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Kos History

Vague myths and ancestral memories about Apocalyptic clashes between Giants and Titans hint about the great upheavals of Kos. (Dr. Hippocrates left)

The history of Kos goes back more than 3,500 years. Fossils found on Kos show that at one time the island was part of a vast mainland: The Aegean Continent.

In prehistoric times the Phoenicians, Cretans, Leleges, Kareans etc. inhabited Kos island. In the 15th century B.C. the Achaeans, after establishing themselves on the mainland, spread out to the Aegean islands including Kos.

According to Homer, Kos took part in the Trojan war (1194 B.C.) with a fleet of thirty ships, but after the fall of Troy the Asklepeades fled and were shipwrecked on the shores of Kos where they introduced the worshipping of Asklepeios the Savior.