Icaria, also spelled Ikaria ( el, Ικαρία), is a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
island in the
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans ...
, 10 nautical miles (19 km) southwest of
Samos
Samos (, also ; el, Σάμος ) is a Greece, Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese, and off the coast of western Turkey, from which it is separated by the -wide Mycale Strait. It is also a se ...
. According to tradition, it derives its name from
Icarus, the son of
Daedalus
In Greek mythology, Daedalus (, ; Greek: Δαίδαλος; Latin: ''Daedalus''; Etruscan: ''Taitale'') was a skillful architect and craftsman, seen as a symbol of wisdom, knowledge and power. He is the father of Icarus, the uncle of Perdix, a ...
in
Greek mythology
A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities ...
, who was believed to have fallen into the sea nearby.
Administratively, Icaria forms a separate municipality within the
Ikaria regional unit, which is part of the
North Aegean
The North Aegean Region ( el, Περιφέρεια Βορείου Αιγαίου, translit=Periféria Voríou Eyéou, ) is one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece, and the smallest of the thirteen by population. It comprises the isla ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is
Agios Kirykos
Agios Kirykos ( el, Άγιος Κήρυκος) is a town and a former municipality on the island of Ikaria, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ikaria
Icaria, also spelled Ikaria ( el, Ι ...
.
The historic capitals of the island include
Oenoe and
Evdilos
Evdilos (Greek: Εύδηλος) is a village and a former municipality in the central part of the island of Ikaria, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ikaria, of which it is a municipal unit. ...
.
Geography
![View of mountain range from Kampos, Ikaria - Greece](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/View_of_mountain_range_from_Kampos%2C_Ikaria_-_Greece.jpg)
Icaria is one of the middle islands of the northern
Aegean,
in area with of coastline and a population of 8,312 inhabitants. The topography is a contrast between verdant slopes and barren steep rocks. The island is mountainous for the most part. It is traversed by the Aetheras range, whose highest summit is . Most of its villages are nestled in the plains near the coast, with some in the mountains.
Icaria has a tradition of producing strong red wine. Many parts of the island, especially the ravines, are covered in shrubbery, making the landscape lush with green. Aside from domestic and domesticated species such as
goat
The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...
s, there are a number of small wild animals to be found, such as
martens,
European otter
The Eurasian otter (''Lutra lutra''), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia. The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of th ...
s,
jumping spider
Jumping spiders are a group of spiders that constitute the family Salticidae. As of 2019, this family contained over 600 described genera and over 6,000 described species, making it the largest family of spiders at 13% of all species. Jumping spi ...
s, and
green toads. Icaria exhibits a typical
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
.
History
![Fourni town](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Fourni_town.jpg)
Icaria has been inhabited since at least 7000 BC, when it was populated by the
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several p ...
Pelasgians, a blanket term used by the ancient Greeks to refer to all pre-Hellenic peoples inhabiting the Greek region. Around 750 BC, Greeks from
Miletus colonized Icaria, establishing a settlement in the area of present-day Campos, which later became the ancient capital city of
Oenoe. In antiquity, the island was called Icaria or Ikaria ( grc, Ἰκαρία), as today; and also Icarus or Ikaros (Ἴκαρος).
Antiquity
Icaria became part of the sea empire of
Polycrates
Polycrates (; grc-gre, Πολυκράτης), son of Aeaces, was the tyrant of Samos from the 540s BC to 522 BC. He had a reputation as both a fierce warrior and an enlightened tyrant.
Sources
The main source for Polycrates' life and activit ...
during the 6th century BC, and during the 5th century BC, the Icarian cities of Oenoe and
Thermae
In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout ...
were members of the Athenian-dominated
Delian League. During the 2nd century, the island was colonized by
Samos
Samos (, also ; el, Σάμος ) is a Greece, Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese, and off the coast of western Turkey, from which it is separated by the -wide Mycale Strait. It is also a se ...
. At this time, the ''Tauropolion'', the temple of
Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...
was built at Oenoe.
Coins of the city represented Artemis and a
bull
A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions,
includin ...
. There was another, smaller ''
temenos
A ''temenos'' ( Greek: ; plural: , ''temenē''). is a piece of land cut off and assigned as an official domain, especially to kings and chiefs, or a piece of land marked off from common uses and dedicated to a god, such as a sanctuary, holy gr ...
'' that was sacred to
Artemis Tauropolos
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to ...
