1 Introduction

The 3rd century geographer Gaius Julius Solinus wrote that the sky was never so cloudy that the sun did not shine on Rhodes. [1]

Rhodes was an island blessed with sunlight and easy to live in, and Greeks settled there from ancient times. However, because of its richness, Rhodes was a place of warfare, and the inhabitants changed frequently.

The inhabitants of Rhodes changed rapidly from Telchines (or Telchinians) to Heliadae, Phoenicians, Carians, and Dorians. [2]

2 Age of Telchines

2.1 The First Greeks

The first Greeks to inhabit Rhodes, which was called Ophiussa or Stadia, were Telchines, and the island came to be called Telchinis. [3]

Strabo writes that Telchines went from Crete to Cyprus, and from there to Rhodes. [4]

This seems to suggest that Celmis and Damnameneus, who discovered iron in Crete, also discovered iron in Cyprus. [5]

They were both Idaean Dactyls and Telchines. [6]

However, they discovered iron in Crete in 1438 BC, and Telchines was expelled from Rhodes in 1425 BC.

This means that Telchines lived in Rhodes for at most 13 years.

This period seems too short, considering that Rhodes Island was called Telchinis after the Telchines. [7]

Telchines probably lived in Rhodes before iron was discovered in Crete.

2.2 First settlement

Diodorus records that Rhodos was born to Halia, belonging to Telchines. [8]

In 1390 BC, Triopas, son of Rhodos, joined the sons of Deucalion in expelling the Pelasgians from Thessaly. [9]

Thus, Telchines were already living in Rhodes when Rhodos was born around 1470 BC.

Telchines moved from Sicyon to Crete in 1690 BC, and then extended their settlement to Rhodes. [10]

In other words, Telchine settled in Rhodes between 1690 BC and 1470 BC.

The first settlement of Telchines is thought to have been near Ialysus.

The eldest of the Heliadae, who had driven out the indigenous Telchines, was Cercaphus, who was succeeded by his eldest son, Ialysus. [11]

Ialysus lived in Ialysus, north of Rhodes. [12]

2.3 Migration from Crete

In 1450 BC, Erysichthon migrated from Prasus in eastern Crete to Rhodes. [13]

The cause of Erysichthon's migration is believed to be the colonization of Gortyna by the Pelasgians led by Gortys, son of Tegeates, from Tegea in Arcadia. [14]

Erysichthon married Halia's daughter Rhodos, and had seven sons. [15]

Halia was Telchinian. Along with Erysichthon, the settlers who came from Crete lived alongside the Telchines. Erysichthon was a descendant of the Cres who migrated from Sicyon to Crete in 1690 BC, and was both an Eteocretans and Telchines. [16]

In other words, Erysichthon is thought to have migrated to Rhodes relying on his kin.

2.4 Rhodes as a stopover

Danaus and Cadmus, mentioned below, stopped off at Rhodes before coming to Greece from Egypt and Phoenicia.

At least two other groups of immigrants had stopped in Rhodes before them.

It is believed that some people settled in Rhodes at that time.

1) The Ectenes group migrated from Boeotia to Egypt in 1580 BC.

They founded Sais in the Nile Delta. [17]

Among them was Cecrops, who migrated from Sais to Attica and became the first king of Athens. [18]

2) The Pelasgians group migrated from Argos to Lycia and Egypt in 1560 BC.

Among them was Xanthus, son of Triopas, who settled in Lycia and then migrated to Lesbos. [19]

Among them was Cyrnus, who founded Cyrnus in Caria. [20]

Among them were Iasus and his daughter Io, who emigrated to Egypt. [21]

2.4.1 Visit of Danaus

In 1430 BC, the Pelasgians, led by Danaus, were driven out of Egypt and landed on the east coast of Rhodes. [22]

Tradition has it that Danaus landed at Lindus, which had not yet been founded. [23]

Danaus left the island, but his two daughters, Helice and Archedice, stayed behind and built the Lindian temple of Athena. [24]

It is likely that some of the Pelasgians who had been part of Danaus' migration stayed with them.

