Chios, or Khios, famed for its beauty and fertility and with a delightful climate, lies 40 m. Northwest of Samos and 35 m. South of Lesbos. A strait only 5 m. across separates it from the peninsula of Karaburnu in Asia Minor. With Psara and some dependent islets it forms a nome of 62,225 inhabitants. Chios, 30 m. long and with a width varying from 8 to 15 m., deserves Homer’s epithet. The island is traversed from North to South by a mountain range, culminating in Mt. Pelinaion, or Profitis Ilias (4255 ft.), in the North.

The volcanic origin of the island is proved by the frequency of earthquakes, some of which have been catastrophic. There are numerous springs but no rivers and the cultivation of the eastern plains is dependent upon irrigation. Chios is the chief source of mastic, a resin of the lentisk tree, once used in making picture-varnish, but now almost entirely in the favorite Levantine liqueur and in the manufacture of chewing-gum.

The villages where the tree is ‘milked’ are called Mastikhokhoria. Lemons, oranges, and tangerines are exported; olives and almonds are grown. Chian wine, famous in antiquity, is produced on the North West coast. The Chians of the Classical era were overfond of it, according to Aristophanes, who contrasted them with the sober inhabitants of Keos.

 

History: According to some authorities the name Chios is of Phoenician origin and means mastic. That the island was occupied at the beginning of the Bronze Age has been proved by excavation. Whoever may have been the earliest settlers, Chios was by tradition colonized by the Ionians. Neleus and Androklos, younger sons of Kodros, King of Athens, after a dispute about the succession to the throne, crossed the Aegean in search of a new home 140 years after the fall of Troy, or in 1044 B.C. They settled on the West coast of Asia Minor between the rivers Hermus and Maeander and in Chios and Samos, the two islands off this coastal strip. In historical times we find twelve cities united into the IONIC CONFEDERACY.  These cities were, from North to South, Phokaea, Erythrae, Klazomenae, on the Gulf of Smyrna (Izmir), the city and island of Chios, Teos, Lebedos, Kolophon, Ephesus, the city and island of Samos, Priene, Myus and Miletus.

Smyrna, which was situated in this district but was of Aeolic origin, was added c. 700 B.C. to the confederacy. Its common sanctuary was the Panionion, on the promontory of Mykale, opposite Samos; here was held the Panionia, or great national assembly of the confederacy.

These cities soon attained a high degree of civilized prosperity. In them, as nowhere else in the Greek world save at Athens, the arts and literature throve exuberantly. Out of the lengthy list of artists and authors after Homer (claimed as a native of Chios) we may mention the philosophers Thales of Miletus, one of the Seven Sages, and Pythagoras of Samos, the poet Anacreon of Teos, and the painters Apelles of Kolophon, Zeuxis of Herakleia, and Parrhasius of Theopompos (b.c. 378 B.C.), and the sophist Theocritus (4^th century B.C.). The chief cities of Ionia had an international reputation, which endured into our era, and they occupied a special place in the early history of Christianity: witness

the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistoles of St.Paul to the Ephesians, and the Revelation of St. John to the Seven Churches of Asia, two of which were Ephesus and Smyrna.

In the 6^th and 5^th century B.C. Chios had a celebrated school of sculpture. One of its artisans, Glaucus invented the art of soldering metals. Chios was the first Greek city to

profitable in Delos. Towards the end of the 5^th century the Chians had more domestic slaves than any other Greek state except Sparta.

The Ionians were first conquered by Croesus, king of Lydia (reigned 560 – 546 B.C.), and then in 545 by Harpagus, a general of Cyrus, king of Persia. In 499 B.C., instigated by the wayward Aristagoras, Governor of Miletus, the Ionians revolted against Persian domination. Aristagoras canvassed help for the rebels from Athens and Eretria. Athens sent twenty ships, ‘the beginning of mischief both to the Greeks and to the barbarians’.

At the Battle of Lade in 494, the Greek fleet was worsted, despite the valour of the Chiot Squadron, and Miletus sacked.