, at
Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
, on the northwest coast of the island.
The sea around Icaria had a fearsome reputation among the Ancients.
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
likened its changeability to a crowd stirred by demagogy: "the gathering was stirred like the long sea-waves of the Icarian main, which the East Wind or the South Wind has raised, rushing upon them from the clouds of father Zeus" (Iliad II, 145), and
Horace, too, in the opening of his
Odes
Odes may refer to:
*The plural of ode, a type of poem
* ''Odes'' (Horace), a collection of poems by the Roman author Horace, circa 23 BCE
*Odes of Solomon, a pseudepigraphic book of the Bible
*Book of Odes (Bible), a Deuterocanonical book of the ...
associates "the African winds as they fight the Icarian waves" with shattered ships (Odes I.i.15–6). The island itself had two associative
descriptive epithets: ‘Dolichi' (elongated) and ‘Ichtheoussa' (rich in fish). The name may originally have come from the Phoenician word for fish, ‘ikor', rather than from associations with the mythical Icarus, whose fall was likely associated with the ancient ''deme'' of
Icaria or Icarion in
Attica
Attica ( el, Αττική, Ancient Greek ''Attikḗ'' or , or ), or the Attic Peninsula, is a historical region that encompasses the city of Athens, the capital of Greece and its countryside. It is a peninsula projecting into the Aegean S ...
.
In the later Fabulae ("stories") of
Hyginus
Gaius Julius Hyginus (; 64 BC – AD 17) was a Latin author, a pupil of the scholar Alexander Polyhistor, and a freedman of Caesar Augustus. He was elected superintendent of the Palatine library by Augustus according to Suetonius' ''De Grammati ...
the Greek versions of myth associated with
Melanippe
:''The name Melanippe is the feminine counterpart of Melanippus.''
In Greek mythology, Melanippe () referred to several different people:
* Melanippe, daughter of the Centaur Chiron. Also known as Hippe or Euippe. She bore a daughter to Aeolus, Me ...
(otherwise
Arne
Arne may refer to:
Places
* Arne, Dorset, England, a village
** Arne RSPB reserve, a nature reserve adjacent to the village
* Arné, Hautes-Pyrénées, Midi-Pyrénées, France
* Arne (Boeotia), an ancient city in Boeotia, Greece
* Arne (Thessa ...
) and her sons
Boeotus
In Greek mythology, Boeotus (; Ancient Greek: Βοιωτός ''Boiotos'') may refer to the following personages:
* Boeotus, son of Poseidon and Arne.Scholia on Homer, ''Iliad'' B, 494, p. 80, 43 ed. Bekk. as cited in Hellanicus' ''Boeotica''
* ...
and
Aeolus
In Greek mythology, Aeolus or Aiolos (; grc, Αἴολος , ) is a name shared by three mythical characters. These three personages are often difficult to tell apart, and even the ancient mythographers appear to have been perplexed about which A ...
by
Poseidon
Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ...
are amended to relate the story of
Theano
In Greek mythology, Theano (; Ancient Greek: Θεανώ) may refer to the following personages:
*Theano, wife of Metapontus, king of Icaria. Metapontus demanded that she bear him children, or leave the kingdom. She presented the children of Melan ...
(otherwise Autolyte), wife of Metapontus, a king of Icaria. Metapontus demanded that she bear him children, or leave the kingdom. She presented the exposed twin sons of Melanippe by
Neptune to her husband, as if they were her own. Later Theano bore him two sons of her own and, wishing to leave the kingdom to her own children, sent them to kill Melanippe's while out hunting. In the fight that ensued, her two sons were killed, and she committed suicide upon hearing the news. Metapontus later married Melanippe and her two sons founded towns in
Propontis
The Sea of Marmara,; grc, Προποντίς, Προποντίδα, Propontís, Propontída also known as the Marmara Sea, is an inland sea located entirely within the borders of Turkey. It connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea via the ...
called by their names — Boeotia and Aeolia.
Temple of Artemis at Nas
Nas had been a sacred spot to the pre-Hellenic inhabitants of the Aegean, and Nas was an important island port in antiquity, the last stop before testing the dangerous seas around Icaria. It was an appropriate location for sailors to make sacrifices to Artemis Tauropolos, who was a patron of seafarers; here, the goddess was represented in an archaic wooden ''
xoanon
A xoanon (, el, ξόανον; plural: el, ξόανα , from the verb el, ξέειν, , to carve or scrape ood was an Archaic wooden cult image of Ancient Greece. Classical Greeks associated such cult objects, whether aniconic or effigy, w ...