2.4.2 Visit of Cadmus

In 1426 BC, Cadmus landed on the northeast coast of Rhodes and built a temple to Poseidon. [25]

Tradition has it that Cadmus landed at Ialysus, which had not yet been founded. [26]

Cadmus also stopped on the eastern coast, where he dedicated a bronze cauldron to the Lindian temple of Athena. [27]

Cadmus left the island, but it is believed that some of the Phoenicians in his colony settled in Rhodes. [28]

3 Age of Heliadae

3.1 Battle of Telchines and Heliadae

In 1425 BC, a conflict arose between the sons of Erysichthon (Heliadae) and Telchines, and Telchines was driven from the island. [29]

Phoenicians, who were among the immigrants of Danaus and Cadmus and settled in Rhodes, joined the Heliadae. Lycus of Telchines, who was driven from the island, moved to Lycia near the Xanthus River. [30]

The island, which was called Telchinis until then, became Rhodes after Rhodos, the mother of Heliadae. [31]

3.2 The Great Tsunami of 1420 BC

In 1420 BC, Rhodes was hit by a tsunami, which created a puddle, but the heat of the sun restored the land to its original state. The people identified Erysichthon with Helios, and the seven sons of Erysichthon came to be called the Heliadae (or Heliads). [32]

3.3 Conflict of Heliadae

In 1415 BC, conflict arose among Erysichthon's sons, Ochimus, Cercaphus, Macareus, Triopas, Actis, Candalus, and Tenages.

Tenages was killed, and the other sons emigrated from the island, leaving behind Ochimus and Cercaphus.

3.3.1 Migration to Lesbos

Macareus (or Macar), son of Erysichthon, migrated from Rhodes to Lesbos. [33]

25 years after Macareus' migration, Lesbos was devastated by a second tsunami. [34]

3.3.2 Migration to Cos

Candalus, son of Erysichthon, migrated from Rhodes to Cos. [35]

3.3.3 Migration to Egypt

Actis (or Auges, Atlas), son of Erysichthon, migrated from Rhodes to Egypt and founded Heliopolis. [36]

Actis imparted knowledge of the stars to Maceris, who was called Egyptian Heracles or Phoenician Heracles. [37]

Actis and Maceris were the major contributors to the Phoenicians becoming a maritime people.

Psenophis, a priest present in Heliopolis during the visit of Solon of Athens to Egypt in the early 6th century BC, is thought to have been a descendant of Actis.[38]

3.3.4 Migration to Caria

Triopas, son of Erysichthon, fled to Melisseus, who lived in Cherronesus in Caria. [39]

Melisseus was one of the five Curetes who emigrated from Crete to Cherronesus. [40]

Melisseus was also a Telchinian and of the same race as Triopas. [41]

In 1390 BC, Triopas helped the sons of Deucalion to expel the Pelasgians from Thessaly and captured Dotium in Thessaly. [42]

In 1388 BC, Triopas fighting with the natives, and emigrated from Thessaly to Cherronesus in Caria, and founded Triopium (or Triopia). [43]

Triopium was located on a promontory that later became the territory of Cnidus. [44]

Later, the inhabitants of Cnidus dedicated a statue of its founder, Triopas, to Delphi. [45]

In 1380 BC, Triopas helped Chthonius, son of Ialysus and Syme, daughter of Dotis, to settle on the uninhabited island of Metapontis. The island was named after Chthonius' mother, Syme. [46]

3.4 The Great Tsunami of 1390 BC

In 1390 BC, during the reign of Cercaphus' three sons, Lindus, Ialysus and Cameirus, Rhodes was hit again by a great tsunami, and Cyrbe, where they lived, was destroyed. [47]

