Listed 22 sub titles with search on: History for wider area of: "SYROS Province KYKLADES" .
DELOS (Island) KYKLADES
Confederacy of. A league entered into by the Greek States under
the hegemony of Athens in B.C. 478, with the primary object of defending Greece
against the designs of Persia. The league obtained its name from the fact that
the representatives of the States composing it met periodically at the island
of Delos, in the temple of Apollo and Artemis. Each State contributed at its option
either ships or money according to the assessment proposed by Aristides, representing
Athens, and ratified by the assembled delegates. The first assessment amounted
to 460 talents, or about $550,000. The contributions were collected and administered
by officers called Hellenotamiae.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Aristides . . he and his colleague Cimon had the glory of obtaining for Athens the command of the maritime confederacy (Confederacy of Delos); and to Aristides was by general consent intrusted the task of drawing up its laws and fixing its assessments. The first tribute of four hundred and sixty talents, paid into a common treasury at Delos, bore his name.
A Permanent Structure for the Alliance
Under Athenian direction, the Greek alliance against Persia took on
a permanent organizational structure. Member states swore a solemn oath never
to desert the coalition. The members were predominately located in northern Greece,
on the islands of the Aegean Sea, and along the western coast of Anatolia--that
is, in the areas most exposed to Persian attack. Most of the independent city-states
of the Peloponnese, on the other hand, remained in their traditional alliance
with the Spartans. This alliance of Sparta and its allies, which modern historians
refer to as the Peloponnesian League, had an assembly to set policy, but no action
could be taken unless the Spartan leaders agreed to it. The alliance headed by
Athens also had an assembly of representatives to make policy. Its structure was
supposed to allow participation by all its members.
The Finances of the Alliance (Delian League)
The Athenian representatives came to dominate this erstwhile democracy, however,
as a result of the special arrangements made to finance the alliance's naval operations.
Aristides set the different levels of payments the various member states were
to pay each year, based on their size and prosperity. The Greek word describing
the payments was phoros, literally "that which is brought". Modern historians
refer to the payments as "tribute", but the translation "dues"
might come closer to the official terminology of the alliance, so long as it is
remembered that these dues were compulsory and permanent. For their tribute payments,
larger member states were assessed the responsibility of supplying entire warships
complete with crews and pay; smaller states could share the cost of a ship, or
simply contribute cash which would be put together with others' payments to pay
for ships and crews. Over time, more and more of the members of the alliance chose
to pay their dues in cash rather than go to the trouble of furnishing warships.
The alliance's funds were kept on the centrally-located island of Delos, in the
group of islands in the Aegean Sea called the Cyclades, where they were placed
under the guardianship of the god Apollo, to whom the whole island of Delos was
sacred. Historians today refer to the alliance as the Delian League because its
treasury was originally located on Delos.
The Warships of the Delian League
The warship of the time was a narrow vessel built for speed called a trireme("triple-banks-of-oars
ship"), a name derived from its having three tiers of oarsmen on each side
for propulsion in battle. One hundred and eighty rowers were needed to propel
a trireme, which fought mainly by ramming enemy ships with a metal-clad ram attached
to the bow and thus sinking them bypuncturing their hulls below the water line.
Triremes also carried a complement of about twenty officers and marines; the marines,
armed as infantry, could board enemy ships. Effective battle tactics in triremes
required extensive training and physical conditioning of the crews. Most member
states of the Delian League preferred to pay their annual dues in cash instead
of furnishing triremes because it was beyond their capacities to build ships as
specialized as triremes and to train crews in the intricate teamwork required
to work triple banks of oars in battle maneuvers. Athens was far richer and more
populous than most of its allies in the Delian League, and it not only had the
shipyards and craftsmen to build triremes in numbers but also a large pool of
poorer men eager to earn pay as rowers. Therefore, Athens built and manned most
of the alliance's triremes, using the dues of allies to supplement its own contribution.
The Rebellion of Thasos
Since Athens supplied the largest number of warships in the fleet of the Delian
League, the balance of power in the League came firmly into the hands of the Athenian
assembly, whose members decided how Athenian ships were to be employed. Members
of the League had no effective recourse if they disagreed with decisions made
for the League as a whole under Athenian leadership. Athens, for instance, could
compel the League to send its ships to force reluctant allies to go on paying
dues if they stopped making their annual payments. The most egregious instance
of such compulsion was the case of the city-state of the island of Thasos which,
in 465 B.C, unilaterally withdrew from the Delian League after a dispute with
Athens over gold mines on the neighboring mainland. To compel the Thasians to
keep their sworn agreement to stay in the League, the Athenians led the fleet
of the Delian League, including ships from other member states, against Thasos.
