RHODES CHEQUERED HISTORY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 13 July 1912, Page 9

RHODES CHEQUERED HISTORY.

In the Italian Chamber of Deputies on May 4 Signor Giolitti, the Premier, announced that the Italians had occuPle^ ) ne Island of Rhodes, and had landed a force of troops there, commanded by General Ameglio. The Premier added that the landing was effected at Kalipahi. Rhodes has a famous history. The first historic inhabitants were Dorian Greeks from Argos, and the island was successful under the sway of the Persians and the Athenians. After the S e n\ Alexander of Maoedar (332 «.-b.), Rhodes became the first naval power m the JSgean. As allies of the Komans, the Rhodians opposed the Macedonians, and later on they won great glory by beating off Mithndates tne Great, who laid siege (88 8.C.) to the city. Her naval power was destroyed some 40 years later, and under Vespasian Rhodes was made a Roman province.

During the Crusades Rhodes fell into the hands of the Knights Hospitallers ot bt. John, who made it their headquarters The Turks believed them in 1480, and again in 1522; on both occasions there was terrible fighting and great losses. The knights, notwithstanding their valor, were beaten, and capitulated, and sailed away to Crete Since then the island, whiclT is 49 miles long and 21 miles broad, with a population of about 28,000, has remained a Lurkisn possession. Rhodes is famous for its monuments. At the entrance of one of its ports stood the gigantic statue of Helios, the Colossus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The most important of its surviving statues is the Laocoon and the Farnese Bull at Naples.