Ialysos was a Classical city in the northern part of the Rhodes island, supposedly founded by King Tlepolemus of Rhodes in Greek mythology. A son of Hercules and Astyoche (daughter of Phylas, King of Ephyra), Tlepolemus fled to Rhodes after killing Licymnius, Hercules’ maternal uncle. Once he arrived, he divided the island into three parts and created three city-states there: Ialyssos, Kamiros and Lindos.

Already inhabited in prehistory, here were traces of both Minoan and Mycenaean settlements dating back to 1700-1400 BC in Ialysos.

The Ialysos polis itself extended around the hill of Filermos, where you can see the ruins of an acropolis, a Temple of Athena Polias (400-300 BC) which was built over an earlier Classical temple of around 1000-600 BC.

A basilica was built on top of the Temple of Athena Polias in the Byzantine period (600-700 AD) and most of the standing buildings are part of a medieval monastery under the Frankish Knights.

Ialysos: A charming, calm archaeological site

With few visitors, try visiting Ialysos in the morning as it is a relaxing stroll. Also, there are peacocks roaming around the ruins.

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