Rhodes

Rhodes is the largest Greek Island in the Dodecanese island chain, located in the Aegean.
The capital of the island is also called Rhodes, and its medieval old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Located at Akti Sachtouri 8, in the medieval old town of Rhodes.
The museum holds Finds from all over the island dating from the Hellenistic and Roman periods, including the Statue of the Crouching Aphrodite (1st century BCE).

After Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE) defeated the Persian Empire, the Island of Rhodes developed into a formidable Sea Power between 323 and 43 BCE.
This is known as the Golden Age of Rhodes, which lasted until until the rise of the Roman Empire.
In 167 BCE The Romans gave the island of Delos in the Cyclades, the status of a Free Port with no Harbour or Customs dues, according to Strabo.
This deprived Rhodes of the trade in Slaves and general Goods, and it was left with the Grain and Wine trade. The result was a collapse in its harbour receipts, from 1,000,000 drachmas to 150,000 in one year.
In 164 BCE Rhodes was forced to sign a Trade Agreement with Rome, bringing the Dodecanese Islands under Roman Influence.
This led directly to the Rise of the Pirates of Cilicia who made Delos the centre of their Slave trade and the most prosperous island in the Cyclades. Rome used the Cyclades as a place of Exile, mainly the islands of Gyaros, Amorgos, Patmos and Serifos.

This was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was a giant bronze statue that stood above the entrance to the harbour of Rhodes.
Construction was started in 292 BCE and it was completed in 280 BCE to celebrate Rhodes’ victory over the King of Cyprus.
It was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BCE. The statue bent at the knees and fell over. The remains appear to have stayed on the ground for the next 800 years.

Rhodian Navy was paid for by the Portoria tax during the Golden Age of Rhodes. It consisted of an Import and Export Tax on Merchandise passing through its Ports. After Delos was made a Freeport in 167 BCE, the Rhodian Navy declined and was abolished in 46 BCE.
Trihemiolia
- This was the main type of Galley that the Rhodian Navy was based on.

A collection of maritime laws regarding commerce and shipping that still form the basis for modern sea law.

This was one of 33 important Parallels of Latitude named by Ptolemy (c.150) which ran through Rhodes to Gibraltar.

Dodecanese
- The Dodecanese Island chain consists of 12 large islands and 150 smaller islands, and was controlled by Rhodes.
Cyclades
- The Cyclades Islands are a Group of 220 Islands surrounding the Island of Delos and was controlled by Crete.

Between c.79-81 CE, Titus made the Dodecanese Islands a separate Roman Province, the Provincia Insularum, with Rhodes as its Capital City. After 395 CE, the Provincia Insularum was passed over to the Eastern Roman Empire.
Howevder, the Cyclades Islands remained under the control of Crete.

Tiberius went into voluntary Exile in Rhodes between 6 BCE and 2 CE, before returning to Rome.

Archeological Museum of Rhodes