MYTHOLOGY

Hyla!.....Hyla!.....Hyla!......Hyla!.......Hyla!.......

            The foundation of Kios dates back to the Mythology era, due to its strategic location and the most important role it played through the many centuries of Greek History, both old and new. The legend of the Argonautic Expedition refers to the Argos grounding in the gulf of the Kionian river, because of the broken oar of the hero Heracles, who was also a member of the ship's crew. He had to find a suitable tree trunk in the deep shadowed woods of Bythinia to chisel the oar for the giant God. Among the group of men who ran with Heracles into the forest for the quest, were the argonaut Polyfemos and the very beautiful, young beloved friend of Heracles, Ylas. At the moment when he went to get fresh water from a spring with a copper jar, after a very hard day, many witches appeared and one of them named Cypris, fascinated by Hylas whipped him off, kissed him sweetly and entwined they disappeared into the woods for ever. Heracles, deeply distressed by the loss of his best friend, kept searching for him for days and nights. Because he had to continue the mission, he left some men to go on with the search, all of them were to be collected by the Argonauts after they had got the Golden Fleece. One of the Argonauts who had been left behind was someone named Kios, who gave his name to the city they built, because the Argonauts did not return from Propontis. The argonauts who were left were the first citizens of Kios. All this naration was given by Apollonios Rhodios in his book "Argonautica" (295 B.C.). Refering to another legend, Kios was built by the argonaut Polyfemos who nominated the city after the nearby river Kios.

         Andronikos the Rhodian ( 1st century B.C. ) commenting on Aristotle's study "KIANON POLITEIA" written special for Kios but unfortunately not saved, refers to the foundation of Kios and credits it to the Milecians, who during their acme between 700-500 B.C. settled in many cities in Bosporus such as Priapos, Artake, Kolonae, Kyzikos, Miletopolis, Avydos, Prokonnesos, Astakos and Kalchidon. So the year 625 B.C. is considered to be the probable date of the city foundation. According to Stravon the name of the city is after a Melician general called Kios. Aristotle informed us that the previous inhabitants of the city were the Mysians and Kares. Herodotus (book V'), also, refered to the foundation of the city, during the Argonautic Expedition. Finally, it seems that the city was erected by the Argonauts, later reinforced and completed as a settlement by the Melicians. From the Argonautic Expedition of 1200 B.C. till 1922 A.D. Kios can be seen to have enjoyed about 3122 years of Greek life.

        The search for Hylas is, for any Kionian or even Greek a kind of spiritual search to ascertain the history, the roots of culture and civilization burried deep in the centuries past. This continous searching provides the pride, confidence and self-awareness neccesary to keep inviolate the ethnic nature and character of Greek civilization.

 

 

HERE IS STRABO (12.4.3) BOOK ABOUT KIOS

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/

         3] Continuous with the Astacene Gulf is another gulf, which runs more nearly towards the rising sun than the former does; and on this gulf is Prusias, formerly called Cius. Cius was razed to the ground by Philip, the son of Demetrius and father of Perseus, and given by him to Prusias the son of Zelas, who had helped him raze both this city and Myrleia, which latter is a neighboring city and also is near Prusa. And Prusias restored them from their ruins and named the city Cius "Prusias" after himself and Myrleia "Apameia" after his wife. This is the Prusias who welcomed Hannibal, when the latter withdrew thither after the defeat of Antiochus, and who retired from Phrygia on the Hellespont in accordance with an agreement made with the Attalici.2 This country was in earlier times called Lesser Phrygia, but the Attalici called it Phrygia Epictetus.3 Above Prusias lies a mountain called Arganthonium. And here is the scene of the myth of Hylas, one of the companions of Heracles who sailed with him on the Argo, and who, when he was going out to get water, was carried off by the nymphs. And when Cius, who was also a companion of Heracles and with him on the voyage, returned from Colchis, he stayed here and founded the city which was named after him. And still to this day a kind of festival is celebrated among the Prusians, a mountain ranging festival, in which they march in procession and call Hylas, as though making their exodus to the forests in quest of him. And having shown a friendly disposition towards the Romans in the conduct of their government, the Prusians obtained freedom. Prusa is situated on the Mysian Olympus; it is a well governed city, borders on the Phrygians and the Mysians, and was founded by the Prusias who made war against Croesus.4

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