''.
The temple stood in good repair until the middle of the 19th century when the marble was pillaged, for their local church, by the Kato Raches villagers. In 1939, this church was excavated by the Greek archeologist Leon Politis. During the
Axis occupation of Greece during World War II, many of the artifacts that were unearthed by Politis disappeared. Local tales state that the Germans and Italians stole the artifacts. According to local legend, marble artefacts from the temple still lie under the sand of the Nas beach where the temple stood.
In ''
The Anabasis of Alexander
''The Anabasis of Alexander'' ( grc-gre, Ἀλεξάνδρου Ἀνάβασις, ''Alexándrou Anábasis''; la, Anabasis Alexandri) was composed by Arrian of Nicomedia in the second century AD, most probably during the reign of Hadrian. Th ...
'', the second-century Greek historian
Arrian recorded
Aristobulus Aristobulus or Aristoboulos may refer to:
*Aristobulus I (died 103 BC), king of the Hebrew Hasmonean Dynasty, 104–103 BC
*Aristobulus II (died 49 BC), king of Judea from the Hasmonean Dynasty, 67–63 BC
*Aristobulus III of Judea (53 BC–36 BC), ...
as saying that
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...
had ordered that
Failaka Island
Failaka Island ( ar, فيلكا '' / ''; Kuwaiti Arabic: فيلچا ) is a Kuwaiti Island in the Persian Gulf. The island is 20 km off the coast of Kuwait City in the Persian Gulf. The name "Failaka" is thought to be derived from the ancie ...
in the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bod ...
should be called
Icarus, after Icaria in the Aegean Sea.
Medieval Era
In the 14th century CE, Icaria was part of the
Republic of Genoa
The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the La ...
's possessions in the Aegean. At some point during this period the Icarians destroyed their own ports to prevent the landing of unwanted visitors. According to local historians, the Icarians, based on their own designs, built seven watchtowers along the coastlines. Once an unknown or enemy vessel appeared, the observers would at once light a fire at the top and run to a tank which was always filled with water. A wooden plug located at the base was pulled, and water would flow. The guards of the other watchtowers were alerted by the fire and repeated the process. In the inner side of each tower's tank are marks identical to the ones measuring volumes in flasks. Each one of these marks was labelled with a different message on it, such as "pirate attack" or "unknown ship approaching". Once the water level reached the mark signifying the appropriate message, the messengers would place the plug back on the tank and put out the fire, so that each of the other towers could decode the size and gravity of the incoming danger. The watchtowers on the island's heights, such as the one in Drakano, were part of the islands' communication network since the time of the
Delian League.
At the same time the Icarians rarely built their houses in the form prevalent today. Each house was low, had a single room, a roof of stone slabs, and was distant from neighbouring ones. It had a single low door and the sea-facing side was protected with tall walls, while there was an opening on the roof (locally called the ''Anefantis''). Because a chimney with smoke could betray the house's location, it was often sealed. Smoke was poured through the roof slabs without being visible, while simultaneously clearing the wooden roof supports of insects. Rooms featured the bare necessities, such as a grinding stone and a cauldron. Traditionally, people would sleep on the floor and hide their belongings in the walls. Men and women wore almost the same clothing: sewn woollen skirts for women, a type of
fustanella
Fustanella (for spelling in various languages, see chart below) is a traditional pleated skirt-like garment that is also referred to as a kilt worn by men of many nations in the Balkans (Southeast Europe). In modern times, the fustanella is par ...
for the men. Later on the vest came to be worn by men and women. This frugal way of living contributed to the famed Icarian longevity and the absence of distinct social classes. Each house was self-sufficient, using the living space around it for the cultivation of the necessary things, women contributed in work and social life. Villages were slowly created by descendants of an original family which gradually spread. Despite the sparse population, societal integrity was large. There were the panigiria (traditional festivals featuring dances, music and consumption of local products), team labor and elder councils who would take the decisions. This unique way of life and architecture was preserved until the end of the 19th century, with many elements surviving until today.
Knights Hospitalier - Ottoman Era
The
Knights of St. John, who had their base in
Rhodes
Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the S ...
