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LORYMA |
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LORYMA |
| Actually named Bozuk
Buku, it was primarily a harbor of refuge and not a
trading harbor, the acropolis for the city being situated
at the head of the bay. It was used at various times to
assemble naval fleets, most notably in 395 B.C. by
Demetrius Polioketes before his attack on Rhodes.
Polioketes is remembered for the gargantuan siege machine
he had constructed for the assault on Rhodes, a huge
catapult estimated to be nine stories high and weighing
around 125 tons. The attack failed, but Polioketes, ever
magnanimous in defeat, sold his siege machine and donated
the money to the Rhodians to built a statue to
commemorate the battle. The result was a huge bronze
statue of Helios, the sun god, that stood astride the
harbor at Rhodes and one of the seven wonders of the
world.
Later in Byzantine times, the bay was called "the arsenal", for the ancient fort standing at the entrance. It is well worth the short climb up to the fort to examine the site and enjoy the view. Some of the stone blocks are over 5 meters (17 feet) long and more than 1 metre (3 feet) square, all of them fitting perfectly together. On the west side of the bay there are several restaurants, but apart from this no other modern settlements moved in after the ancients left. |
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