Thassos Island - Mythlogy

Another myth (which was probably shaped by the inhabitants of Paros island after their establishment in Thassos) refers that Hercules donated the island of Thassos to Sthenelos and Alcaios, the two sons of King Androgeus of Paros.

Still, Thassos was the first inhabitant of this island which bares his name. Nevertheless, there are other and maybe more credible resources about the origin of the name of the island. Some ancient poets and writers refer to Thassos as "Aeria" for its cool summer breeze. It was also called "Aethria" for its clear sky, "Chrisi" for the gold of its goldmines, or "Seashore of Demetra" for the rich and exquisite fruits. According to a different resource, the etymology of the name "Thassos" relates to the word "Drosos" (=cool), because of the many forests it had in anyiquity and continues to have today.Others combine the name of the island with some weather-related words, such as Asos, Kosos, Vrastoi.

Religious belief of the Thasians, as of all the ancient Greeks, was centered on the twelve gods of Olympus . However, the island's patron was Heracles, a name which may have had its origins not in the Greek halfgod Heracles (Hercules), but in the Phoenician god Melkarth. Special honors were reserved for the god of the sea Poseidon and the goddess of the hunt Artemis.

Dionysus, god of wine, together with his Satyrs, Silenoi and Maenads, were worshiped in orgiastic rites.