International Hippocratic

Foundation of Kos.



ROOTS AND HISTORY.

As with all Greek states and towns, the roots of the history of Kos are in mythology.

One mention as to the early inhabitants of the island is found in Homer's "Iliad" and relates to the story of Hercules, the well known hero of mythology. According to this story, Hercules was the son of Zeus and of a mortal woman named Alkmene, whom Zeus deceived by appearing as her husband Amphitryon. Hera, Goddess - wife of Zeus was forced by him into breast-feeding the newborn child. This made Hera very angry and, when Hercules grew up and got children of his own, she sent her mania upon him, as a result of which all his children died. Heart-broken Hercules sought the advice of the Oracle of Delphi. It sent him wondering throughout the ancient world. After many years of adventures ­dangers he faced and battles he fought to save his life - Hercules landed on Kos. There he married Halkiope, sister of King Halkon, and started a new family.

Homer also mentions that Kos, alongwith other near-by islands, had sent thirty deep ships to support the Greeks in the Trojan War. These ships were under the leadership of the Koan brothers Pheidip­pos and Antiphos, sons of Thessalos and grandsons of Hercules. As early as the 7th Century BC (two centuries before the Golden Age of Athens) the economy of Kos was booming. Main activities of the population included cultivation of various crops, animal pro­duction, fishing, pottery, manufacture of medical tools, shipping tools and silk weaving. So well known was the silk produced there, that all fine quality cloths had come to be referred to as "Koa" in the ancient world. All these activities had led to the organisation of advanced commerce on a community basis, as a result of which many well known settlements evolved.


City-states and small towns had flourished on the Island during all historical years upto the birth of Hippocrates, and afterwards, in the post-Classical and Hellenistic years of Alexander the Great and his successors, as well as during the Roman and Early Byzantine periods.

Beside the economy, culture also flourished in ancient Kos. Several well known Koans are mentioned among the men who contributed to the ancient Greek intellectual achievements. Such are Ariston the philosopher, Soranos the historian, Epicharmos the comic poet, Philetas the lyric poet, Herondas the poet who praised the artistic master pieces ot the Asclepieion, Apellis the painter and others.

Koans had also advanced in matters of their government. Since as early as 590 BC they had abolished monarchy and had established one of the earliest republics, granting supreme authority to the People's Assembly.

In geo-political matters, the Koans were always under the influence, protection, or occupation of other greater powers. Thus, toward the end of the 6th Century BC the Persians dominated Kos alongwith other islands of the Aegean and with Greek cities of Asia Minor.


After the defeat of the Persians by the Greeks, in 480 BC, Kos became one of the states forming the Athenian Confederation, which lasted, and off-and-on flourished, up to 377 BC. During the 4th and 3rd century BC, Kos witnessed its greatest development and its popula­tion rose to over 50,000.

In 332 BC Kos was occupied once again by the Persians, but was liberated by the admirals of Alexander the Great in the same year.

Alexander declared all Greek cities and states autonomous and Kos became an ally and a part of his Empire.

In the 2nd Century BC, when the Roman Empire had extended its boundaries as far east as the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Kos drew up an alliance with Rome.

Koans were among the first people of the ancient world to convert to Christianity. Kos was one of the places that Saint Paul had visited during his world travels.

In AD 330, when the Roman Empire was divided into the Western Empire with its seat in Rome and Eastern Empire with its seat in Constantinople, Kos became a part of the Eastern Greek Orthodox Empire. A period followed during which the Island was raided by the Visigoths, the Slavs and the Avars. A great earthquake in AD 554 completed the destruction that the various raiders had began. It was then that the Asklepieion was destroyed.

After the earthquake, the towns of the Island were rebuilt partially. Over the next few hundred years there were periods of growth but also of destructive invasions by armies from the East as well as from the North. In AD 1315, Kos was occupied by the Crusaders of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. Using what was left of the Asklepieion as building material, they built the castle that still stands today by the port of the city of Kos.


Next Page: HIPPOCRATES OF KOS AND HIS LEGACY.


Back to the Top of the page!

Take me back!

Last update: 10-05-2010.