The attack turned into a protracted siege, which finally ended after three years'
campaigns in 463 B.C. with the island's surrender. As punishment, the League forced
Thasos to pull down its defensive walls, give up its navy, and pay enormous dues
and fines. As Thucydides observed, rebellious allies like the Thasians "lost
their independence", making the Athenians as the League's leaders "no
longer as popular as they used to be".
The Military and Financial Success of the Delian League
The Athenian-dominated Delian League enjoyed success after success against the Persians in the 470s and 460s. Within twenty years after the rout of the Persian fleet in the battle of Salamis in 479, almost all Persian garrisons had been expelled from the Greek world and the Persian fleet driven from the Aegean. Although the Persian heartland was not threatened by these setbacks, Persia ceased to be a threat to Greeks for the next fifty years. Athens meanwhile grew stronger from its share of the spoils captured from Persian outposts and the dues paid by its members. By the middle of the fifth century B.C., League members' dues alone totaled an amount equivalent to perhaps $200,000,000 in contemporary terms (based on the assumption of $80 as the average daily pay of a worker today). For a state the size of Athens (around 30,000 to 40,000 adult male citizens at the time), this annual income meant prosperity.
Athenian Self-Interest in Empire
The male citizens meeting in the assembly decided how to spend the city-state's income. Rich and poor alike had a self-interest in keeping the the fleet active and the allies paying for it. Well-heeled aristocrats like Cimon (c. 510-450 B.C.), the son of Miltiades the victor of the battle of Marathon, could enhance their social status by commanding successful League campaigns and then spending their share of the spoils on benefactions to Athens. The numerous Athenian men of lesser means who rowed the Delian League's ships came to depend on the income they earned on League expeditions. The allies were given no choice but to acquiesce to Athenian wishes on League policy. The men of Athens insisted on freedom for themselves, but they failed to preserve it for the member states in the alliance that had been born in the fight for just this sort of freedom from domination by others. In this way, alliance was transformed into empire, despite Athenian support of democractic governments in some allied city-states previously ruled by oligarchies. From the Athenian point of view, this transformation was justified because, by keeping the allies in line, the alliance remained strong enough to do its job of protecting Greece from the Persians.
This text is from: Thomas Martin's An Overview of Classical Greek History from Homer to Alexander, Yale University Press. Cited Mar 2003 from Perseus Project URL below, which contains bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
Syntaxis.. The tribute paid by the allies of Athens into the treasury of the League was originally called phoros. But after the downfall of the Athenian supremacy, and the establishment of the second confederacy in B.C. 378-7, the old name was dropped, as it had grown hateful to the allies with the general unpopularity of the rule of Athens, and the new assessment was known as suntaxis.
The ancient Persian and Greek cultures did not exist in isolation. There was
cross-fertilization. The present article contains a description of Persia's influence
on Greece.
Politics: Delian league
The most remarkable aspect of the Delian League is that it was
a maritime empire. Earlier Greek (con)federations of Greek towns had all been
land-based. A maritime empire demands another kind of organization, not in the
least because the lines of communication can be threatened in the winter, whereas
transport between the member states is much cheaper. This makes it unlikely that
a Greek league was the model of the Athenian empire, and it is possible that the
western part of the Achaemenid empire -with its maritime lines of communication
and active navy- was the real source of inspiration.
The maritime organization of the western part of the Achaemenid empire
was was a result of king Cambyses' conquest of Egypt
(525 BCE), which was only possible after the building of a large imperial navy.
(Without marine superiority, it was impossible for an army to cross through the
Sinai desert, because any army marching to the west would be exposed to Egyptian
naval actions.)
When Egypt was defeated and added to the Achaemenid empire, it was
necessary to keep the navy to control the new region. Many men and lots of silver
and gold were necessary for the upkeep, and the result was the monetarization
of the tribute by king Darius the Great. Although it was still possible to pay
in kind, payments in cash were preferred.
