around 400 families. Part of this system done from terracotta pipes and different tanks can still be visible. Later, on top of the reservoir was built the magnificent Stoa. It consisted of two rows of Doric columns with the place for some shops and lodgings.

The main part of the settlement was on the middle terrace. There were a number of parallel streets and residential blocks. The specialists say that the lodgings decorated with mosaics and frescos had beautiful colonnaded courtyards and architraves.

Agora, the place where political issues were discussed, was on the lower level. There was also a kind of fountain from with the water was taken by the locals and Doric Temple probably devoted to Apollo. Kamiros is a priceless source of information about the people who lived here in the past. After walking along the remains of the former magnificent city we conclude that ancient society had their technologies, valued domestic comfort, had incredible art and relatively progressive political system. Sometimes Kamiros is compared with famous Pompeii. Of course, it is an exaggeration there are more differences than similarities, but the common ground between these two places is their impotence for the reconstruction of the history of our civilization.