Ancient Kamiros

Kamiros was one of the three great ancient cities of Rodos that reached its heyday in the 6th and 5th Century BC, thanks to its developed agricultural economy. The ruins of the city and neighbouring necropolis were uncovered in 1859 in what had over the centuries, become a wooded area. Its grand public buildings, the Agora, temples, private residences and the Acropolis at the hilltop, witness the glamour and wealth of ancient Kamiros.

In the aftermath of the foundation of the City of Rodos in 408 BC, Kamiros started to decline, although it remained inhabited until the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. Kamiros was the home of the great poets Peisandros and Anaxandrides. It is a very important archaeological site, as the ancient village is preserved in excellent condition.

The remains of the enclosure and the pavilion of a temple of the goddess Athena Kamirada were found in the acropolis of Kamiros. The city’s sewer system and a large water cistern have been preserved. Kamiros was built in tiers. Its houses belong to the Late Hellenistic and Roman times.

Important findings from the area now adorn the collections of the British Museum and the Louvre, while only a few, such as the famous headstone of Krito and Timarista, from the end of the 5th century BC, are found in the Archaeological Museum of Rodos.

Source: www.rodosisland.gr