In 477, after the defeat of the Persian invasions, Chios joined the Delian Confederacy and remained a member till 412. Thucydides says that Chios and Lesbos were only free allies of Athens, the remainder being subordinate in lesser or greater degree. In 412 Chios revolted against Athens. Though she was joined by other Ionian cities, including Miletus, Teos and Mytilene, the Athenians defeated the Chiots and ravaged their country. In 378 Chios joined the Second Athenian Confederacy; in 354 she revolted again and her independence was recognized. In 333 the island was captured by a general of Alexander the Great. In the 3^rd century B.C. Chios joined in alliance with Aetolia. Later, as an ally of Rome, she took part in the war with Antiochus. Her wealth excited the cupidity of the legionaries and the island was pillaged by Verres and by the forces of Mithidates. In 86 B.C., after its recapture by Sulla, it regained its independence, which was at first respected by the Roman emperors. After the earthquake of 17 B.C. Tiberius contributed towards its rehabilitation. Vespasian incorporated it in the province of the Islands.

From now on the history of the islands becomes obscure. St. Paul ‘sailed over against Chios on his way to Miletus’.  A Christian church was established in the island. In the 8^th century it was ravaged by Saracens. Occupied by Zachas, a pirate chief, it was freed in 1092 by Alexander Commenus. In 1172 it was captured by Doge Vital Michialli; and in 1204 occupied by Venetians. They were replaced in 1261 by the Genoese. There followed incursions of franks, Catalans and Turks. By the middle of the 14^th century, however, Genoese domination was secure under the aegis of the Giustianini. In 1344 they formed a kind of chartered company, the Maona, which administered the island and was responsible for its defense. Chios again became prosperous. As early as 1513 a consul for the English was appointed to look after the affairs of the Levant Company who were engaged in trading cloth for wine. In 1566 the Turks under Piali Pasha captured the island. Thereafter, until 1821, despite several risings, it enjoyed under the Turks a measure of semi-independence. At the beginning of the War of Greek Independence in 1821 the Samians induced the chains to join them in their revolt. In 1822 the Turks inflicted dreadful vengeance. They massacred 25,000 and enslaved 47,000. Only the mastic towns were spared. In the same year the Greek admiral Kanares avenged his compatriots by destroying with fire ships the Turkish flagship, with its commander Kara Ali; but his was a hollow victory. Those Chiots who had escaped the massacre had fled abroad. The more fortunate of the Chian refugees later made a name for themselves as merchants in Landon (the Rallis brothers), Liverpool, Manchester, Paris, Marseilles, Leghorn, Palermo, Odessa, Alexandria, and India. Chios never fully recovered from the events of 1822. The earthquake of 1881 did great damage; over 3500 of the islanders perished. In 1912 the island was liberated by the Greek fleet. Many of the best-known shipping families are Chiot.

From Chios came Leo Allatius (1586 – 1669), scholar and librarian of the Vatican.

 

 

Khios, or Khora, the capital of the island and a seaport with 24,050 inhabitants, is situated in the middle of the East coast, facing Asia Minor. It occupies the site of the ancient city. Round the town extends a fertile plain; behind are wooded hills, with the bare mountains of the interior beyond.

The Harbor is smaller than in antiquity, as landward building has encroached upon it. From it we quickly reach Plateia Vounaki, the town center, laid out on the West with gardens containing a statue of Kanaris, by Tobros, and vestiges of a 16^th century church.

Near the South end of the square is a former Turkish mosque converted onto a small Museum.  It contains vases in local style, yields from Alexander the Great, and an indifferent copy of Delacroix’s famous canvas. To the North rises the ruined 14^th century Frourio, which commanded the harbor. There survive a few towers, gates and casemates, some bearing the arms of the Giustianini. Within is the old Turkish quarter, established in the 16^th century over the ruins of Genoese houses, and the marble tomb of Kara Ali.

The Gymnasion dates from 1792. The Library was founded in 1817 by Adamantios Korai (1748 – 1833), the great scholar, who bequeathed to it his own collections, including words on Egypt given to him by Napoleon. It was further enriched in 1962 by the collections of Dr. Philip Argenti, well known in London as scholar and philatelist. Above is a museum of local costume.

