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Elyrus, (Elyros , "Έλυρος" in greek) is an ancient city, located in south west Crete, in Kefala hill, near the village Rodovani , Anatoliko Sélino municipality, and is presently unexcavated.
Elyros was the most important city in south-west Crete as it has about 16.000 inhabitants. It wan an industrial and commercial city with large weapons production. Syia and Lissos were its harbours. Apollo, Phylakides and Philandros, sons of Apollo and nymph Akakallida, were worshiped there. The citizens of Elyros sent to Delphi oracle, a bronze votive complex that represents a goat feeding the sons of Apollo when they were infants. It is also one of the thirty cities that signed the decree with Eumenes B’ in 183 BC.
Elyros was also important during Roman times. A Roman statue, the Philosopher of Elyros was excavated here and is now in the Archaeological Museum of Chania.
During Byzantine times, Elyros was the seat of an Archbishop and the remains of the bishopric church, a sixth century basilica, can still be seen in the centre of the old city.
Pashley was the first who identified the location of the city, near village Rodovani. Thenon studied more carefully the ruins of the city and discovered the inscription that says: “it seemed to the city of the Elyrians”.
Elyrus, according to Pausanias 10.16.5
On the mountains of Crete there is still in my time a city called Elyrus. Now the citizens sent to Delphi a bronze goat, which is suckling the babies, Phylacides and Philander. The Elyrians say that these were children of Apollo by the nymph Acacallis, and that Apollo mated with Acacallis in the house of Carmanor in the city of Tarrha.
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