, exerted some control over Icaria until 1521, when the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
incorporated Icaria into its realm. It was at this time that the problem of piracy reached new heights, where the islanders embraced the tactic of invisibility: they retreated to the island's highlands, hiding their villages and homes. For defence against pirates, aside from this tactic (sparse habitation and hiding of residences) there were watchtowers, various points of concentration and defence (such as plateaus invisible from the sea) and communal hidden supplies to be used in time of need. Their theft was punishable even by death according to the common law of the time. Locals were reported attacking any unwanted visitors on their coastlines, even shipwrecked sailors.
The Icarians lynched the first Turkish tax collector but managed to escape punishment. The oral story in regards to the event talks of an Ottoman
Aga
Aga or AGA may refer to:
Business
* Architectural Glass and Aluminum (AGA), a glazing contractor, established in 1970
* AGA (automobile), ''Autogen Gasaccumulator AG'', 1920s German car company
*AGA AB, ''Aktiebolaget Svenska Gasaccumulator'', a ...
, who demanded two locals to carry him on their shoulders atop a seat. The carriers, unable to accept the forcefulness, threw him off a cliff in the Kako Katavasidi area. The Turkish authorities rounded up the population and demanded to know who the perpetrator was, but the answer they received according to legend was "all of us, milord". The Turks realistically determined that there was neither profit nor honour in punishing all.
The
Ottomans imposed a very loose administration, not sending any officials to Icaria for several centuries, although in later years they would appoint groups of locals in each village of the island to act as
Kodjabashis
The kodjabashis ( el, κοτζαμπάσηδες, kotzabasides; singular κοτζάμπασης, ''kotzabasis''; sh, kodžobaša, kodžabaša; from tr, kocabaṣı, hocabaṣı) were local Christian notables in parts of the Ottoman Balkans, most ...
in order to collect taxes for the empire. The best account that we have of the island during the early years of the Ottoman rule is from the Archbishop J. Georgirenes, who in 1677 described the island as having almost 1,000 hardy, long-lived inhabitants, who were the poorest people in the Aegean.
Without a decent port —the local population destroyed the island's ports long ago to protect themselves from pirate raids— Icaria depended for its very limited intercourse with the outside world upon small craft that were drawn up on the beaches. Icarian boat-makers had a good reputation for building boats from the island's fir forests. Then they sold boats and lumber for coin and grain in nearby
Chios
Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of masti ...
. The inshore waters of the island, as told by Georgirenes, provided the best
cockle shellfish in the archipelago. Over the centuries, Ikaria would also become renowned for its
charcoal, which became known as ''Carbon Cariot'' (''Ikarian Charcoal'').
Goats and sheep roamed virtually untended in the rocky landscape. Cheeses were made for consumption in every household. Icaria in the 17th century was unusual in the archipelago in not producing any wine for export. The people kept barrels of the wine for their own drinking. They also continued to store it in the old-fashioned way prevalent since the Bronze Age, in terracotta ''
pithoi
Pithos (, grc-gre, πίθος, plural: ' ) is the Greek name of a large storage container. The term in English is applied to such containers used among the civilizations that bordered the Mediterranean Sea in the Neolithic, the Bronze Age and ...
'' containers sunk to their rims in earth, thus protecting their supplies from both tax collectors and pirates.
Apart from three small towns, none of which exceeded 100 houses, and numerous village settlements, each house had a walled orchard and a garden plot. Unlike the closely built towns of Samos, the hardy inhabitants lived separately in fortified unfurnished farmsteads.
In 1827, during the
Greek War of Independence, Icaria broke away from the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, but was not included in the narrow territory of the original independent Greece, and it was forced to accept Ottoman rule once more a few years later.
Free State of Icaria
![Flag of the Free State of Ikaria with writing and date](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Flag_of_the_Free_State_of_Ikaria_with_writing_and_date.png)
Icaria remained part of the Ottoman Empire until 17 July 1912, when the Icarians expelled the Turkish garrison and thereby achieved independence.
After its independence and the outbreak of the
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War ( sr, Први балкански рат, ''Prvi balkanski rat''; bg, Балканска война; el, Αʹ Βαλκανικός πόλεμος; tr, Birinci Balkan Savaşı) lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and invo ...
, Icaria's sole "warship", the ''Cleopatra'', was used to provide food and supplies to the islands of
Samos
Samos (, also ; el, Σάμος ) is a Greece, Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese, and off the coast of western Turkey, from which it is separated by the -wide Mycale Strait. It is also a se ...
and
Chios
Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of masti ...
