Andros
Encyclopedia
Andros, or Andro is the northernmost island
of the Greek
Cyclades
archipelago
, approximately 10 km (6 mi) south east of Euboea
, and about 3 km (2 mi) north of Tinos
. It is nearly 40 km (25 mi) long, and its greatest breadth is 16 km (10 mi). Its surface is for the most part mountain
ous, with many fruitful and well-watered valley
s. The area is 380 km² (147 sq mi). The largest towns are Andros (town)
, Gávrio, Bátsi, and Órmos Korthíou.
The island is famous for its Sariza spring at Apoikia where the water comes out of a lionhead. Palaeopolis, the ancient capital, was built into a steep hillside, and its harbor's breakwater can still be seen underwater.
n population, perhaps with an admixture of Thracian
blood. Though originally dependent on Eretria
, by the 7th century BC it had become sufficiently prosperous to send out several colonies, to Chalcidice
(Acanthus
, Stageira
, Argilus, Sane
). The ruins of Palaeopolis
, the ancient capital, are on the west coast; the town possessed a famous temple, dedicated to Dionysus
. In 480 BC, it supplied ships to Xerxes and was subsequently harried by the Greek fleet. Though enrolled in the Delian League
it remained disaffected towards Athens
, and in 477 had to be coerced by the establishment of a cleruchy
on the island; nevertheless, in 411 Andros proclaimed its freedom, and in 408 withstood an Athenian attack. As a member of the second Delian League it was again controlled by a garrison and an archon
. In the Hellenistic period, Andros was contended for as a frontier-post by the two naval powers of the Aegean Sea
, Macedon
and Ptolemaic Egypt
. In 333, it received a Macedonian garrison from Antipater
; in 308 it was freed by Ptolemy I of Egypt. In the Chremonidean War
(266-263) it passed again to Macedon after a battle
fought off its shores. In 200, it was captured by a combined Roman
, Pergamene and Rhodian
fleet, and remained a possession of Kingdom of Pergamon until the dissolution of that kingdom in 133 BC. Before falling under Turkish
rule, Andros was from AD 1207 till 1566 governed by the families Zeno and Sommaripa under Venetian
protection (see: Duchy of the Archipelago
). Then the island was again under direct Ottoman rule. After a few centuries, Cyclades joined the rest of Greece
in 1821.
On May 10, 1821, Theophilos Kairis
, one of the leading intellectuals of the Greek Revolution, declared the War of Independence by raising the Greek flag at the picturesque cliffside church of St George: at this time, a famous heartfelt speech, or "ritoras" (ρήτορας), inspired shipowners and merchants to contribute funds to build a Greek Navy to combat the Ottomans.
region, and the only municipality
of the regional unit. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Andros was created out of part of the former Cyclades Prefecture. At the same reform, the current municipality Andros was created out of the 3 former municipalities:
(pop. 4,107), Korthio
(pop. 2,547), and Ydrousa
(pop. 3,355). The north of Andros has a small Arvanite community. The name of the island in Arvanitika
is Ε̰νdρα, Ëndra.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Cyclades
Cyclades
The Cyclades is a Greek island group in the Aegean Sea, south-east of the mainland of Greece; and a former administrative prefecture of Greece. They are one of the island groups which constitute the Aegean archipelago. The name refers to the islands around the sacred island of Delos...
archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
, approximately 10 km (6 mi) south east of Euboea
Euboea
Euboea is the second largest Greek island in area and population, after Crete. The narrow Euripus Strait separates it from Boeotia in mainland Greece. In general outline it is a long and narrow, seahorse-shaped island; it is about long, and varies in breadth from to...
, and about 3 km (2 mi) north of Tinos
Tinos
Tinos is a Greek island situated in the Aegean Sea. It is located in the Cyclades archipelago. In antiquity, Tinos was also known as Ophiussa and Hydroessa . The closest islands are Andros, Delos, and Mykonos...
