The Isle of Kos

Kos is a small island in the south western corner of the [Aegean Sea] off the coast of [Asia Minor]. Kos is part of the nation of [Greece] and has a rich Greek heritage. At the end of the 11th century BCE [Dorians] landed on the island and organized the various tribes living in scattered [demoi] across the island under a central government in the [polis] of [Astypalaia]. The historian [Herodotus] tells hus in his Histories that in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE, Kos participated in a federated alliance known as the Doric Hexapolis along with [Knidos], [Halikarnassos], [Ialysos], [Kameiros] and [Lindos].

Kos was soon subjugated by [Persia] during the [Persian Wars] from 500-478 BCE. Kos was freed from Persian rule after the Greek victory at the battle of [Mykale] in 479 BCE. Kos thereby joined the [Athenian Confederation], and prospered with the rest of Greece in Golden Age of [Pericles]. In 412 BCE the capital of Kos was moved from Astypalaia to the city of Kos-He-Merops, which was then renamed "Kos." This occured probably due to an earthquake at Astypalaia, (though this is somewhat speculative)

It was in 460 BCE that the most famous [Koan], (a Koan in this case is an inhabitant of Kos, not a Zen riddle), was born. He was [hippocrates|Hippokrates], a descendent of [asclepius|Asklepius]. Asklepius, who was originally regarded only as a [hero] possessing healing powers, was by the 5th century BCE seen as the Greek [god] of medicine and healing. The Asklepiads (descendents of Asklepius) had a rich history on Kos, and Hippokrates followed the family profession. The [Hippocratic Writings|Hippokratic Writings] which are attributed to Hippokrates (but he only wrote a few works of them) represent the birth of medicine as a "science." Hippokrates founded a school of medicine on the island, that instructed students in medicine long after his death in 377 BCE.

Another famous Koan, [Ptolomey II Philadelphus] saw to it that his homeland was protected for many years following the death of [Alexander the Great]. The Ptolomaeic Dynasty controlled the [Egyptian] portion of Alexander's former empire, and thus possessed the resources to see to this. In 130 BCE Kos along with the rest of Greece fell under Roman control. In the 1st century CE, [St. Paul] writes abut visiting the Kos. [Acts] 21:1 described conversions he made on the island.

In 1204, Venice annexed the island, and renamed it [Lango]. 100 years later in 1304, the Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of Saint John of [Jerusalem], Foulques de Villaret took control of the island. Kos remained under control of the Knights until 1523, after a series of raids by [Turkish] pirates following the fall of [Byzantium] in 1453. The island remained in Turkish hands until 1912, when [Italy] took control of it. After [World War II], Kos along with the rest of Greece was granted independence.

Sources: (1). Course with professor Gary Reger, "Magic and Medicine in Ancient Greece," taught at Trinity College, CT (2). Website "www.Kos-Greece.com"

Kos (place)