Skyros
Famous for the legends of Theseus and of Achilles.
In 470 B.C. Kimon seized the island, enslaving the inhabitants and replacing them with Athenian colonists. In 332 B.C. the Macedonians freed it from Athenian domination. To the S of the village of Skyros, on the hill that dominates the present village a Venetian fort has taken full advantage of the Greek substructures. In the walls of the acropolis, trapezoidal masonry alternates with irregular courses (attributable to the 5th c. B.C.) and with isodomic blocks having squared faces. Very scarce remains of the enclosing wall are datable to ca. 450 B.C. Traces of stratification indicating habitation during the Early and Middle Bronze Ages have recently been found by D. R. Theocharis. During the Empire, breccia, which was much in demand for its decorative quality, was quarried.
BIBLIOGRAPHYP. Graindor, Histoire de l'île de Skyros (1906); R. L. Scranton, Greek Walls (1941); D. R. Theocharis, EphArch 1945-47 (1949); H. D. Hansen, Studies Presented to D. M. Robinson I (1951); K. Karouzos, AthMitt (1956); F. Schachermeyer, Arch.Anz. (1962) Heft 2; R. Gnoli, Par.d.Pass. (1966).
N. BONACASA- Hdt. 7.183
- Theseus murdered in: Paus. 1.17.6
- Achilles in company of maidens at: Paus. 1.22.6
- captured by Achilles: Paus. 1.22.6
- Neoptolemus fetched to Troy from: Apollod. E.5.10
- Neoptolemus sails from: Paus. 3.25.1
- conquered by Cimon: Paus. 3.3.7