. It is nearly 40 km (25 mi) long, and its greatest breadth is 16 km (10 mi). Its surface is for the most part mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
ous, with many fruitful and well-watered valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
s. The area is 380 km² (147 sq mi). The largest towns are Andros (town)
Andros (town)
Andros , also called Chora , is a town and a former municipality on the island of Andros, in the Cyclades, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andros, of which it is a municipal unit, and shares the island of Andros with the municipal units of Korthio and...
, Gávrio, Bátsi, and Órmos Korthíou.
The island is famous for its Sariza spring at Apoikia where the water comes out of a lionhead. Palaeopolis, the ancient capital, was built into a steep hillside, and its harbor's breakwater can still be seen underwater.
History
The island in ancient times contained an IoniaIonia
Ionia is an ancient region of central coastal Anatolia in present-day Turkey, the region nearest İzmir, which was historically Smyrna. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements...
n population, perhaps with an admixture of Thracian
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
blood. Though originally dependent on Eretria
Eretria
Erétria was a polis in Ancient Greece, located on the western coast of the island of Euboea, south of Chalcis, facing the coast of Attica across the narrow Euboean Gulf. Eretria was an important Greek polis in the 6th/5th century BC. However, it lost its importance already in antiquity...
, by the 7th century BC it had become sufficiently prosperous to send out several colonies, to Chalcidice
Chalcidice
Chalkidiki, also Halkidiki, Chalcidice or Chalkidike , is a peninsula in northern Greece, and one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Macedonia. The autonomous Mount Athos region is part of the peninsula, but not of the regional unit...
(Acanthus
Acanthus (Greece)
Ierissos Modern Greek: or Acanthus was an ancient Greek city on the Athos peninsula. It was located on the north-east side of Akti, on the most eastern peninsula of Chalcidice...
, Stageira
Stageira
Stageira was an ancient Greek city on the Chalkidiki peninsula and is chiefly known for being the birthplace of Aristotle. The city lies approximately 8 kilometres north northeast of the present-day village of Stagira, close to the town of Olympiada....
, Argilus, Sane
Sane (Chalcidice)
Sane was an ancient Greek city in Pallene headland of Chalcidice.It was founded by Andrians in 7th century BC in modern villages Nea Roda and Sani.-References:*An Introduction to the Study of Grecian and Roman Geography by George Long, Robley Dunglison...
). The ruins of Palaeopolis
Paleopolis, Andros
Palaiopoli is an ancient city on the west coast of Andros in the Cyclades Islands, Greece.From the archaic to the first Byzantine period, the epicenter of the island's activities is traced to the area of Paleopolis, which is found on the west side of the island, at a distance of 5 kilometers from...
, the ancient capital, are on the west coast; the town possessed a famous temple, dedicated to Dionysus
Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
. In 480 BC, it supplied ships to Xerxes and was subsequently harried by the Greek fleet. Though enrolled in the Delian League
Delian League
The Delian League, founded in circa 477 BC, was an association of Greek city-states, members numbering between 150 to 173, under the leadership of Athens, whose purpose was to continue fighting the Persian Empire after the Greek victory in the Battle of Plataea at the end of the Greco–Persian Wars...
it remained disaffected towards Athens
Classical Athens
The city of Athens during the classical period of Ancient Greece was a notable polis of Attica, Greece, leading the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. Athenian democracy was established in 508 BC under Cleisthenes following the tyranny of Hippias...
, and in 477 had to be coerced by the establishment of a cleruchy
Cleruchy
A cleruchy in Hellenic Greece, was a specialized type of colony established by Athens. The term comes from the Greek word , klērouchos, literally "lot-holder"....
on the island; nevertheless, in 411 Andros proclaimed its freedom, and in 408 withstood an Athenian attack. As a member of the second Delian League it was again controlled by a garrison and an archon
Archon
Archon is a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem ἀρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch, hierarchy, and anarchy.- Ancient Greece :In ancient Greece the...
. In the Hellenistic period, Andros was contended for as a frontier-post by the two naval powers of the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
, Macedon
Macedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
and Ptolemaic Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt began when Ptolemy I Soter invaded Egypt and declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt in 305 BC and ended with the death of queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and the Roman conquest in 30 BC. The Ptolemaic Kingdom was a powerful Hellenistic state, extending from southern Syria in the east, to...
