Location and short history

Icaria, also spelled Ikaria (Greek: Ικαρία), is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, 10 nautical miles (19 km) southwest of Samos.

Administratively, Ikaria forms a separate municipality within the Ikaria regional unit, which is part of the North Aegean region.

The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Agios Kirykos. The historic capitals of the island include Oenoe(1) and Evdilos. According to tradition, it derives its name from Ikarus, the son of Daedalus in Greek mythology, who was believed to have fallen into the sea nearby.

Oenoe or Oenoë or Oinoe (Ancient Greek: Οἰνόη) was a small town on the northwest coast of the island of Ikaria.

The name of the town seems to be derived from the wine grown in its neighbourhood on the slopes of Mount Pramnos, though others believe that the Ikarian Oenoë was a colony of the Attic town of the same name.

During the 6th century BC, Oenoe and the rest of Icaria became part of the sea empire of Polycrates, and during the 5th century BC, the Ikarian cities of Oenoe and Thermae were members of the Athenian-dominated Delian League.

During the 2nd century BC, the island was colonized by Samos. At this time, the Tauropolion, the temple of Artemis, was built at Oenoe. Coins of the city represented Artemis and a bull, with a legend “ΟΙ” or “ΟΙΝΑΙ[ΩΝ] Oenoe’s site is located near Kampos, Evdilos