Colaeus facts for kids

Colaeus (pronounced Koh-LAY-us) was a brave Samian explorer and merchant from ancient times. He lived around 640 B.C. and was known for his amazing journey to a place called Tartessos.

Who Was Colaeus?

Colaeus was a silver merchant. This means he bought and sold silver. Most traders in his time were not famous, but a historian named Herodotus thought Colaeus was very important. Herodotus wrote about Colaeus's incredible trip.

An Unexpected Journey

Colaeus was planning to sail to Egypt for trade. But a huge storm blew his ship far off course! The storm pushed him across the Mediterranean Sea. It even took him through the Strait of Gibraltar, which is the narrow entrance to the Atlantic Ocean.

The storm carried him all the way to Tartessos. This ancient city was in what is now south-western Spain. No other Greek traders had ever visited Tartessos before. It was a completely new place for them!

A Big Discovery

When Colaeus arrived in Tartessos, he found a huge amount of metal. This was a very valuable discovery! He was able to fill his ship with this precious cargo. Then, he safely sailed back home to Samos.

Colaeus made a lot of money from this trip. He was so thankful that he gave one-tenth of his profits to Hera. Hera was the main goddess of his home island, Samos.

A Clever Secret?

Many people believe that the storm story might not be entirely true. Some think Colaeus made up the part about being blown off course. He might have wanted to keep his new trade route a secret. The rewards from this untouched source of metal were enormous! Keeping the route hidden would stop his rivals from finding it too.

Other Explorers of Tartessos

While Colaeus was famous for his trip, the Phocaeans were actually the first Greeks to visit Tartessos. They were another group of Ionians. Herodotus also wrote about them.

The Phocaeans were welcomed by the king of Tartessos. His name was Arganthonios. The Phocaeans also made good profits from their visits. They even used their earnings to build strong new walls for their city, Phocaea.

See also

In Spanish: Coleo de Samos para niños