The organization of the western Achaemenid empire was, therefore,
largely based on the demands of the navy, and the Athenians copied certain aspects
of this. For example, the ships of the Persian navy had a mixed crew: the rowers
came from various parts of the empire. The Athenian ships were partly manned by
Athenians, partly by the allies. Towns in the Achaemenid empire could pay their
tribute by manning ships; the kings appreciated this type of tribute, because
towns that had sent part of their manhood away, were less likely to revolt. The
Athenians did the same.
But the main factor is the tribute system. After the Greeks had defeated
the Persians, the Athenians took over the Persian fiscal organization of the Greek
towns in Asia. After the Ionian revolt, the satrap of Lydia
and Ionia, Artaphernes, had
established the tribute that the Greek towns had to pay, and the Athenians did
not change his system. Every four year, the Athenians and their subjects revised
the tariff.
At least in theory, the subject towns could negotiate about the amount
they owed to their masters, and it is tempting to link this fact to the remark
by Herodotus that the Persians regarded king Darius as a merchant (kapelos) because
he negotiated about everything (Histories 3.89). This is really remarkable, because
a king was not supposed to make deals with his subjects about the prize of his
reign.
The negotiations between the ruler -whether Persian or Athenian- suggest
a voluntariness and an equality which probably did not really exist. But the illusion
was kept intact in both empires.
Janine Bakker, ed.
This text is cited July 2003 from the Livius Ancient History Website URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks.
Of this design you will find that Caius Verres was not only a partaker, but was even the chief instigator. [46] He came to Delos. There from that most holy temple of Apollo he privately took away by night the most beautiful and ancient statues, and took care that they were all placed on board his own transport. The next day, when the inhabitants of Delos saw their temple plundered, they were very indignant. For the holiness and antiquity of that temple is so great in their eyes, that they believe that Apollo himself was born in that place. However, they did not dare to say one word about it, lest haply Dolabella (praetor urbanus) himself might be concerned in the business.
Now although Delos had become so famous, yet the razing of Corinth to the ground by the Romans increased its fame still more; for the importers changed their business to Delos because they were attracted both by the immunity which the temple enjoyed and by the convenient situation of the harbor; for it is happily situated for those who are sailing from Italy and Greece to Asia. The general festival is a kind of commercial affair, and it was frequented by Romans more than by any other people, even when Corinth was still in existence. And when the Athenians took the island they at the same time took good care of the importers as well as of the religious rites. But when the generals of Mithridates, and the tyrant who caused it to revolt, visited Delos, they completely ruined it, and when the Romans again got the island, alter the king withdrew to his homeland, it was desolate; and it has remained in an impoverished condition until the present time. It is now held by the Athenians.
This extract is from: The Geography of Strabo (ed. H. L. Jones, 1924), Cambridge. Harvard University Press. Cited Mar 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains comments & interesting hyperlinks.
After doubling the point of Malea and proceeding a hundred stades, you reach a place on the coast within the frontier of the Boeatae, which is sacred to Apollo and called Epidelium. For the wooden image which is now here, once stood in Delos. Delos was then a Greek market, and seemed to offer security to traders on account of the god; but as the place was unfortified and the inhabitants unarmed, Menophanes, an officer of Mithridates, attacked it with a fleet, to show his contempt for the god, or acting on the orders of Mithridates; for to a man whose object is gain what is sacred is of less account than what is profitable.This Menophanes put to death the foreigners residing there and the Delians themselves, and after plundering much property belonging to the traders and all the offerings, and also carrying women and children away as slaves, he razed Delos itself to the ground. As it was being sacked and pillaged, one of the barbarians wantonly flung this image into the sea; but the wave took it and brought it to land here in the country of the Boeatae. For this reason they call the place Epidelium. But neither Menophanes nor Mithridates himself escaped the wrath of the god. Menophanes, as he was putting to sea after the sack of Delos was sunk at once by those of the merchants who had escaped; for they lay in wait for him in ships. The god caused Mithridates at a later date to lay hands upon himself, when his empire had been destroyed and he himself was being hunted on all sides by the Romans. There are some who say that he obtained a violent death as a favour at the hands of one of his mercenaries. This was the reward of their impiety.
This extract is from: Pausanias. Description of Greece (ed. W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., & H.A. Ormerod, 1918). Cited Mar 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains comments & interesting hyperlinks.
SYROS (Island) KYKLADES
The first traces of the Ancient Cycladic culture on this group of
islands date from about 3.000 B.C.