, which were captured by the
Greek Navy
The Hellenic Navy (HN; el, Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, War Navy, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy historically hails from the naval forces of vari ...
during the war.
George N. Spanos (c. 1872–1912) of
Evdilos
Evdilos (Greek: Εύδηλος) is a village and a former municipality in the central part of the island of Ikaria, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ikaria, of which it is a municipal unit. ...
, killed in a Turkish ambush on 17 July 1912, is honoured as the hero of the Icarian Revolution. His bust, depicting him defiantly, with bandoliers on his body and rifle in hand, may be seen at the memorial established in his honour at the site of his death located in the Icarian town of Chrysostomos.
![Bust of George N](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Bust_of_George_N._Spanos_and_monument_in_his_honor_%28Chrisostomos%2C_Ikaria%29.jpg)
On 18 July 1912, the Free State of Icaria (Ελευθέρα Πολιτεία Ικαρίας, ''Elefthéra Politía Ikarías'') was declared. The neighboring islands of
Fournoi Korseon
Fournoi Korseon ( el, Φούρνοι Κορσέων), more commonly simply Fournoi ( el, Φούρνοι), anciently known as Corsiae or Korsiai ( grc, Κορσίαι), Corseae or Korseai (Κορσεαί), Corsia or Korsia (Κορσία), and Co ...
were also liberated and became part of the Free State. Ioannis Malachias (Ιωάννης Μαλαχίας) was the first and only president of the Free State of Icaria.
For five months, it remained an independent country, with its own government, armed forces, national flag,
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...
,
postage stamps
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the f ...
, and
national anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and Europea ...
. These five months were difficult for the island's economy. There were food shortages and they were at risk of becoming part of the
Italian Dodecanese
The Italian Islands of the Aegean ( it, Isole italiane dell'Egeo; el, Ἰταλικαὶ Νῆσοι Αἰγαίου Πελάγους) were an archipelago of fourteen islands (the Dodecanese, except Kastellorizo) in the southeastern Aegean Sea, ...
.
On 4 November 1912, after a delay due to the
Balkan Wars, Icaria officially became part of the
Kingdom of Greece
The Kingdom of Greece ( grc, label= Greek, Βασίλειον τῆς Ἑλλάδος ) was established in 1832 and was the successor state to the First Hellenic Republic. It was internationally recognised by the Treaty of Constantinople, wh ...
. The Ottoman Empire recognized Greece's annexation of Icaria and the other Aegean islands in the
Treaty of London (1913)
The Treaty of London (1913) was signed on 30 May following the London Conference of 1912–1913. It dealt with the territorial adjustments arising out of the conclusion of the First Balkan War. The London Conference had ended on 23 January 1913, ...
.
Second World War
The island suffered losses in property and lives during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
as the result of the Italian and then German occupation. There are no exact figures on how many people starved, but in the village of
Karavostamo
Karavostamo ( el, Καραβόσταμο) is a seaside village on the island of Ikaria, Greece. It is composed of an upper and lower village and is situated in the northern part of the island east of the municipal unit of Evdilos. It has 499 inha ...
alone over 100 perished from starvation.
"Red Rock"
After the ravages of the war the nationalists and
communists
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
fought in the
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War ( el, ο Eμφύλιος όλεμος}, ''o Emfýlios'' 'Pólemos'' "the Civil War") took place from 1946 to 1949. It was mainly fought against the established Kingdom of Greece, which was supported by the United Kingdom and ...
(1946–49), and the Greek government used the island to exile about 13,000 communists. To this date, the majority of the locals have remained sympathetic to left parties and communism, and, for this reason, Icaria is referred to by some as the "Red Rock" (Κόκκινος Βράχος, ''Kokkinos Vrahos'').
In his analysis, "Rebels and Radicals; Icaria 1600–2000", historian Anthony J. Papalas (
East Carolina University) examines modern Icaria in the light of such 20th-century questions as poverty, emigration to America, the nature of the Axis occupation, the rise of Communism, the Greek Civil War, and the rightwing reaction to radical postwar movements.
Modern era
The quality of life improved greatly after 1960, when the Greek government began to invest in the infrastructure of the island to assist in the promotion of
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...
. Today, Icaria is considered one of the world's five "
Blue zones" – places where the population regularly lives to an advanced age (one in three make it to their 90s). This is due to healthy diet, lifestyle, and genetics. The
Ikaria Study
Old age by country
Cohort studies
Diets
Semi-vegetarianism
Mediterranean cuisine
Health in Greece
Ikaria (regional unit) ...