In 1389 BC, Cercaphus' sons founded three towns named after themselves on the island that had recovered from the tsunami. [48]

3.5 The outbreak of internal conflicts

In 1370 BC, after the death of Triopas, internal conflicts arose in Triopium, and the inhabitants of Triopium migrated to various places. [49]

Phorbas, son of Triopas, occupied Ialysus in Rhodes, and Periergus, son of Triopas, occupied Cameirus. [50]

There was also migration from Triopium to Dotium in Thessaly. [51]

Probably, when Triopas was driven out of Dotium, the Aeolians who supported him migrated to Triopium, and returned to Thessaly after Triopas' death.

The internal conflict in Triopium led to a battle between the sons of Triopas, who had been banished from Rhodes, and the sons of Cercaphus, who had remained on the island.

The sons of Cercaphus, who had lost Ialysus and Cameirus, probably lived in Lindus.

This battle weakened the power of the Heliadae in Rhodes.

3.6 Migration from Lesbos

In 1340 BC, Leucippus, son of Macareus, migrated from Lesbos to Rhodes. [52]

Macareus was not Erysichthon's son Macareus, who migrated from Rhodes to Lesbos, but Aeolus's son Macareus, who migrated from Peloponnesus to Lesbos.

It is assumed that some Aeolians did not return from Triopium to Dotium in Thessaly, but migrated to Rhodes with the sons of Triopas.

Leucippus was reportedly welcomed by the inhabitants of Rhodes, but it is believed that the Aeolians invited him to the island to gain their support. [53]

3.7 Migration from Thessaly

In 1320 BC, Phorbas, son of Lapithes, migrated from Thessaly to Rhodes. [54]

It is believed that Leucippus, son of Macareus, summoned Phorbas to Rhodes. Phorbas was the son of Lapithes, brother of Leucippus' father Macareus, and Phorbas and Leucippus were cousins.

It is believed that Phorbas went to Rhodes to assist Leucippus, who was suffering in a conflict with the Phoenicians.

4 Age of the Phoenicians

4.1 Migration to Peloponnesus

In 1306 BC, Phorbas migrated from Rhodes to Olenus, northwest of Peloponnesus. [55]

Diodorus reports that Alector, king of Elis, summoned Phorbas. [56]

However, Phorbas, along with the Heliadae and Aeolians, fought against the Phoenicians, but was defeated and presumably exiled from the island.

Among the Aeolians who migrated from Lesbos to Rhodes with Leucippus were Aeolians who migrated from Olenus to Lesbos with Aeolus' son, Macareus. [57]

Phorbas is thought to have been guided to Olenus by the Aeolians.

Phorbas is thought to have been guided by the Aeolians and migrated in Olenus.

After Phorbas' departure, the rulers of Rhodes became the Phoenicians.

4.2 Migration from Crete

In 1230 BC, Althaemenes, son of Catreus, son of Minos, migrated from Crete to Rhodes. [58]

Althaemenes called the place where he landed Cretinia. [59]

In another version, Althaemenes landed at Cameirus. [60]

It is likely that Cameirus was uninhabited after it was founded in 1389 BC. [61]

Althaemenes built an altar to Zeus on Mount Atabyris, the highest mountain in Rhodes. [62]

Zeus of Atabyris became so famous that he was even mentioned in a poem by Pindar. [63]

From Mount Atabyris, Althaemenes' homeland of Crete could be seen. [64]

The migration of Althaemenes is presumably due to unrest within Crete.

4.3 Migration from Argolis

In 1213 BC, Tlepolemus, son of Heracles, emigrated to Rhodes. [65]

After the death of Eurystheus in Mycenae, Tlepolemus returned to Argolis as a member of the Heracleidae under Hyllus. [66]

Afterwards, the Heracleidae returned to Attica, but Tlepolemus stayed behind with his grandmother's brother Licymnius. After Licymnius died, Tlepolemus emigrated to Rhodes with the Tirynthians. [67]

Tlepolemus is said to have founded three towns in Rhodes, with the same names as those founded by the sons of Cercaphus. [68]

Probably, Tlepolemus rebuilt the three towns after the Phoenicians had expelled the Heliadae from the island, which had become depopulated.