The islands' mild climate, combined with its plentiful metal ores
and its marble, all helped to develop this culture, which is among the oldest
of Greece. Inhabitants of the
Cyclades were masters in
sailing and arts. They were great travellers and established commercial links
with nearby lands.
The Ancient Cycladic culture is divided into 3 periods. The most important
of them is the 2nd, called the culture of Syros - Keros
(2800-2200 B.C.), when the development of Syros reached its peak.
The archaeologist Christos Tsoundas was responsible for the major
part of archaeological work on the island.
The most significant settlement on Syros of this period was situated
in the region of Chalandriani
in the northern part of the island. Testimonies to the life of the island's early
inhabitants, such as works of art and innumerable tombs, were uncovered. They
led to the conclusion that this settlement was of great importance. Built on top
of a hill, it was surrounded by a fortified wall, featuring numerous towers.
Archaeologic works in Chalandriani
brought to light an important number of graves of this period. All of them, in
the form of a circle or a square, are built of small stones and covered with slabs.
Countless items from everyday life, such as utensils, statuettes, jewelry, weapons
and tools were discovered as well. Remains of other settlements were found in
different parts of Syros: at "Agia Thekla" in Chroussa,
in Chondra at a site called Koskinos, near to Vari, which is supposed to be the
oldest settlement of Syros. Many objects fashioned of volcanic glass were found
there.
The people of the Cyclades were excellent artists. They created objects
that were both useful and decorative. But the greatest contribution to their art
consists of the marble idols found on many islands of the Cyclades.
These idols usually represent women with bent legs, hands crossed on the breast
and the head in the shape of a lyre.
Other characteristic items of the period are objects in the shape
of a frying pan with a peculiar decoration of spirals and stylised ships. They
may have been used for religious purposes or perhaps as a mirror - the hollow
side would be filled with water in which one's face would be reflected.
This text is cited May 2003 from the University of Patras' XENIOS DIAS website URL below, which contains image.
We know little about Syros at this period. Most historians are of
the opinion that the island mentioned by Homer in "Siriyi" and characterised as
"happy island" is Syros. In the Odyssey, rhapsody O, lines 403-414, the swineherd
called Eumaeos, narrates his adventures and his life and describes his native
island :
"There's an island, you may have heard, called Siriyi,
out beyond Ortigia above, where the sun turns in his course
It's not so very thickly peopled, though the rich land is
excellent for cattle and sheep, and yields fine crops of grapes and corn.
Famine is unknown there and so is disease.
No dreadful scourges spoil the islanders' happiness,
but as the men of each generation grow old in their homes,
Apollo of the Silver Bow comes with Artemis, strikes them with kindly darts, and
lays them low.
Two cities on the island
both share equal wealth.
My father Ktissias reigned there,
the son of Ormenos, equal to the immortals."
At about the 8th century B.C., the island was occupied by Phoenicians,
a people of merchants and sailors, who dominated the sea. They gave the island
its name. This name - Syros - is likely to have a Phoenician root, meaning "sherry".
According to other opinions, the island derives its name from the Phoenician word
"ousira" which means "wealthy" or from "ousura" which may be interpreted as "happy".
Later on, the Ionians settled on Syros, headed by Ippomedont. In the
6th century B.C., Samians conquered the island, led by Polikratis, with the help
of Killikont, a native of Syros. The great philosopher Pherekidis, the teacher
of Pythagoras, lived on the island at approximately that time (about the 6th century
B.C.).
The idea of the eternal soul was first taught by his school. His work
bears the name "Pedemichos" or "Theogonia". He is supposed to have invented the
first heliotrope (sun clock).
He lived in two caves on the island: one situated in Richopo
(in Apano Meria) in the summer, and one in the region of Alithini
in the winter.
There were probably two cities on the island in this period: on the
site of the present town of Hermoupoli
(region of Kimisi) and in Galissas
(Agia Pakou).
This text is cited May 2003 from the University of Patras' XENIOS DIAS website URL below, which contains image.
We have less information about Syros during this period.
During the Persian war, in the 5th century B.C., the Cyclades sided
with Athens. Syros also was
a member of the Athenian Alliance and paid an annual tax of 1.500 drachmas.
The island's position near to the holy island of Delos,
combined with its commercial development, led to its economic recovery at the
end of the 5th century B.C. Proof of this is an increase of taxes. Great activity
of the port of Syros is evident. Coins from Syros were circulated as far as Syria.