, published in 2011, sought to understand the factors that contributed to longevity.
Demographics
The inhabitants of the island are known as Icarians or Icariots. ( el, Ικαριότες, ''Ikariótes'').
An Icarian diaspora is found throughout Greece, specifically on
Thimena
Thymaina ( el, Θύμαινα) is a small Greek island in the Ikaria regional unit, in the eastern Aegean Sea. Thymaina is located just west of Fournoi Korseon and is administratively a part of its municipality. Its name is said to be derived fro ...
and
Fournoi Korseon
Fournoi Korseon ( el, Φούρνοι Κορσέων), more commonly simply Fournoi ( el, Φούρνοι), anciently known as Corsiae or Korsiai ( grc, Κορσίαι), Corseae or Korseai (Κορσεαί), Corsia or Korsia (Κορσία), and Co ...
, as well as in Athens, where a large community is found. The people of Icarian diaspora can be found throughout the world, mainly in Australia, the United States, Canada, Egypt and the United Kingdom.
Icarian Greeks are closely related to other
Aegean island Greeks, such as Greeks from
Samos
Samos (, also ; el, Σάμος ) is a Greece, Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese, and off the coast of western Turkey, from which it is separated by the -wide Mycale Strait. It is also a se ...
,
Chios
Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of masti ...
,
Fournoi Korseon
Fournoi Korseon ( el, Φούρνοι Κορσέων), more commonly simply Fournoi ( el, Φούρνοι), anciently known as Corsiae or Korsiai ( grc, Κορσίαι), Corseae or Korseai (Κορσεαί), Corsia or Korsia (Κορσία), and Co ...
, and
Patmos
Patmos ( el, Πάτμος, ) is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It is famous as the location where John of Patmos received the visions found in the Book of Revelation of the New Testament, and where the book was written.
One of the northern ...
, as well as Greeks from
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
.
Municipality
![Christos Raches](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Christos_Raches.JPG)
The present municipality Ikaria was formed in the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following three former municipalities, that became municipal units:
[
* ]Agios Kirykos
Agios Kirykos ( el, Άγιος Κήρυκος) is a town and a former municipality on the island of Ikaria, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ikaria
Icaria, also spelled Ikaria ( el, Ι ...
* Evdilos
Evdilos (Greek: Εύδηλος) is a village and a former municipality in the central part of the island of Ikaria, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ikaria, of which it is a municipal unit. ...
* Raches
Raches ( el, Ράχες) is a village and a former Communities and Municipalities of Greece, municipality on the island of Ikaria, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ikaria, of which it is ...
Subdivisions
The municipal units Agios Kirykos, Evdilos and Raches are subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):
Agios Kirykos
* Agios Kirykos (Agios Kirykos, Therma Ikarias, Katafygio, Lardades, Mavrato, Koundouma, Mavrikato, Xylosyrtis, Oxea, Tsouredes, Faros
Faros is a village at the southeast end of the island of Ikaria, Greece. It is located on a small plain home to many vineyards. Its beach is long (said to be the longest on the island). Many consider Faros to be a tourist destination. Faros has t ...
)
* Perdiki
Perdiki (Greek: Περδίκη) is a small village in the northeastern corner of the Greek island of Icaria. Perched up in the mountains, it houses fewer than 200 residentsPopulation census of 2011. Hellenic Statistical Authority
The Hellenic Stat ...
(Perdiki, Kioni, Mileopo, Monokampi, Ploumari)
* Chrysostomos (Chrysostomos, Vardarades, Vaoni, Livadi, Plagia)
Evdilos
*
Evdilos (Evdilos, Kambos, Agia Kyriaki, Droutsoulas, Kerameio, Kyparissi, Xanthi, Fytema)
* Arethousa
Arethousa ( el, Αρέθουσα) is a village and a community and a municipal unit of the Volvi municipality. Before the 2011 local government reform it was part of the municipal unit of Arethousa was an independent municipality. The 2011 census ...
(Arethousa, Kyparissi, Pera Arethousa, Foinikas)
* Dafni (Dafni, Akamatra, Kosoikia, Petropouli, Steli)
* Karavostamo
Karavostamo ( el, Καραβόσταμο) is a seaside village on the island of Ikaria, Greece. It is composed of an upper and lower village and is situated in the northern part of the island east of the municipal unit of Evdilos. It has 499 inha ...
