The name of Kos has not changed from the ancient times until now. Some argue that the name "Kos" originated from the name of a royal princess, daughter of King Triopas the Second, called Koos. Others say that the name comes from the word koion, from the dialect of Kares, either because the shape of the island looks like a lamb either because there were a lot of lambs in Kos. Some others claim that the island was named after the word kos which meant prison.

The island was inhabited from the Neolithic years as it is proved by Neolithic findings in Aspopetra cave near Kefalos. Many mythological traditions of the ancient Greeks refer to the settlement and characteristic events in Kos during the prehistoric era.

According to such a tradition the giants, sons of Uranus and Gaea, when they were defeated in the appalling battle they fought against the gods of Olympus were put to rout.

God Poseidon who chased giant Polyvotis cut a piece of Kos with his trident, threw it against him and killed him. The mythological information that the giants Koios, Phoebus and Kynnos took refuge in Kos is relevant to the said tradition. According to such myths many heroes and demigods had visited the island. It seems that the first inhabitants of the island were Pelasgoi and Leleges.

Another tradition mentions that Meropes, who were creative people, built the first ancient city of the island and named it after the daughter of King Meropas: Astypalea. Triopas the Second succeeded Meropas and Meropas the Second, whose daughter was named Koos, succeeded Triopas the Second. In the years of prosperity of the minoan Crete, Minos the Second, though he ruled almost all the Mediterranean and forced Kares out of most islands, preferred not to hurt the inhabitants of Kos and to maintain a friendship of long standing with them. After Triopas the Third, his son Evdemonas reigned over the island. Later, circa 1300, Tlipolemos, son of Hercules and Astyochi, king of Rhodes, extended his jurisdiction over Kos too.

The ancient worship: in ancient Kos the people particularly worshiped Ietir, Aesculapius and Hercules. The inhabitants of ancient Kos, in order to honour the god of medicine, organized ceremonies (rites) in which they offered up sacrifices. Of course, in ancient Kos the people also worshiped other gods such as Zeus, Dimitra, Dionysus, Hera, and Aphrodite.



The ancient municipalities: the city of Astypalea was the oldest capital city of Kos. The location corresponds with today's seaside place named Palatia close to Kefalos village. From the ancient years the island was ruled by kings. Radical changes in the political institutions started from the 7th and 6th century in the Hellenic region, at the surrounding areas.

The inhabitants of Kos adopted progressive ideas and forced their leaders to grant their authority finally to the assembly of the people. State treasurers, accountants, gendarmes, market inspectors and judges were appointed. The teachers of the schools were paid by students' families. The principal of the school was responsible for the relevant ceremonies and athletic events while exercises were conducted on responsibility of the school superintendent. The guitar-players were also conductors and education management was performed by the school-children's surveillants.

For more informations about Kos www.kosinfo.gr