The centre of all this activity was situated on the site of present Hermoupolis.
Syros was an independent island governed in a way similar to that
of Athens, with its own parliament,
mint and court.
This text is cited May 2003 from the University of Patras' XENIOS DIAS website URL below.
The island flourished during the reign of the descendants of Alexander
the Great, more specifically of Antigon the First, who founded "Kinon ton Nisioton",
a confederation of the Cyclades.
The island experienced a period of great economic activity and development
of trade with Delos. Under
Roman rule, the island prospered, increasing the commercial value of the port
of Syros.
Numerous coins of that period were found, as well as engraved inscriptions
at ormo Grammata.
The islanders worshipped Posseidon, Zeus, Athina, Dimitra, Pan, Hermes,
Dionysios, and other gods.
According to manuscripts of Bishop Irinei of 307 A.D., Christianity
came to Syros in the 4th century A.D. It was part of the Byzantine Council of
Aegeos, first belonging to the episcopate of Delos,
then to that of Athens, and
finally to that of Keas-Thermion-Sifnos.
In the 4th century A.D., earthquakes and constant pirate invasions
destroyed the better part of the island. In 747-750 A.D., the plague decimated
its population. Pirates continued their incursions into the island, forcing the
survivors of the plague to withdraw to a hill above the port, where they settled
and which developed into the town which today is called Ano
Syros.
At that time, Syros bore the name of Souda.
This text is cited May 2003 from the University of Patras' XENIOS DIAS website URL below, which contains image.
After the conquest of the Byzantine empire by the Franks in 1204 A.D.,
Syros was under Venetian rule and, along with some other Cycladic
islands, became part of the Duchy of Naxos
of duke Marcos Sanoudos in 1207 A.D.
The small island of Syros, without particular opulence, seemed unimportant
to its conquerors. Thus, it obtained a relative autonomy, which it kept until
the duke's representative was replaced by a Byzantine governor. Syros contributed
greatly to the survival of the Greek language, which continued to be used in religious
services and for the official records.
The establishment of the village of Ano
Syros, as we know it today, dates from that period. It was protected by the
walls of its houses to the east, while to the west, a steep, rocky hillside formed
a natural defence. It counted seven gates, called "portares", which were closed
at sundown for protection against pirates.
At that time, a number of Venetians, common peasants, settled on the
island and married local women. There is an opinion that the noblemen of Syros
prefered marrying their daughters to foreigners, whom they considered to be more
powerful and more respectable. In fact, there was no gentry to speak of as a result
of migration and constant pirate invasions. This also made for a dramatic change
in religion. Catholicism appeared on the island, but Greek language, customs and
traditions remained, probably thanks to Greek mothers who raised their children
in the Greek tradition, whereas foreign women became hellenised.
It is worth drawing attention to the difficult situation of the islands
of the Aegean sea at that
time. There was no protection from the Byzantines at a time when pirates constantly
ravaged the island. Western powers could offer them no protection. Yet the western
church was better organised, while the eastern church did not even have a bishop.
Perhaps these are the reasons for the catholic presence on Syros to this day.
Obviously, there are other opinions, such as the theory of "enforced
adoption of catholicism", or the opinion based on promises which the island's
bishop Michail Psilos made to the Pope in order to preserve his position. Whatever
the reason, we can conclude that, though catholicism is still present on Syros,
its people are fundamentally Greek, keeping their language and following Greek-Byzantine
religious ceremonies and customs. The characteristic observations of P. Zontanos
from Hermoupolis, in 1842,
ring very true, when he writes:
" The population of Syros is of the same heritage as that of the Greek
people; in other words, they are Greeks and not Latins as they may think; they
are Greeks as well as inhabitants of Ermoupolis. They share the same ethnos; they
are Greeks , and not from other tribes or families; they are generations of the
same motherland , of Greece."
In 1286 A.D., the duke of Tinos,
Vartholomeos Gizi, invaded the island. Syros was saved thanks to the help of the
king of Naples and his fleet,
commanded by admiral Narsi di Togri.
In 1303 A.D., the island was given by the duke of Naxos,
Francisco Krispi, as dowry to his daughter Petrounella, when she married duke
Petro Zeno.
