Ionian Islands... main archives photos links
onian Island or, else, the Heptanesus, namely the 'seven island' include the largerinsular entities of Kerkyra (Corfu), Paxi, Lefkas, Ithaki, Kefalonia, Zakynthos
(Zante) and Kithira. Named after the major Greek Archipelagos, where they are situated, that is the Ionian Sea, the islands, according to Greek  mythology, derive originally their name from Io, the beautiful nymph that was attending Hera, Zeus' consort. The latter fell deeply for her and in an attempt to entertain his wife's suspisions, transformed the willing maiden into a heifer. Hera , however, eas clever enough to know and in a fit of jealous rage ordered a gadfly to sting her, which maddened Io with pain making jer plunge into the sea which came to bear her name.
The Ionian islands constitute the western boders of Greece with Europe. Its position between East and West contributed to the fact that these beautiful island were the apple of discord between European conquerors, who wanted to occupy them.

The island has no unified history until the 10th century A.D., when they were made a province of Byzantine Empire. Venice took the islands in the 14th and 15th century and held them until 1797, when the Treaty of campo Formio, which ended the Venetian republic, gave the island to 		" Unfortunately, the remaining priest of Argostoli, did not have the courage or foresight to take the initiative in collecting some of the church valuables. Most had already left their flock and island. The priest of Fousato district, Ioannis Moshonas, mobilized and saved at least what was valuable. he saved three gold pictures that belonged to St. George Church."
                Angelo, Dionisios Debonou
                         Ionian Island 1953 Earthquake		 Earthquake Myths

When looked at with our modern understanding of why the earth moves, earthquake myth may seem humorous and inconsequential. But they were once standards of their various cultures, a way of trying to understand the powerful natural events that could so greatly affect the lives of ancient people.

Earthquake myths evolved in virtually all cultures and reflect unique and interesting percptions of the shifting crust. And in spite of all advances scientist have made in beginning to understand the reasons of earthquakes, modern myths exist that still capture the imagination of many,

France. In 1799 they were seized by a Russo-Turkish fleet and were constituted a republic under Russian protection.  In 1807, by the Treaty of Tilsit, Russia returned theislands to France. From 1809 to 1814 the British navy occuppied all the islands except Kerkira. In 1815 the Ionian Islands , known as the " UnitedStates of Ionian Islands," were placed under British protection. The British ceded the islands to Greece in 1864 after considerable popular agitation on the islands. A series of earthquakes in 1953 caused extensive damage to the island.

 remaining rooted not only in the United States, but all over the world.

 Ancient Myths

Ancient Greece

Thales of Miletos (6th century BC) beleived an agitation of the great sea on which the earth floats, produced earthquakes. But the nation that the movement of air in subterrestrial chambers created earthquakes formed the basis for the most elaborate theories of ancient times.

Other earthquake myth and modern folklore
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