* Manganitis (Manganitis, Kalamonari)
* Frantato (Frantato, Avlaki, Kalamourida, Kampos, Kremasti, Maratho, Pigi, Stavlos)
Raches
* Raches (Christos, Agios Dimitrios, Armenistis, Vrakades, Kares, Nas or
Kato Raches, Kouniadoi, Mavriannos, Nanouras, Xinta, Proespera, Profitis Ilias, Tsakades)
* Agios Polykarpos (Agios Polykarpos, Agios Panteleimonas, Gialiskari, Kastanies, Lapsachades, Lomvardades, Mandria)
* Karkinagri (Karkinagri, Amalo, Kalamos, Lagkada, Pezi, Trapalo)
Museums
''Archeological Museum of Kampos''
The Archaeological Museum, located in the village of Kambos, stands on a hill which was once the ancient fortress of Oinoe, and is immediately next to Agia Irini, Ikaria's oldest church. The museum contains over 250 artifacts, including Neolithic tools, pottery vessels, clay statuettes, columns, coins, and carved headstones.
''Archeological Museum of Agios Kirikos''
Housed in the former lycee of Agios Kirikos, which was built by immigrant Ikarians living in America, the recently renovated neoclassical building dating to 1925 is the home of Ikaria's Archeological Museum . This listed building will house all of Ikaria's most relevant finds and highlight the history and culture of the island in the facilities of a modern museum and research/conservation center.
Complete with multimedia displays and films dedicated to the Myth of Ikaros and the ancient citadel of Drakano, the museum presents Ikaria's archeological findings and relates to the visitor an understanding of the cultural, commercial and social development of the settlements of ancient Ikaria throughout the course of the island's history.
''Folk & Historical Museum Of Agios Kirikos''
Located in Agios Kirikos, The Folk & History Museum of Agios Kirikos in Ikaria was launched in July 2010, and is the result of the long efforts by Professor Themistocles Katsaros. Its mission is to preserve and promote Ikarian folklore, traditions and customs through its display of over 1,500 objects that reflect the history and heritage of Ikaria and its inhabitants.
The museum exhibits items of cultural importance from the island, including dresses, textiles, household articles, pottery, agriculture and trade tools & instruments, photos, documents and many other objects.
Of particular interest amongst the items displayed in the museum is the flag of the Free State of Ikaria (1912).
Some of the exhibits have been organised thematically and chronologically, so that objects and images give visitors an idea of social and economic life in Ikaria from the 18th century to the 1970s, when traditional life still continued in the region.
''Folklore Museum Of Vrakades''
The Folklore Museum of Vrakades is located in the scenic village of Vrakades, 650 meters above sea level on the north-western side of the island. The village was founded in the 17th century and contains old stone houses and captains' villas of architectural note. The museum houses an interesting collection of items related to the history and people of the region. Of particular interest are documents and memorabilia from the Free State of Ikaria.
Other exhibits include various clay and wooden objects used by housewives, beekeepers, and farmers, ecclesiastical relics from Profit Elias in Vrakades and the convent of Evagelistrias Mavrianou, books by Ikarian writers, Ikarian records and documents over 500 years old. Of note is the cutter, "lanari" in Greek, used for the processing of wool and goat hairs from which the modest local clothing was made, the "lisgos", a simple tool used for making ropes, an old digging tool, and many other tools belonging to the first inhabitants of the island.
Notable people connected with Icaria
* Eleftheria Arvanitaki
Eleftheria Arvanitaki (Greek: Ελευθερία Αρβανιτάκη) (born 17 October 1957 in Piraeus) is a Greek folk singer. She originates from the island of Icaria. Arvanitaki has worked with important musicians, such as Cesária Évora, Ar ...
(born 1957), singer, originates from Icaria
* Ioannis Malachias
Ioannis Malachias ( el, Ιωάννης Μαλαχίας; also spelled Malahias and often referred to as Dr Malachias) was born in Xylosyrtis, Ikaria, in 1880 and died in Agios Kirykos, Ikaria, in 1958. He was a Greece, Greek doctor from Ikaria and ...
, (1880–1958), first and only President of the Free State of Ikaria
Icaria, also spelled Ikaria ( el, Ικαρία), is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, 10 nautical miles (19 km) southwest of Samos. According to tradition, it derives its name from Icarus, the son of Daedalus in Greek mythology, who was be ...
