Ro or Rho ( el, Ρω) is a small
Greek island in the
eastern Mediterranean Sea, more precisely in the
Levantine Sea
The Levantine Sea (Arabic: بحر الشام, tr, Levanten Denizi, el, Θάλασσα του Λεβάντε) is the easternmost part of the Mediterranean Sea.
Geography
The Levantine Sea is bordered by Turkey in the north and north-east co ...
, near
Kastellorizo, close to the
Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
coast. It is part of the municipality of
Megísti (Kastellorizo) in the
South Aegean region
The South Aegean ( el, Περιφέρεια Νοτίου Αιγαίου, translit=Periféria Notíou Eyéou, ) is one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It consists of the Cyclades and Dodecanese island groups in the central an ...
.
Description
Together with other islets in the surrounding region, Ro was the object of a sovereignty dispute in the 1920s between Turkey and
Italy, which at the time was in possession of Kastellorizo and the Dodecanese islands. The dispute was solved in a
1932 treaty, which assigned Ro to the Kingdom of Italy. It came under Greek sovereignty in 1947, together with the other former
Italian possessions in the Aegean.
The islet is named ''Kara Ada'' ("black island") in
Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
.
History
Anciently, the island was known as Rhoge ( grc, Ῥώγη). An inhabitant of the island was called Rogaeus ( grc, Ῥωγαῖος).
Ancient fortifications show that during the
Hellenistic period and later, there was a small garrison post on the island.
The three towers of
Kastellorizo, Ro and
Strongyli comprise the main links in a dense network of watchtowers constructed by the citizens of
Rhodes during the Hellenistic period, to control the sea routes and the coast.
Ro has been uninhabited for most of its modern history, except for the one Greek woman, with her husband and her mother, who made it famous,
Despina Achladioti
Despina Achladiotou ( el, Δέσποινα Αχλαδιώτου), more commonly known as the Lady of Ro (), was a Greek patriot who lived on the island of Ro; part of the small archipelago of Kastellórizo. She was notable for being the sole res ...
. Every day, Achladioti, also known as the
Lady of Ro
Despina Achladiotou ( el, Δέσποινα Αχλαδιώτου), more commonly known as the Lady of Ro (), was a Greek patriot who lived on the island of Ro; part of the small archipelago of Kastellórizo. She was notable for being the sole res ...
, raised a Greek flag over the island, until her death in 1982.
A Greek
border outpost is based on the island, with the primary duty of continuing the tradition of raising the flag. According to the 2011 census the island has no permanent residents.
On April 10, 2018, Greek soldiers fired warning shots at a Turkish helicopter approaching the island. The helicopter was flying at a very low altitude late at night with its navigation lights switched off.
See also
*
List of islands of Greece
*
Italian Islands of the Aegean
References
* Kalliopi Bairami, "Ro" in: Andreas Vlachopoulos (ed.), ''Archaiologia: Nisia tou Aigaiou'', Melissa 2005, p. 375.
External links
Official website of Municipality of Megisti
{{Authority control
Kastellorizo