The remains of walls and of a theatre may be traced on a hill to the North of the town. Outside the town are the Tabakika, behind which are remains of an early-Christian basilica, and an imposing Leper Hospital founded in the 16^th century.

Excursions to Nea Moni (motor-bus on Sun.; daily as far as Karies; view best when walking back). The new road (5 m.) is less interesting than the old mule path (views), which passes various monasteries and the village of Karies. We leave Khora on the West. The convent of Nea Moni was founded between 1042 and 1054 by Constantin Monomachos after the discovery by a peasant of a miraculous ikon. The 11^th century church, which has marble pavement, was badly damaged in the earthquake of 1881 and has been badly damaged in the earthquake of 1881 and has been restored. The contemporary Mosaics include a Dormition of the Virgin, the Descent into Hell, Raising of Lazarus, etc.

To Kardamila, 15 ½ m. North. We leave Khora on the North. At first the road skirts the seashore and we pass a bronze Memorial to the Unknown Sailor, by Apartis. On the North outskirts of (2 ½ m.) Vrontados, a town of 4685 inhabitants are the Pashavrisi (pasha’s spring) and the Stone of Homer, or Dhaskalopetra, an enormous block of dressed stone on a prominent spur, probably a country shrine connected with the cult of Rhea or Cybele.  4 ½ m. Tomb of Yianni Psychares (1932) son in law of Renan. Beyond (6 m.) the little bay of Milinka (spring) the road ascends in curves, then descends towards the sea. 10 m. Langadha, a fishing village opposite the islet of Tavros. The road crosses the Plain of Delphinion. In antiquity the city of Delphinion was s strong point with more than one harbor. The Athenians fortified it in 412. The site of the harbors was explored by the British School in 1954.  15 ½ m. Kardamila is made up of the picturesque upper town (1320 inhabitants) and Kato Kardamila, or Marmaro (2250 inhabitants), especially noted for the skill and daring of its sailors. Nagos and Vlikhadha, on the shore to the North, are well known for their beaches and taverns (excellent fish and local fruit). 

To Volissos, 25 m. Northwest. We leave Khora by the Kardamila road, but diverge left after a mile. The road climbs round Mt. Aipos.  5 ½ m. Memorial to the fallen of 1912.  11 ½ m. Ayios Isidoros. Beyond 18 m. the view opens out over the West coast to Psara.  25 m. Volissos was once the home of the Homeridai, a clan that claimed descent from Homer. The so-called Castle of Belisarius was probably built by the Genoese. Beyond Volissos the road continues west to the Moni Ayias Markellas, named after a local 16^th century saint.

To Ayios Minas and Kalamoti, 18 m.  We leave Khora and at ‘Khristos’ keep to the coast road through Bellavista with a beach and restaurants.  At (2 ½ m.) Kondari the liberators disembarked in 1912. Here in the Kambos, a rich citrus fruit-growing area, the Argenti House carries on the traditional style of the Chiot mansion, of which many more decayed examples survive from the past.  4 m. Thimiana (1625 inhabitants).  7 m. Ayios Minas, reached by a path, is a white nunnery noted for its views at sunset. Here in 1822 the Turks massacred 3000 refugee Chiots (ossuary).   7 ½ m. Kallimasia (1490 inhabitants) is one of the Mastikhokhoria. The road winds down to the coast at (10 m.) Katarrakthis, the turns inland again through mastic country to (11 ¾ m.) Nenita and (18 m.) Kalamoti.

 

To Pirgi and Mesta, 22 ½ m. At Khristos we keep to the center on the main South road; that to the right also leads to Mesta, via Vessa, near which, on the West coast, is Lithi, native fishing village of Andreas Singros. We pass on the right the village of Vaviloi (church frescoed in 1963 by Hawaiian artist0, near which is Sklavia, with Byzantine and medieval remains and the Panayia tis Krinis, a church of 1287. We top a rise and ignore various turnings to the left.  8 m. to the left are traces of prehistoric walls. 9 ½ m. Naos tis sikelias, a church of the 13^th century on a hill has characteristic tile ornamentation.  12 ½ m. Kalamoti has a picturesque medieval aspect.  14 ¾ m. Arnolia has a castle. Here the asphalt surface ends.  15 ½ m. Pirgi, a medieval fortress-village of 1915 inhabitants, is said to have 50 churches; Ayii Apostoloi has 12^th century frescoes. Both churches and houses are notable for their graffito decoration. From Pirgi roads lead southeast to Emborio (5 m.) and Southwest to Kato Fana (5 m.), two sites excavated by the British School in 1951-1954.

