The entrance to the Temple of Athena Polias at Ialysus

The Temple of Athena Polias at Ialysus

The History

   Ialysus (also Ialysos and Ialyssos) is one of the three ancient cities of Rhodes with remains of occupation dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE and also settlements and cemeteries dating from the Mycenaean-Minoan period.

Hexapolis map (Click the image for a full screen view)

   The district of Ialysus encompasses the northern part of the island. It was inhabited in the prehistoric period. Remains of a Minoan settlement have been found at Trianda and Mycenaean cemeteries have been located on the surrounding hills of Makria Vounara and Moschou Vounara (1700-1400 BCE).

   At Ialysus in the NW, in contrast with the extensive and highly productive cemeteries on the lower ground towards Trianda, structural remains of the city are scanty.

   The ancient city of Ialysus extended around the hill of Philerimus (also Philerimos and Filerimos), which was the ancient acropolis where there are remains of buildings from the Archaic, Byzantine and Knights' periods.

Ialysus from the Acropolis (Click the image for a full screen view)

   The building remains of ancient Ialysus discovered until now are mainly on the hill of Philerimus, the ancient acropolis, which was given this name in Byzantine times.

   Its earliest known name was Achaia, which is further evidence for the presence of Greeks in this area in the Mycenaean period, Strabo calls the hill Ochyroma ("Fortification").

   From early times the hill was in fact used as a strong point and also as a place of worship.

   Late Classical and early Hellenistic remains preserved on the Acropolis of Ialysus include the foundations of the Temple of Athena Polias and a Doric fountain-house.

Acropolis map (Click the image for a full screen view)

The Temple of Athena Polias

   At the highest point of the Philerimus hill, the ancient Acropolis of Ialysus, are the foundations and column fragments of the Temple of Athena Polias, a Doric structure of the 4th c. BCE; vestiges of a temple from the 6th c. BCE and an older shrine have been found.

   The Temple of Athena Polias, which dates to the 3rd-2nd c. BCE, was built over the site of an earlier Classical temple, to judge from the evidence of a 5th c. BCE floor and terra-cotta antefixes found there.

Temple's floor (Click the image for a full screen view)

   The Temple of Athena Polias is a Doric amphiprostyle, tetrastyle or hexastyle temple of poros (that is, with a portico of four or six columns at either end) with a pronaos, cella and opisthodomus.

The Plan of the Temple (Click the image for a full screen view)

   The foundations for the cult statue are preserved at the north end of the cella.

The foundations for the cult statue (Click the image for a full screen view)

   Small column drums and walls inside the cella may have belonged to an interior colonnade (3rd-2nd c. BCE).

   Cuttings on the west side of the rock would have been used as depositories for votive offerings or cult purposes.

Cuttings on the west side (Click the image for a full screen view)

   The depository on the west side produced pottery and votive offerings dating from the 9th to the 5th c. BCE.

   In addition to the cult of Athena Polias, there are also references to a cult of Zeus Polieus.

   In the Early Christian period (5th-6th c. CE) a three-aisled basilica with an atrium was built on the remains of the ancient temple.

   Architectural elements from the ancient temple were used in the construction of the basilica.

Frieze used in the medieval monastery (Click the image for a full screen view)

The Doric fountain

   The most impressive ancient monument on the site is a late 4th c. fountain-house built into the hillside lower down the slope to the S, one of the best examples of its type.

   The Doric fountain is on the steep south side of the hill, on a small plateau in the almost vertical rock-face.

   It takes the form of a stoa constructed of poros and comprises a closed cistern, a second, open cistern with six pillars, linked by closure slabs, and a facade in the form of a stoa with six Doric columns.

The Doric fountain-house (Click the image for a full screen view)

   Waterspouts in the form of lion's heads, set in the closure slabs, channeled the water onto the floor of the stoa.

   The third pillar has a late Hellenistic inscription carved on it, listing the penalties to be inflicted on anyone profaning the sanctity of the fountain.

The History of the Excavations

   Excavations were carried out by the Italian Archaeological School (in 1914 and 1923-1926) during their occupation of the island.

   The earliest phases of the Temple of Athena were excavated as well as the depository containing figurines, pottery and metal objects (9th-5th c. BCE).

   The Doric fountain-house was also excavated and restored at this time.

Clickable Plan

Clickable plan of Athena's Temple (Click the image for a full screen view)

Gallery 1 of 2

Hexapolis 390 X 418 5 KB	Acropolis 570 X 314 6 KB	Temple plan 590 X 390 8 KB
Temple SES 589 X 388 56 KB	Temple SEE 589 X 391 73 KB	Temple E 589 X 394 46 KB
Temple E2 590 X 384 60 KB	Temple E3 591 X 391 50 KB	Triglyph E 391 X 591 39 KB
Triglyph NE 398 X 591 44 KB	Drum NE SW 393 X 590 47 KB	Temple Top 351 X 480 61 KB
Temple NE 590 X 392 52 KB	Naos E 591 X 392 52 KB	Naos N 386 X 590 37 KB

Tourist Information:

   Lying to the west of the city of Rhodes, Rhodes island, Greece, is the bay of Ialysus (also Ialysos and Ialyssos), whose shoreline, known as Ixia, is dotted with luxury hotels, shops, restaurants and places of entertainment.

   At the end of the bay is the town of Ialysus (Trianta), a place which, despite the growth of tourism, still retains its local color.

   Five kilometers from Ialysus lies Philerimus (also Philerimos and Filerimos), a verdant hill with the ruins of the ancient acropolis. The view from here, towards both the sea and the interior of the island, is truly magnificent.

   Public buses run regularly to Rhodes Town. Taxis are plentiful and generally good value, but longer journeys can be expensive, so it's a good idea to agree the fare with the driver before you set off.

   Ialysus has a wide selection of taverns and restaurants, serving both local and international fare. The Greeks generally eat late, with lunch rarely before 2pm and dinner often as late as 10pm.

   Local specialties are: taramasalata; tsatsiki; dolmades (stuffed vine leaves); stifado (beef, veal or rabbit stew); soutzoukakia (meatballs in tomato sauce); keftedes (lamb rissoles); kleftiko (lamb baked in foil); feta cheese salad; and ouzo.

Other Views:

• General view of Acropolis, from South
• Temple of Athena and church from South
• Temple of Athena and church from SE
• Entrance to the Acropolis of Ialysus

Links:

• Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898): Ialysus
• The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites (eds. Richard Stillwell, William L. MacDonald, Marian Holland McAllister): Rhodes (including Ialysos, Kameiros, Lindos, Vroulia, the city of Rhodes, Mt. Atabyrion)
• Perseus Project: Ialysos, Fountain House, Rhodes: Facade from SE
• Hellenic Ministry of Culture: Ancient Ialysos.
• Faliraki Directory: Filerimos In Ialysos.
• Rhodos Travel Revue: Der Berg Filerimos, Ialysos, auf Rhodos.
• Rhodos - Die griechische Sonneninsel: Filerimos - die Festung im alten Ialysos.
• Alles rund um Rhodos: Filerimos.