Patroklos ( el, Πάτροκλος) or Gaidouronisi (Γαϊδουρονήσι, "donkey island") is a small, private island located in the Saronic Gulf, Greece. It is situated about 65 km from Athens and 3 km from Sounion and is part of the

Attica region Attica ( el, Περιφέρεια Αττικής, translit=Periféria Attikís, ) is an administrative region of Greece, that encompasses the entire metropolitan area of Athens, the country's capital and largest city. The region is coextensive w ...

. In ancient times, the island was known as ''Patroklou Charax'' (Πατρόκλου χάραξ, meaning "Camp of Patroclus") or ''Patroklou Nesos'' (Πατρόκλου νῆσος, meaning "Island of Patroclus"), after the

Ptolemaic Ptolemaic is the adjective formed from the name Ptolemy, and may refer to: Pertaining to the Ptolemaic dynasty * Ptolemaic dynasty, the Macedonian Greek dynasty that ruled Egypt founded in 305 BC by Ptolemy I Soter * Ptolemaic Kingdom Pertaining ...

admiral

Patroclus In Greek mythology, as recorded in Homer's ''Iliad'', Patroclus (pronunciation variable but generally ; grc, Πάτροκλος, Pátroklos, glory of the father) was a childhood friend, close wartime companion, and the presumed (by some later a ...

, who established a fortified base there during the Chremonidean War. In the late Middle Ages, the island was notorious as a haven for pirates. The Byzantine emperor John VIII Palaiologos was nearly captured by

Catalan Catalan may refer to: Catalonia From, or related to Catalonia: * Catalan language, a Romance language * Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia Places * 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...

pirates in December 1437, when his ship sought shelter from a storm on the island during his journey to the Council of Ferrara. On 12 February 1944, SS ''Oria'' sank in a storm on the south east rocks of Patroklos island with 4,074 killed, mostly Italian military internees. It was also the island at the heart of the Israeli political scandal known as the "

Greek island affair The Greek island affair ( he, פרשת האי היווני, translit=Parashat HaEe HaYevani) was an Israeli political scandal involving David Appel, Ariel Sharon, at the time a minister in the Likud party, and others close to Sharon. The scandal ...

". The island is operated under Greek administration but owned by the Prince Obolensky,

Arnaud Henry Salas-Perez Arnaud may refer to: People * Arnaud (given name) or Arnauld (formerly Arnoul), the French form of the German given name Arnold * Arnaud (surname) or Arnauld (formerly Arnoul), the French form of the name Arnold * Arnauld family, a noble French f ...

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Saronic Islands Private islands of Greece Landforms of East Attica {{CentralGreece-geo-stub