Milos Historical Sites

Milos, like many of the Aegean Islands, was influenced and invaded by the successive wave of civilizations. The dominant powers that swept the Cycladic Islands included Minoan, Mycenaean, Dorian, Athenian, Spartan, Macedonian, Roman, Byzantium, Crusader, Venetian, Ottoman, Russian and then eventually part of the modern Greek state. Some of Milos Historic sites include:

Catacombs of Milos

The Catacombs of the ancient city of Milos were next to the ancient Agora and 200 m to the east of the ancient theater. They are near the modern town of Trypiti. A name derived from a word which means “made with holes,” which highlights that the surrounding area is full of caves cut into the porous volcanic rock. In ancient times, these human-made caves were used as family burial chambers. The underground galleries are ranging from 1 to 5 meters in width and from 1.6 to 2.5 meters in height. The tombs were cut into the chamber walls and into the ground, which were covered with stones.

The pathways leading to the green door of one of the catacombs

These catacombs were built towards the end of the 1st century and were re-discovered in 1844. They were used as Christian cemeteries during Roman times. Three vast catacombs are interconnected, and Archaeologists estimate that thousands of early Christians were buried here. The catacombs were used for Christian worship and as an early church at the time when Romans were persecuting Christians.

Ancient Christian Catacombs have been discovered in Rome, Naples, and the Holy Land. However, the Catacombs of Milos may be older than Rome’s. Milos may have had a very early Christian movement that predating today’s church traditions.

Venus de Milo Discovery Site

The Aphrodite of Milos was discovered in 1820 by a Greek peasant workman, inside a buried niche within the center of the ancient Greek city ruins of Milos. The marble fragments were found on terraced land that had once formed part of the gymnasium inside a cavity in the volcanic tuff. The statue was found in two large pieces, the upper torso, and the lower draped legs, together with several herms, fragments of the arm and hand holding an apple, along with an inscribed plinth.

At the time, Milos was under Ottoman rule, a visiting French naval officer who was exploring the island and learned about the statue fragments. As the French officers from the ship recognized its significance, they arranged for it to be sent to France. Today the statue is one of the treasures of the Louvre where it was called the “Venus de Milo” after the island where it was discovered. Unfortunately, under mysterious circumstances, the inscribed plinth and other fragments were misplaced and lost, so we can only speculate on who the identity of the sculpture and its date.

Milos Museums and Historical Sites

Neolithic Village
Roman Amphitheater
Serakinko

Reflections

How did Christianity reach Milos so early, and why did it take root when the Romans were persecuting Christians?
What did the inscribed plinth say about the “Venus de Milo” statue that it had to disappear?

Milos Museums and Historical Sites

Island: Milos or Melos
Greek: Μήλος
Population: 5,000
Country: Greece

Museums in Athens

Acropolis Museum
National Archaeological Museum
Benaki Museum
Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art
Byzantine and Christian Museum
Hellenic Motor Museum
National Historical Museum, Athens
Museum of the Ancient Agora
Syntagma Metro Station Archaeological Collection
Numismatic Museum of Athens
Athens War Museum
Jewish Museum of Greece
Athens University Museum

Thessaloniki Museums

Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
Museum for the Macedonian Struggle (Thessaloniki)
Atatürk Museum
War Museum of Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki Historical Sites

Roman
- Triumphal Arch of Galerius
Early Christian and Byzantine Monuments
- Catacombs of St. John the Baptist
- Church of Metamorphosis tou Sotiros
- Church of the Acheiropoietos
Ottoman
- Bey Hamam
- Bezesteni Market
- White Tower of Thessaloniki
Post-Byzantine
- Trigonion Tower

Delphi Museums and Historical Sites

Delphi Archaeological Museum

Delos Museums and Historical Sites

Archaeological Museum of Delos
Temple of the Delians
House of the Lake
Delos – Photo Gallery

Santorini Museums

Museum of Prehistoric Thera
Archaeological Museum of Thera
Maritime Museum, Santorini

Thera Historical Site

Akrotiri Archaeological Site

Olympia Museums and Historical Sites

Archaeological Museum of Olympia
Museum of the History of the Olympic Games of Antiquity
Olympia Archaeological Site
Temple of Hera, Olympia
Temple of Zeus, Olympia
Philippeion, Olympia
Stadium at Olympia

Corinth Museums and Historical Site

Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth
Archaeological Site of Ancient Corinth and the Temple of Apollo

Mycenae Museum and Historical Site

Archaeological Museum of Mycenae
Lion Gate
Ancient Mycenae – Photo Gallery

Epidaurus Museum & Historic Site

Archaeological Museum of Epidaurus
Ancient Theater of Epidaurus

Heraklion, Crete Museum & Historic Site

Knossos Archaeological Site
Archaeological Musem of Heraklion

Meteora Historic Site

Meteora Monasteries

Milos Museum & Historic Site

Milos Historical Sites
Milos Museum

Mystras Historic Site

Fortified Medieval Mystras

Pella Museum & Historic Site

Archaeological Museum of Pella
Archaeological Site of Pella

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“I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness:
a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little breeze, the sound of the sea.
Nothing else.”
– Nikos Kazantzakis

~~~

Photo Credit: JOM

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