At Emborio, on a promontory of the Southeast coast, an Early Bronze Age settlement was unearthed near and at sea level, which had four stages of existence and was destroyed in a great fire. It has been equated with Leukonion, a rival to Troy. The town survived the fire and in the Middle and Late Bronze Ages spread up the hill, later crowned by a late Roman fortress, which was ruined c. A.D. 660. A Greek city of the 8-6^th century B.C. was discovered of the higher hill (Profotis Ilias), North of the harbor. Traces of fifty houses were revealed, as well as a megaron and a temple of Athena. Nearer the harbor on Archaic temple (6^th century) was discovered, replaced in the 5^th century A.D. as quarries for the building of a Christian basilica. A votive deposit yielded a kylix signed by the potter Nikesermos.

A site plan is displayed in the museum at Khios; a prior examination of this will aid understanding. The black pebble beach offers good bathing. Underwater exploration brought to light numerous amphorae not only of Chian origin but also from Attica, Rhodes, Kos, and Thasos, an indication of the extent and importance of the wine trade to Chios. At Kato Fana some ruins of a temple of Apollo (late 6^th century) mark the site of ancient Phanai, which existed as early as the 9^th century.

A road leads East from Pirgi to Kalamoti (2 m.; 1205 inhabitants), with it curious little streets and houses adorned with pergolas. Westwards the read leads via (20 m.) Olimboi to (22 ½ m.) Mesta, formerly the principal mastic village, a distinction, which has passed to Pirgi. Mesta has the finer ramparts and tortuous streets; the women wear traditional costume.

Off the Northeast coast of Chios, in the strait separating it from Asia Minor, are the five small Oinoussai Is. (daily boat from Khora; inn; post office; good bathing). The inhabitants (1585) are renowned sailors and fishermen and have produced some leading ship owners. The Navtiko Gymnasio is the only nautical boarding school of Greece.

In the bay of Cesme in 1770 a Roman squadron destroyed a huge Turkish fleet.

About 12 m. West of the Northwest coast of Chios lies the island of Psara, whose inhabitants won renown in the War of Greek Independence. It is reached by caique three times weekly from Volissos of by the Aegean mail boat every 10 days. Rocky and mountainous it has an area of 16 sq.m. and a population of 575, all, save a few monks, in one town. There is no electricity and no telephone and accommodation must be sought privately. At ‘Arkhontiki’ in 1962 Mycenean tombs of the 13^th century B.C. were uncovered with traces of a settlement.

After the fall of Constantinople in 1453 the islanders fled to Chios, whence some of their descendants returned to mingle with refugees from Euboea and Thessaly. In the Russo-Turkish war Psarian ships harried the Turks. The Psarians escaped reprisals because the Turkish governor was prevented from landing by bad weather, and after the Treaty of Kutchuk Kainardji achieved a certain protection and prosperity by sailing under the Russian flag. Psara was the birthplace of Konstantinos Kanaris (1785-1877) and many other noted sailors. In the war that begun in 1821, Psara (with Hydra and Spetsai) was among the first to revolt. Psara in particular causing the Turks great annoyance. In 1823 the Psarians raided the coast of Asia Minor. In revenge the Turks under Hosref Pasha attacked the island from Mytilene in June 1824. Influx of refugees from Chios, Lesbos, and Smyrna had swollen the population to 20,000. The Turks silenced the batteries of Kanalos on the North side of the island, and stormed the island with 14,000 Janissaries. The islanders blew up their own powder magazines of Ftelia and Palaiokastro, and only 3000 souls escapes the subsequent massacre by the Turks. Ruined houses, a simple white memorial (1956) and six famous lines by Solomos bear witness to the event. The refugees fled to Monemvasia and later founded Nea Psara in Euboea. In 1844 Psara was given special electoral privileges, but the island has never recovered.