IOLKOS: CROSSING THE ASIA-EUROPE SEAS

The thousands crossing the seas between Asia and Europe these days continue the ancient adventures of Fertile Crescent peoples who developed their agriculture and ship building with the mythical Argonautes as one of the oldest sea voyagers around.

Jason, you may like to know, was the leader of those Argonautes and Prince of Iolkos. He got a ship built in the port of Pagasai. Timber was brought in from Mount Pelion and oak from Dodona and a new excitement arose in the port city. Hammer blows echoed through the streets of the city, until the ship was completed and called Argo, the swift one.

The Argonautes sailed the distant seas and set foot at unknown coasts. When they finally fulfilled their mission by capturing the Golden Fleece, they took off for their homeward journey. They sailed River Danube through the Balkan countries and miraculously arrived in the Adriatic Sea. They continued upstream River Po in Italy and downstream River Rhine through Germany, before returning to familiar waters of the Mediterranean and landing on the island of Crete.

Upon his return in Iolkos, Jason handed the Golden Fleece to the king and demanded to be king himself. But violent family affairs endarkened Jason’s long awaited relief once back in Iolkos. Amidst intense love affairs there was torture, betrayal, corpses cut in pieces and fights over kingdoms that obscured his life.

What will happen with those thousands who sail the seas between Asia and Europe in boats not built with the care and craft of Pagasai carpenters and navigated by skills of Jason? What will be their fate when they move up along River Danube and downstream River Rhine? Will they ever be able to conquer golden fleeces and see Pagasia and Iolkos again? And what turmoil will they go through once back in their homelands?