Olous or Olus (,[ Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax p. 19, Xenion, ap. ][ Stadiasmus Maris Magni § 350.]) was a city of ancient Crete; now sunken, it was situated at the site of present day town of Elounda, Crete, Greece. According to the Stadiasmus Maris Magni, it had a harbour and was located 260 stadia (in the range of approximately ) from Chersonasus and 15 stadia (approximately ) from Camara.[
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History
After continuing boundary disputes with the hillfort of Lato,[ C. Michael Hogan, Lato Fieldnotes, The Modern Antiquarian, Jan 10, 2008] the citizens of Olous eventually entered into a treaty with those of Lato.[Dittenberger, Syll.³, No. 712 - English translation.] There was a temple to Britomartis in the city, a wooden statue of whom was erected by Daedalus, the mythical ancestor of the Daedalidae, and father of Cretan art.[Pausan. ix. 40. § 3.] Her effigy is represented on the coins of Olous.[Eckhel, vol. ii. p. 316; Théodore Edme Mionnet, Descr. vol. ii. p. 289; Combe, Mus. Hunter.]
The Ptolemaic naval fleet commander Callicrates was honored by the citizens of Olous and received honorary citizenship.
Present conditions
Archaeologists discovered ancient texts within the ruins linking the town with the ancient cities of Knossos and the island of Rhodes.[ SEG_23.547 - treaty between Rhodes and Olous.] The sunken city can be visited by tourists swimming in Elounda Bay. Today, the only visible remnants of the city are some scattered wall bases.
See also
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List of ancient Greek cities
Notes