. In 333, it received a Macedonian garrison from Antipater
Antipater
Antipater was a Macedonian general and a supporter of kings Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. In 320 BC, he became Regent of all of Alexander's Empire. Antipater was one of the sons of a Macedonian nobleman called Iollas or Iolaus and his family were distant collateral relatives to the...
; in 308 it was freed by Ptolemy I of Egypt. In the Chremonidean War
Chremonidean War
The Chremonidean War was fought by a coalition of Greek city-states against Macedonian domination.The origins of the war lie in the continuing desire of many Greek states, most notably Athens and Sparta, for a restoration of their former independence along with the Ptolemaic desire to stir up...
(266-263) it passed again to Macedon after a battle
Battle of Andros
The Battle of Andros was an obscure naval battle during the Third Syrian War.In 246 BC, Ptolemy III Euergetes lost the Cyclades to Antigonus II Gonatas.-See also:*Syrian Wars*Seleucid Empire*Ptolemaic Egypt...
fought off its shores. In 200, it was captured by a combined Roman
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
, Pergamene and Rhodian
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
fleet, and remained a possession of Kingdom of Pergamon until the dissolution of that kingdom in 133 BC. Before falling under Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
rule, Andros was from AD 1207 till 1566 governed by the families Zeno and Sommaripa under Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
protection (see: Duchy of the Archipelago
Duchy of the Archipelago
The Duchy of the Archipelago or also Duchy of Naxos or Duchy of the Aegean was a maritime state created by Venetian interests in the Cyclades archipelago in the Aegean Sea, in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade, centered on the islands of Naxos and Paros.-Background and establishment of the...
). Then the island was again under direct Ottoman rule. After a few centuries, Cyclades joined the rest of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in 1821.
On May 10, 1821, Theophilos Kairis
Theophilos Kairis
Theophilos Kairis was a Greek priest and revolutionary. He was born in Andros, Cyclades, Ottoman Greece, as a son of a distinguished family....
, one of the leading intellectuals of the Greek Revolution, declared the War of Independence by raising the Greek flag at the picturesque cliffside church of St George: at this time, a famous heartfelt speech, or "ritoras" (ρήτορας), inspired shipowners and merchants to contribute funds to build a Greek Navy to combat the Ottomans.
Administration
Andros is a separate regional unit of the South AegeanSouth Aegean
The South Aegean is one of the thirteen regions of Greece. It consists of the Cyclades and Dodecanese island groups in the central and southeastern Aegean Sea.- Administration :...
region, and the only municipality
Communities and Municipalities of Greece
For the new municipalities of Greece see the Kallikratis ProgrammeThe municipalities and communities of Greece are one of several levels of government within the organizational structure of that country. Thirteen regions called peripheries form the largest unit of government beneath the State. ...
of the regional unit. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Andros was created out of part of the former Cyclades Prefecture. At the same reform, the current municipality Andros was created out of the 3 former municipalities:
- Andros (town)Andros (town)Andros , also called Chora , is a town and a former municipality on the island of Andros, in the Cyclades, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andros, of which it is a municipal unit, and shares the island of Andros with the municipal units of Korthio and...
- KorthioKorthioKorthio is a former municipality on the island of Andros, in the Cyclades, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andros, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population was 2,547 inhabitants at the 2001 census, and its land area is 81.918 km². It shares the...
- YdrousaYdrousaYdrousa is a former municipality on the island of Andros, in the Cyclades, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andros, of which it is a municipal unit. The population was 3,355 inhabitants at the 2001 census...
Population
Andros, the capital, on the east coast, contained about 2,000 inhabitants in 1900. The island had about 18,000 inhabitants in (1900). The 1991 census read 8,781. According to the latest Greek census of 2001, the town of Andros still contained 1,508 inhabitants, and the island's total was 10,009. The island is composed of the municipal units of Andros (town)Andros (town)
Andros , also called Chora , is a town and a former municipality on the island of Andros, in the Cyclades, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andros, of which it is a municipal unit, and shares the island of Andros with the municipal units of Korthio and...
