Pharmacusa
The area of Farmakonisi is 1.48 sq mi (3.8 km).
Name
In Antiquity, the island was known as Pharmakousa (Greek: Φαρμακοῦσσα, Latin: Pharmacussa) and took its name from pharmaceutical herbs that were growing on it. Alternative names for it are Pharmakos, whence it is known as Farmaco in Italian. It is known as Bulamaç in Turkish.
History
In ancient times, Hippocrates used to visit Farmakonisi to gather pharmaceutical herbs. Plutarch in his Parallel Lives tells that the young Julius Caesar, while traveling to Asia Minor, was kidnapped by pirates and held prisoner there 38 days. During his imprisonment he promised them that, if he were freed, he would have all of them killed. After having paid a ransom twice as high as his kidnappers claimed (since he said that the required amount was too low for someone like himself), and having been freed, he organized a fleet and maintained his promise, crucifying all of them.
In modern times, the islet -dependent from Leros- was occupied in 1912 by the Kingdom of Italy during the Italo-Turkish war and, after being part of the Italian Islands of the Aegean, was ceded from Italy to Greece in 1947.
Administration
Since 2011, as part of the Kallikratis Plan, the island has been part of the municipality of Leros.
Flora
Farmakonisi was notable since the ancient times for its very rich flora with several species of herbs growing on the island's surface. The flora is dominated by cedar, while cereals were grown in the small plateau of the island in past times.
References
- ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
- ^ "Plutarch, Life of Caesar, §1". Archived from the original on 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
- ^ "Suetonius, Lives of the 12 Caesars, §JCa.4". Archived from the original on 2015-03-06. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
- ^ "Error". Archived from the original on 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2007-04-22.
- ^ Bertarelli (1929) p. 157
Sources
- Bertarelli, L.V. (1929). Guida d'Italia, Vol. XVII (in Italian). Milano: Consociazione Turistica Italiana.
External links
- Official website of Municipality of Leros (in English, Greek, and Italian)