Taphians
The Tilevoides (Greek Τηλεβόιδες (f. pl. ), Also Taphische Islands) are a group of islands in the Ionian Islands. They are located between the island of Lefkada and the eastern mainland.
The approximately 15 islands, which together cover about 53 km ², located between the island of Lefkada and the mainland Acarnanian. The north front of the Lefkadian coast located, smaller islands are also under the name Prince Islands ( Pringiponisia Πριγκιπονήσια ) as a subgroup. The Tilevoides belong to the Regional District of Lefkada Ionian islands region and distribute to the communities Meganissi and Lefkas. Only the three largest islands are inhabited, Skorpios and Madouri are privately owned and inhabited only seasonally. The total population according to the census of 2001 1755 inhabitants on the island group.
Two different names for the islands occupied in ancient times: according to the label Teleboans Teleboon nesoi "islands of Teleboans " ( ancient Greek Τηλεβοῶν νῆσοι ), named after the Taphiern Taphiōn nesoi "islands of Taphians " ( Ταφίων νῆσοι ). For their Meganissi the name is assigned in Homer Taphos ( Τάφος ), in later times Taphia ( Τάφια ). Both the Taphians and the Teleboans were in ancient times as the Leleges related strains.
According to Greek mythology that the names refer to two mythical figures, which are sometimes referred to as brothers. Taphios, son of Poseidon and Hippothoe, the forecast was by a king Pelasgian origin, is said to have subjected the islands along with Ithaca .. According to other sources of these progenitor of the inhabitants of the islands Tēleboas means ( Τηλεβόας ), the island of Meganissi after him Tēlebois ( Τηλεβόις ).
Already in ancient times the larger islands were inhabited, its inhabitants dominated the maritime trade, especially with southern Italy. So to have been dominated on Capri, the Greek colony of Seehändlern of the islands ( Teleboern ). In the subsequent history divided the island group, which served as a shelter in the middle ages and early modern pirates, the fate of the island of Lefkada.
The waters around the Tilevoides and the southeast lying Echinades is one of the last refuges of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal.