Camir

Mentioned by Homer in the "List of Ships" in the "Iliad" ^[3] :

It was one of the six cities of Hexapolis , later the Dorian Pentapolis ^{[4] [5]} .

According to legend, the founder of the city was Camir, son of Kerkath , brother of Jalis and Lind ^[6] . According to another tradition, Camir, Lind and Jalis founded Tlepol and gave them the names Danaid ^{[7] [8] [7] [4]} .

Strabo in the book XIV of his work entitled "Geography" reports on Camir in the context of advancing along Rhodes ^[9] :

Before the arrival of the Dorians who founded the city, there was a Mycenaean settlement on this site ^[10] . In Calavard, there are tombs-thalos belonging to the late Bronze Age , 1370-1070 BC. e. ^[10] .

To the north-east of Camir is a cemetery dating back to the proto-geometric period , 900-850 BC. e., at the same time there was a settlement and a sanctuary near the future temple of Athena on the acropolis ^[10] .

In the geometric period , in 850-680 years BC. e. two more villages appeared nearby ^[10] .

In the archaic period , in 680-480 years BC. e. Camir and other ancient cities of Rhodes have reached their peak. Excavations of the cemetery testify to the lively trade of Camir with the cities of Greece, Asia Minor and the southeastern Mediterranean ^[2] . Agriculture and arts and crafts were developed. In the VI century BC e. Camir minted his coin with the image of a fig leaf ^[10] .

In the archaic period , after the middle of the VI century BC. e. On the acropolis was built the temple of Athena of Camiri . Nearby was built a reservoir for collecting rainwater ^[10] . From the temple of Athens, only the foundation and part of the portico have been preserved.

The fountain and the remains of the walls on the agora of the late classical period have been preserved ^[10] .

Rhodes supported the Ionian rebellion . In 495 BC e. the Midian Admiral Datis captured Rhodes. An inscription about this was found in Rhodes and is confirmed by tablets found in Persepolis ^[11] .

In the classical period, the policies of Camir, Lind and Jalis are part of the First Athenian Maritime Union . In the winter campaign of the twentieth year of the Peloponnesian War (September 412 — March 411 BC), at the request of the Rhodes oligarchs, the Peloponnesian Navarh Mindar sends Russian to the Rhodes Navarh Doriei , son of Diagoras of Rhodes , with a fleet of 13 triremes received from the union city of Furies . Doriei arrives in Camir and convinces the inhabitants of Camir, Jalis and Lind to withdraw from the Athenian alliance ^{[12] [13]} . In 408 BC e. the inhabitants of Camir, Jalis and Linda founded the Rhodes policy, which became the economic, political and cultural center ^{[14] [10] [9] [4]} .

During the earthquake of 226 BC e. Camir was seriously injured and was rebuilt ^[10] . In the middle of the II century BC. e. Camir was seriously injured again and was rebuilt ^[10]

After the earthquake of 226 BC e. Camir was rebuilt according to the principles of urban development of Hellenism . The city was an amphitheater, adjusting to the natural slope, and was divided into three levels. On the lower level was an agora with temples and shrines. At the middle level there were private houses. At the upper level was the acropolis ^[15] .

At the lower level was a Doric temple, probably Apollo of Pythia . The temple was built of pigs and was in antis , its side walls protruding beyond the facade and ended with pilasters , between which two columns were placed. He had pronaos , cella and opistode ^{[15] [16]} .

There was an ionic plaster from plastered pig ^[16] .

Near the temple was a fountain of the late classical period , the middle of the 4th century BC. e., from which preserved Doric half-columns of pigs on the facade. Half columns with stone partitions created an outdoor pool inside, from which water flowed. In the III century BC. e. the pool was replaced by a well ^[16] . In place of the basin, an area was created where neatly folded and arranged stone slabs are located - the remains of a Hellenistic four-sided altar ^[16] . The remains of the structure surround the steps of the theatron (seat). The northern facade of the square was closed by a wall with half columns and an entrance in the center. In the Roman period after the earthquake of the middle of the II century BC. e. here was laid a street for processions, covered in the Italian period ^[15] .

Behind the fountain was a second pool was to collect water VI-V century BC. e. It was a plastered rectangular structure and was equipped with a system of terracotta pipes for supplying water to private homes. The reservoir volume of 600 cubic meters was estimated to be enough to provide water to approximately 400 families. During the Hellenistic period, the basin was replaced by a stoa ^{[15] [16]} .

The Hellenistic stoa consisted of two rows of Doric columns with benches and rooms at the rear. The columns were supported by architraves with metopes , triglyphs and a cornice. Under the drain was a water supply system based on underground reservoirs, wells with covers and terracotta pipes ^[16] .

An inscription has been preserved stating the obligation of the persons in charge of the sanctuary to prepare the premises inside the stand (the above colonnade) for some kind of public meal. Apparently, standing was widely used as a place for public events, and as a place intended for religious and administrative purposes. .

In front of the agora there is an exedra, behind which in the north-eastern part of the agora there is a sacred site with altars, enclosed by a poorly preserved wall. Altars are dedicated to various gods. Nine aligned altars have inscriptions with the names of various gods and local fertility deities. In front of them, on the site below, is a large altar (restored by Italians during the years of occupation), dedicated to the god Helios , which was identified by the inscription ^[15] . This god, apparently, was especially revered in the city. Near the Helios altar, archaeologists found two kouros - archaic statues of naked youths, the ideal of a physically perfect hero.

At the lower level there is a terma with a triangular pool, with caldaria , tepidarium and frigidarium . In the small room adjoining from the south there was a hypocaust ^{[15] [16]} .

The settlement of the Hellenistic and Roman periods was located at an average level. It was built according to the hippodamic system , with a grid of streets intersecting at right angles. In unequal quarters there were insuls . The insul feature was a courtyard surrounded on three sides by a covered colonnade and a wall on one side (Rhodes peristyle). The insulins were decorated with mosaic floors, facades with architraves, frescoes ^{[15] [16]} .

On the acropolis was the Doric temple of Athena of Camiri. Tetrastilic peripteral building, surrounded by a peribol, built on the site of an older temple, destroyed by an earthquake of 226 BC. e. ^[sixteen]

Camir throughout history has lived at the expense of agriculture. The city was famous for its olive oil, wine, and sweet figs. Graves of the 6th century BC e. rich in quite expensive imported funeral gifts that are today stored in the British Museum .

The history of archaeological research in Camir dates back to 1852-1864, when Alfred Biliotti and Auguste Salzmann explored the acropolis . In 1928, during the period when Rhodes was occupied by the Kingdom of Italy , the Italian archaeological school began systematic excavations and restoration work, which continued until the end of World War II ^[17] .

Unlike the surrounding cities, with their historical and cultural attractions, Camir is not at all full of tourists. It is filled with an atmosphere of tranquility. .

Currently, on the outskirts of the city there are olive groves. Around the city there are coniferous forests with a summer house built by Benito Mussolini. .

• Kamiros (neopr.) . dodekanes.blogspot.ru. - Overview of the monument and archaeological finds. Date of treatment November 4, 2017.