Karpathos, the Residence of the Gods

Last Update: 23 Mar 2021

The island of Karpathos is located in the Dodecanese region and is the second largest island in the region after Rhodes.

The name of the island comes from the fact that the inhabitants were so proud of their island that they kidnapped the gods of Olympus and brought them to the island. For this reason they were called "Arpatheoi" (those who steal the gods). The modern name of Karpathos was formed after slight phonological transitions.

The ancient Greeks were very impressed by the flourishing, mountainous nature and the long coastlines of the island and therefore considered Karpathos as the dwelling place of various mythical figures such as Titan Iapetus, Prometheus, the creator of mankind as well as the place where the goddess Athena was raised.