Rhodes, the chief of Greece's Dodecanese archipelago, stands as the historic capital of the cluster. The island operates as a separate municipality within the regional unit of Rhodes, a constituent part of the administrative sector of the South Aegean. Serving as both the largest town and the seat of the municipality is Rhodes.
To put it in perspective, in 2011, the population of the city of Rhodes was 50,636. It's located to the northeast of Crete and southeast of Athens. Rhodes has earned various monikers such as The Island of the Sun, paying homage to its patron sun god Helios, The Pearl Island, and The Island of the Knights, a nod to the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem who held sway over the island from 1310 to 1522.
An ancient marvel, the Colossus of Rhodes, part of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, graces the island's landscape. The Medieval Old Town of Rhodes has garnered
UNESCO's recognition as a World Heritage Site, solidifying its status as one of Europe's premier tourist destinations.
Around the 16th century BC, the Minoans made their presence known on Rhodes, and Greek mythology weaves tales of the Telchines, a native Rhodian race, linking the island with Danaus. It was often referred to as Telchinis. The Mycenaean Greeks entered the scene around the 15th century BCE, marking the end of the Bronze Age collapse, with initial external engagements involving Cyprus.
