Cycladia Travel Guides

History | Mythology

The First Town

According to mythology, the Cretan Alkaios built the very first city on the island, on the actual location of Parikia is. He was also the first king of Paros and named the island Minoa, in honor of the Cretan civilization.

Pareia the Naiad Nymph

In another myth, Pareia the Nymph, daughter of a river god, was the founder of the main town of Paros and the island was named after her.

The Cyclades

The Cyclades name means “kyklos”, “circle” in Greek. It is believed that ancient Greeks imagined the islands forming a circle around Delos, the sacred island-birthplace of god Apollo. Others say that the strong winds in the area made the ships lose control and go spinning around in circles in the Aegean Sea.

Another interesting mythological version is that the Cyclades were named after the nymphs of the same name, and that Poseidon, god of the seas, transformed them into rocks during a fit of rage.

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