5 Age of the Carians

In 1186 BC, the Achaeans invaded Troy, but were defeated and scattered.

Some of the Achaeans fled to Asia Minor, and the Carians, pursued by them, fled to the islands of the Aegean Sea. Some of the Carians fled to Rhodes, where they expelled the Phoenicians from the island and became rulers of Rhodes. [69]

6 Age of the Dorians

6.1 Migration from Argos

In 1070 BC, Althaemenes, son of Ceisus, son of Temenus, led the Dorians and Pelasgians from Argos to settle in Rhodes. [70]

The reason for their migration was a famine in Peloponnesos. [71]

The Dorians who lived in Megara also joined Althaemenes' migration. [72]

The rulers of Rhodes were the Telchines, Heliadae, Phoenicians, and then the Carians. The Dorians drove the Carians out of the island and became rulers of Rhodes. [73]

The Dorians are also said to have founded Lindus, Ialysus, and Cameirus. [74]

Probably, these cities had declined under the rule of the Carians, and the Dorians rebuilt the three cities that were depopulated.

The three towns, plus Cos, Cnidus, and Halicarnassus, which were settled by the Dorians, came to be known as the Doric Hexapolis.[75]

Cleobulus of Lindus in Rhodes, one of the Seven Sages of Greece, is presumed to have been a descendant of Althaemenes.[76]

6.2 Migration to Sicily

In 688 BC, Antiphemus led the Lindians from Rhodes to southeastern Sicily and founded Gela. [77]

Entimus, son of Craton, led the Cretans and participated in the construction of Gela. [78]

Deinomenes, ancestor of Gelo, the tyrant of Gela, also participated in the construction of Gela from Lindus in Rhodes. [79]

6.3 Migration to Pamphylia

In 688 BC, Lacius, brother of Antiphemus, migrated from Lindus to Pamphylia and founded Phaselis. [80]

The migration to Sicily and Pamphylia occurred in the same year. [81]

6.4 Migration from Messenia

The Lacedaemonians attacked Eira in Messenia, where the Messenians were holed up, and it fell to them. [82]

In 667 BC, Aristomenes, son of Nicomedes, leader of the Messenians, emigrated to Ialysus in Rhodes. [83]

Aristomenes' daughter married Damagetus, a descendant of Tlepolemus, son of Heracles, who lived in Ialysus. [84]

Aristomenes died in Ialysus. [86]

His tomb was then transferred from Rhodes to Messene in Messenia. [87]

6.5 Migration to Libya

In 630 BC, Battus, son of Polymnestus, led a group of immigrants from Thera to Libya and founded Cyrene. [88]

The sons of Pancis, who lived in Lindus, also participated in the founding of Cyrene. [89]

When Thera erupted, people from Rhodes came to the island, suggesting that there was a close relationship between Rhodes and Thera. [90]

6.6 Migration to Cilicia

In 585 BC, Solon of Athens, in cooperation with Philocyprus, founded Soli in Cilicia Pedias. [91]

The construction of the city was attended by Achaeans and Rhodians from Lindus in Rhodes. [92]

This was due to Solon's friendship with Cleobulus, the ruler of Lindus. [93]

6.7 Reconstruction of the Temple of Athena

In 575 BC, Cleobulus of Lindus reconstructed the temple of Athena, which had been built by the daughters of Danaus. [94]

Cleobulus likely recognized Danaus as his ancestor.

Cleobulus was both a descendant of Heracles and a Dorian. [95]

In other words, Cleobulus is presumably a descendant of Althaemenes, the son of Ceisus, rather than Tlepolemus, the son of Heracles.

End