Kameiros

Kameiros was one of the three cities that founded Rhodes town in 408 BC, and it declined afterwards, which is why its remains survived: no medieval town was built over them, and excavation from 1859 uncovered a Hellenistic city on three terraces of a hillside facing the sea. The upper terrace held a large water cistern feeding the town through clay pipes, the middle terrace the residential quarter with house walls and column bases lining a main street, and the lower the agora, temple and fountain house. There is no theatre and no defensive wall, which archaeologists take as evidence of a peaceful provincial town. The setting, pine-covered slopes running down to the water, is quiet, and the site sees a fraction of the visitors that Lindos receives.

History

Mycenaean Greeks lived in the area in prehistory, and the city itself was founded by the Dorians and built on three levels, with the acropolis, the temple of Athena Kameiras and a stoa at the top of the hill; the temple foundations go back at least to the eighth century BC. A covered reservoir held 600 cubic meters of water, enough for up to 400 families (Wikipedia, Camirus).

What to look for

• The terraced plan - three levels of city stepping down the hillside.
• The great cistern - the upper reservoir that supplied the whole town.
• The residential street - house foundations and columns along the main lane.
• The agora and temple - the civic centre on the lowest terrace.

When to go

Spring and autumn; the hillside is open and hot in summer, with little shade. Mornings suit the light. The site closes on some weekdays, so check.

What to expect

The remains are foundations and low walls rather than standing architecture, and interpretation on site is limited. There is a small kiosk but no museum. Public buses along the coast are infrequent.

Nearby

Ancient Ialyssos and Filerimos lie east; Monolithos castle is further south down the coast.

Key facts