In 1408 A.D., the Florentine priest Christophoros Buondelmonti visited
the island and described the situation he found there:
"People there use for food barley bread and goat meat. Because of
the constant threat of pirates, their life is so desperate that the only reason
that keeps them on the island is their children, their relations and their great
attachment to their native place."
Stefanos Magnus wrote that, in 1484 A.D., its population counted only
400 people.
It is clear that Syros, along with the other Cycladic islands, suffered
much, not only from pirate invasions, but also from conflicts between Frankish
princes.
This text is cited May 2003 from the University of Patras' XENIOS DIAS website URL below.
In 1537 A.D., Syros was under Turkish oppression.
The population of the island at that time amounted to about 3. 000.
It suffered from repeated invasions of pirates, who, in turn, were at war with
the Turks.
In 1617, the Catholic bishop Andreas Kargas was condemned to the gallows
by Captain Ali Pasha. These events resulted in an important decrease of the island's
population.
In 1633, Capucine monks settled on the island. In the middle of the18th
century, Jesuits and Ursulines took over the education and medical care for the
people of the island.
Towards the end of the 18th century, Turkish power declined. Representatives
of the Turkish kadis (senior officers) lived on Andros.
There were no Turks on the island. The concession of the island's catholic church
passed from Turkish into French hands. A bishop was appointed by the Pope. Bodies
of local self-administration (Assembly, committee, deputation) were founded. Thus,
the basis for further economic development was established.
During the 2nd Russian-Turkish war, the islands were liberated (1770-1774).
However, by the Treaty of Kioutchouk- Kainardji, they were again passed to the
Turks. Syros appeared to be in favour: Sultan Abdul Hamid made it a gift to his
niece Sah, who relieved the island of its tax burden.
The island did not actively take part in the Greek revolution of 1821,
being under French protection at that time. Neither was it a considerable maritime
power. However, it supported the revolution financially and accepted refugees
from Chios, Izmir
and Psara, who were persecuted
by the Turks and had to escape to a safer place. It were these refugees who built
Hermoupolis, which soon became one of the most important centres of the new Greek
state. The "miracle" of the city of Hermoupolis
was wrought thanks to the efforts and the commercial talents of these people.
This text is cited May 2003 from the University of Patras' XENIOS DIAS website URL below, which contains image.
The period between 1830 and 1870 was one of great cultural flourishing
and economic prosperity.
In 1832, Syros counted 181 trade ships: a great deal more than the
fleets of the other islands: a.o. Hydra
with 95, Spetses with 79,
Galaksidi with 33. We have
to remember that the entire fleet of the Cycladic
islands was destroyed during the war against Turks.
After the establishment of the independent Greek state, Hermoupolis
counted a population of 13.805. In 1833 it became the capital city of the Cycladic
region and its centre of administration and jurisdiction. In 1835, Ioannis
Petridis became the first mayor of Hermoupolis.
In 1839, Neofitos Vamvas founded the senior school. Syros was the centre of opposition
during the reign of king Otto. It was here that the Rebellion of Leotsakos started,
in 1862.
Banks, shipping companies, shipyards, guild-halls and printing houses
appeared. In 1845, the National Bank opened a branch in Hermoupolis.
Through the next few years, we witness the rapid development of such branches
of industry as tanneries, soap production and iron metallurgy. Efficiency in shipbuilding
increased, reaching a production of 60-80 ships annually. About 2.000 people were
employed in the shipbuilding industry in 1835. In 1835, Hermoupolis
counted four printing houses. In 1836, the "Ermis tis Sirou" and "Ermis ton Kikladon"
newspapers circulated in the city.
In 1853, there were only three cities in Greece with a population
of over 10.000: Athens, Patras
and Hermoupolis.
In 1854, the first Greek steamship was built at a private shipyard;
in 1856 the first Greek steamship-building company, "I Eliniki Atmoplia", was
founded, with the participation of the municipality, the National Bank and 102
other shareholders. The Greek Steamship-building Company challenged the existing
Austrian, Italian and French steamers and tradeships: the ships which were launched
from the docks of Hermoupolis
could easily compete with their foreign counterparts. Apart from the actual ship-building,
the wharves also produced the necessary infrastructure like drydocks, shipbuilding
installations, workshops for repairs, warehouses, etc.
A public dock was built in 1866. Numerous ships docked at the piers
of the harbour of Hermoupolis
for taking in stores, transporting visitors and providing the island with the
necessary goods. At that time, Hermoupolis
became the centre of international trade, ideally situated as it was between the
eastern Mediterranean and western Europe.