(pop. 4,107), Korthio
Korthio
Korthio is a former municipality on the island of Andros, in the Cyclades, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andros, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population was 2,547 inhabitants at the 2001 census, and its land area is 81.918 km². It shares the...
(pop. 2,547), and Ydrousa
Ydrousa
Ydrousa is a former municipality on the island of Andros, in the Cyclades, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andros, of which it is a municipal unit. The population was 3,355 inhabitants at the 2001 census...
(pop. 3,355). The north of Andros has a small Arvanite community. The name of the island in Arvanitika
Arvanitika
Arvanitika also known Arvanitic is the variety of Albanian traditionally spoken by the Arvanites, a population group in Greece...
is Ε̰νdρα, Ëndra.
Communities and settlements
- Aladinon
- Apoikia
- Ammolochos
- Andros (Chora)
- Ano Aprovato
- Ano Gavrio
- Arnas
- Batsi
- Epano Fellos
- Gavrio
- Kalyvari
- Kaparia
- Katakilo
- Kipri
- Kochylos
- Lamira
- Livadia
- Makrotantalo
- Mermingies
- Mesaria
- Ormos Korthiou
- Palaiokastro
- PalaiopolisPaleopolis, AndrosPalaiopoli is an ancient city on the west coast of Andros in the Cyclades Islands, Greece.From the archaic to the first Byzantine period, the epicenter of the island's activities is traced to the area of Paleopolis, which is found on the west side of the island, at a distance of 5 kilometers from...
- Piso Meria
- Pitrofos
- Sineti
- Stenies
- Varidio
- Vitalio
- Vouni
- Vourkoti
- Ypsilou
- Zaganiaris
- Strapouries
Notable people
- AmphisAmphisAmphis was an Athenian Comic poet of uncertain origin from approximately the 4th century BC.Pollux seems to refer to Amphis as a Middle Comic poet, and Amphis' own repeated references to the philosopher Plato place him in the early to mid-4th century BC...
(4th century BC), comic poet - MatthewPatriarch Matthew of AlexandriaMatthew served as Greek Patriarch of Alexandria between 1746 and 1766. He was born in the Greek island of Andros.-References:GeneralSpecific...
, Patriarch of Alexandria - Theophilos KairisTheophilos KairisTheophilos Kairis was a Greek priest and revolutionary. He was born in Andros, Cyclades, Ottoman Greece, as a son of a distinguished family....
(1784–1853), priest and revolutionary - Nikitas KaklamanisNikitas KaklamanisNikitas M. Kaklamanis is a Greek New Democracy politician and former Mayor of Athens. He is also a former Minister for Health and Social Solidarity. In the Greek local elections of 2010 he lost the position of mayor after being defeated by Giorgos Kaminis.-Medical career:Kaklamanis was born in...
(1946–present), doctor and politician, mayor of AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... - George LeonardosGeorge Leonardos- Early life :Son of Anastase and Maria, Leonardos was born in Alexandria, Egypt on 20 February 1937. His father died when he was two years old and he lived with his mother in Alexandria until 1954. He was an avid reader of fiction and history, and as a high school student in Alexandria had his...
(1937-present), journalist and authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, awarded with the Greek State Literature Award 2008 - Yiannis TridimasYiannis TridimasYiannis Tridimas is a renowned long-distance fell runner, noted as being the first and only 60 year old to have completed an extended version of the Bob Graham Round, covering 60 peaks in under 24 hours...
(1945–present), established UK long-distance runner - Alexander PantagesAlexander PantagesAlexander Pantages was an American vaudeville and early motion picture producer and impresario who created a large and powerful circuit of theatres across the western United States and Canada.-Early life:...
(1875–1936), American vaudeville magnate - Andreas EmbirikosAndreas EmbirikosAndreas Embirikos was a Greek surrealist poet and the first Greek psychoanalyst.-Life:...
(1901-1975), Greek surrealist poet and the first Greek psychoanalyst - Michael Dertouzos(1936-2001), Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Director of the M.I.T. Laboratory for Computer Science (LCS) from 1974 to 2001.