KALYMNOS (island in Calymna)
Greek island
- Kind of place
- Island
- Region
- Calymna
- Where
- 37.00° N, 26.99° E
A high, unscalable cliff on the island contains a cave. Quintus 12 ¶24 Deadly monsters from Typhon's brood lived in the island's rock-clefts. Quintus 12 ¶24 The honey produced on Calymna is considered superior to that of Attica. Strabo 10.5.19
Described in the sources
The island is situated in the sea facing Troy. Quintus 12 ¶24 The town of Coös is located on the island of Calymna. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 4.23 ¶3 Other nearby islands likely derived their names from Calymna. Strabo 10.5.19 Some claim the Calydnoe islands consist of Leros and Calymna. Strabo 10.5.19 The island was originally settled by Carians in ancient times. Diodorus 5.54 Calymna is situated twenty-five miles from the island of Carpathum. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 4.23 ¶3 Some writers use the name Calydna to refer to the island of Tenedos. Strabo 13.1.46 Calymna is one of the islands referred to as the Sporades or Calydnae. Strabo 10.5.19 Calydna is ranked as the third best region for honey production after Hymettus and Hybla. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 11.13 ¶1
Stories and history
Thettalus, son of Heracles, took possession of the island. Diodorus 5.54 Serpents stirred up on the island shook it as if by an earthquake. Quintus 12 ¶24 The island's name was sometimes used in the plural form, Calymnae. Strabo 10.5.19 Survivors of the shipwreck mingled with the island's native population. Diodorus 5.54 Four of Agamemnon's ships were wrecked off the island during the return from Troy. Diodorus 5.54