At a later point in time, a number of textile factories appeared,
some of them still operational at the beginning of the 20th century. It was here
that the first strike took place, in 1879.
In 1866, Syros took in countless refugees from Crete.
Among them was the family of Eleftherios Venizelos, who studied at the senior
school of Syros. New schools were opened: girls' schools, a theological college,
etc. The Greek Museum was inaugurated.
In 1864, we see the renaissance of the "Apollon
Theatre", a small-scale version of the Scala of Milan. In this theatre, many
a performance by both Greek and foreign troupes was staged. The Philharmonic orchestra,
"Leshi Ellas" was
founded at that time.
Taking into account the intellectual prosperity of that period, one
is nevertheless surprised at the large number of eminent persons who were born
and raised on Syros:
• Georgeos Serouios,
• Chr. Evangelidis, the founder of the "Greek Senior School".
• Emmanouil Roidis (1836 - 1904 ), the great novelist.
• Dimitreos Vikelas (1835 - 1908 ), who contributed much to the revival
of the Olympic Games.
• Georgios Souris (1853 - 1919 ), the great poet.
The tradition was followed by the new generation of Leon Koukoula,
Kosti Bastia, Rita Boumpi-Papa, Mano Elevtherou, etc.
In 1889, the island's population amounted to 31.573. In 1907, Ermoupolis,
with a population of 18.100, ranked as the 6th largest city in Greece
after Athens, Piraeus,
Patras, Kerkira
(Corfu) and Volos.
At the end of the 19th century, the economic situation of Syros started
to decline. The main cause was the international progress in shipbuilding and
in the textile industry. Many factories closed down and the port of Hermoupolis
lost its primacy over Greece.
We must remember that the period of rapid development on Syros was brought about
by a great inflow of population after its independence, counting among them a
significant number of merchants and sailors. Added to this advantage was the favourable
geographical position of its port on the crossroads of the Aegean sea. However,
the establishment of Piraeus
as the port of the capital of Greece,
along with the opening of the Corinth Canal, announced the decline of the island,
at the end of the 19th century. Especially the opening of the Corinth Canal was
of great influence in this context, shortly followed by the end of World War I.
It also reduced, to a large extent, the importance of oversea routes towards the
Black Sea.
In 1922, the island once again took in waves of immigrants, victims
of the Catastrophy of Asia Minor.
During World War II, the island suffered under the Italian and German
occupation. In the winter of 1941-42, about 8.000 citizens of Syros lost their
lives because of starvation and extreme hardship.
This text is cited May 2003 from the University of Patras' XENIOS DIAS website URL below, which contains image.
SYROS (Town) KYKLADES
Hermoupolis was born in the turbulent aftermath of the revolution
of 1821, when refugees from the regions destroyed by the Turks found a safe haven
on Syros and started to develop the town. Sailors and merchants from Chios,
Kasos and Psara
created this "economic miracle". In only a few short years, the deserted coast
of the island was turned into the most important port of the country with an active
economic and cultural life. Its creators named the town after the God of Commerce
and knowledge, Hermes. Hermoupolis literally means "the city of Hermes". This
name was suggested by Loukas Rallis from Chios, in 1826.
After the creation of the independent Greek state, the population
of Hermoupolis reached 13.805. In 1833 it became the capital city of the Cyclades,
and the seat of its administration and court authorities. The birth of the Greek
state also coincided with the beginning of Hermoupolis's development as an international
trade centre on the maritime crossroads between Western Europe, the Mediterranean
countries and the Near-East. Ioannis Petritsis became its first mayor in 1835.
Transit of goods, mostly to Turkey,
developed into the island's major activity. It led to the opening of a free zone
in its port in 1837.
Banks, shipbuilding companies, maritime agencies and printing houses
appeared. In 1839, Neofitos Vamvas founded the first Secondary School. In 1845,
a branch of the National Bank was opened in Ermoupolis. Simultaneously, we see
the rapid development of industries such as tanneries, soap production and iron
metallurgy. Efficiency in shipbuilding resulted in an increase of its production,
reaching an annual total of 60 to 80 ships. About 2.000 people were employed in
the shipbuilding industry in 1835. In 1835, four printing houses existed in Ermoupolis.