* Aristides Phoutrides (1887–1927), Harvard professor of classical philology
* Aris Poulianos
Aris Poulianos (born 24 July 1924) is a Greek anthropologist and archaeologist.
Early life and career
Before becoming an anthropologist, Poulianos fought during World War II as a member of ELAS from 1942 up until 1943. During the Greek Civil War ...
(born 1924), anthropologist, born in Icaria
* Zack Space
Zachary T. Space (born January 27, 1961) is an American lawyer and politician and the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. After serving in Congress, Space became a lobbyist and ...
(born 1961), American politician, family originates from Icaria
* Christodoulos I. Stefanadis
Christodoulos I. Stefanadis is Professor of Cardiology in the Medical School of the University of Athens. Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta U.S.A.Professor of Internal Medicine, Cardio ...
(born 1947) professor of cardiology, born on Icaria
* Christodoulos Xiros, (born 1958), Greek terrorist (member of November 17 terrorist group)
* Anthony Maras
Anthony Maras is a multi award-winning Greek-Australian film director, writer and producer born in Adelaide, South Australia.
Maras' debut feature film ''Hotel Mumbai'' explores the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and stars Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, ...
, Greek Australian
Greek Australians ( el, Ελληνοαυστραλοί, ) are Australians of Greek ancestry. Greek Australians are one of the largest groups within the global Greek diaspora. As per the 2021 census, 424,750 people stated that they had Greek an ...
film director
* Chris Kourakis, Chief justice of South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
* Mikis Theodorakis
Michail "Mikis" Theodorakis ( el, Μιχαήλ "Μίκης" Θεοδωράκης ; 29 July 1925 – 2 September 2021) was a Greek composer and lyricist credited with over 1,000 works.
He scored for the films ''Zorba the Greek'' (1964), '' Z'' ...
, lived in exile on the island
* Nick Mamatas
Nick Mamatas ( el, Νίκος Μαμματάς) (born February 20, 1972) is an American horror, science fiction and fantasy author and editor for Haikasoru's line of translated Japanese science fiction novels for Viz Media. His fiction has been ...
, American author, family originates from Icaria
* Yorgos Lanthimos
Georgios "Yorgos" Lanthimos ( el, Γιώργος Λάνθιμος, Giórgos Lánthimos, ; born 23 September 1973) is a Greek film director, film producer, screenwriter, photographer, theatre director and former professional basketball player. Sin ...
, Greek film director. His grandmother is from Icaria.
* Elena Carapetis, Australian actress. Her father's family originates in Icaria.
* Dean Karnazes
Dean Karnazes ( ; born ''Constantinos Karnazes''; August 23, 1962), is an American ultramarathon runner, and author of ''Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner'', which details ultra endurance running for the general public.
Earl ...
, American ultramarathon runner and author. His mother's family originates from Icaria.
* Stephan Pastis
Stephan Thomas Pastis (; born January 16, 1968) is an American cartoonist and former lawyer who is the creator of the comic strip ''Pearls Before Swine''. He also writes children's chapter books, commencing with the release of ''Timmy Failure: ...
, American cartoonist
* Alex Carapetis, Australian musician
* Jonathan Carapetis
Jonathan Carapetis (born 1961) is an Australian paediatric physician with particular expertise in infectious disease and Indigenous child health. He is a Winthrop Professor at the University of Western Australia, an infectious diseases consultan ...
, Australian paediatric physician. His father is from Ikaria.
* Theo Maras, Greek-Australian property mogul
* Nik Chapley, Greek-Australian businessman and Foodland owner
* John Chapley, Greek-Australian businessman and Foodland owner
* Niki Vasilakis, Greek-Australian violinist
*George V. Spanos, judge of the California Superior Court, his father was born on Icaria
* Nicholas Ikaris, sculptor
See also
* Pan-Icarian Brotherhood
Pan-Icarian Brotherhood is a fraternal society organized on January 26, 1903 by eleven Ikarian men in Verona, Pennsylvania. The ''Icarian Brotherhood of America'' (also known as ''Ikaros'') was finalized on July 17, 1905 with the establishment o ...
References
External links
"The Island Where People Forget to Die"
by Dan Buettner, ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', October 24, 2012
{{Authority control
Blue zones
Milesian colonies
Municipalities of the North Aegean
Islands of Greece
Landforms of Ikaria (regional unit)
Islands of the North Aegean
Members of the Delian League
Former countries in Europe
Locations in Greek mythology
Populated places in Ikaria (regional unit)