In 1836, the newspapers "Ermis tis Sirou" and "Ermis ton Kikladon" were circulated
in the city.
In 1853, there were only three cities in Greece with a population
of over 10.000: Athens, Patras
and Ermoupolis.
In 1854, the first Greek steamship was built by a private shipbuilding
company. In 1856, Greece's first steamship-building company "I Eliniki Atmoplia"
was founded on the island, with the participation of the municipality, the National
Bank and 102 other shareholders. The Greek Steamship-building Company challenged
the existing Austrian, Italian and French steamers and tradeships with rival ships
of its own. In addition, docks, shipping wharves, drydocks, warehouses etc., were
created.
A public dock was built in 1866. A great number of ships used the
docks and piers of Ermoupolis for replenishment, transport of visitors and, in
return, loading of goods for other destinations. At that time, Ermoupolis became
the centre of Eastern Mediterranean and international trade with Western Europe,
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries.
Later, a number of textile factories appeared, some of them still
operational at the beginning of the 20th century. This was the scene of the first
strike of 1879.
In 1866, Syros took in a large number of refugees from Crete.
Among them was the family of Eleftherios Venizelos, who studied at the senior
school of Syros. More schools were opened: girls' schools and religious colleges.
Last but not least, we see the creation of the Greek Museum.
1864 is the year of the creation of the "ApollonTheatre" , a small-scale
copy of the Scala of Milan. Numerous foreign and Greek troupes performed on its
stage. Their plays always were important events in town. The Philharmonic Orchestra
and the "Club "Ellas" made their appearance at that time.
This economic prosperity led to the development of an upper class
of citizens who adopted a "European" life style. Entertainment and fashion also
followed the "European" ways.
In the island's clubs, its high society danced to the tunes of the
time, such as waltzes and polkas. They wore fashionable and expensive clothes
provided by the "boutiques" of Syros, that were comparable to those in France.
Splendid neoclassical mansions, examples of Romantic Classicism, created
the impression of a European city in the heart of the Aegean Sea. European as
well as Greek architects and artists (Ziller, Sampo, Herlacher, Vlisidis, Elevtheriadis
etc..), painters and sculptors made this city into a monument of architecture.
The Town Hall, "Club Ellas", the church of Agios Nikolaos, the"Apollon Theatre"
, and the shipowners' mansions in the Vaporia Quarter are some of the finest examples
of this style.
Many eminent figures were born and raised here, unusual even for this
period of intellectual flourishing.
•Georgeos Serouios.
•Neofitos Vamvas
•Chr. Evangelidis, founder of the "Greek Senior School".
•Emmanouil Roidis (1836 - 1904 ), the great novelist.
•Dimitreos Vikelas (1835 - 1908 ), who contributed much to the revival of
the Olympic Games.
•Georgios Souris (1853 - 1919 ), the great poet.
This tradition of excellence was perpetrated by a new generation:
a.o. Leon Koukoula, Kosti Bastia, Rita Boumpi-Papa, Mano Elevtherou.
In 1907, Ermoupolis, with a population of 18.100, was the 6th largest
city in Greece after Athens, Piraeus,
Patras, Kerkira (Corfou) and
Volos.
At the end of the 19th century, the island's economic situation started
its decline. The creation of Piraeus as the port of the country's capital and
the opening of the Corinth Canal slowly drained the town of its vitality.
Inspite of this, Hermoupolis continued to be among the most important
administrative and commercial centres of the Aegean region. Today, it is the seat
of the Prefecture of the Cyclades and houses the administrative centre for the
prefectures of the Northern Aegean. Neoclassical buildings, marble-paved streets
and squares, all witness the golden age in which Hermoupolis flourished. To this
day, it still is a centre of lively intellectual and cultural activity.
This text is cited Apr 2003 from the University of Patras' XENIOS DIAS website URL below.
DELOS (Island) KYKLADES
The next summer the truce for a year ended, after lasting until the Pythian games. During the armistice the Athenians expelled the Delians from Delos, concluding that they must have been polluted by some old offense at the time of their consecration, and that this had been the omission in the previous purification of the island, which as I have related, had been thought to have been duly accomplished by the removal of the graves of the dead. The Delians had Atramyttium in Asia given them by Pharnaces, and settled there as they removed from Delos.
This extract is from: Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War (ed. Richard Crawley, 1910). Cited Mar 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains comments & interesting hyperlinks.
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