Kleides (also spelled Cleides, Klides, Clides, Klidhes, Clidhes, Kleidhes, Cleidhes; ), meaning keys in Greek,Greek Anthology, 7.738Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898), Cyprus is a group of small rocky uninhabited islands at the north of Cyprus. Some ancient writers called them the "edge of Cyprus" or "far end of Cyprus" (ἄκρα τῆς Κύπρου).Hesychii Alexandrini, Lexicon, p.880 Herodotus in his work Histories wrote that during the Ionian revolt the whole island of Cyprus, except Amathus, also revolted against the Persians. Persians in response send army and navy to deal with the Ionian and Cypriot forces on the island and the Phoenician fleet sailed around the "Keys of Cyprus" (Κληῖδες τῆς Κύπρου).Herodotus, The Histories, 5.108.2W. W. How, J. Wells, A Commentary on Herodotus, 5.108.2 Strabo writes that the Kleides were two isles lying off Cyprus opposite the eastern parts of the island, which are seven hundred stadia distant from the Pyramos river.Strabo, Geography, 14.6.2 Pliny the Elder, writes that they were four islands.Pliny the Elder, Natural History, 5.35 In reality the islets are six, but the three can be considered more like rocks in the sea than islets. The islands are also mentioned by the Ptolemy in his work Geography,Ptolemaeus, Geography, 5.14.7 Hesychius of Alexandria in his lexicon and Agathemerus in his Sketch of Geography.Agathemerus, Sketch of Geography, Chapter 4 Section 16 (4.16) A poem in the Greek Anthology also mentions the islands.
Some writers, such as Agathemenos, Hesychios and Herodotus used the name Kleides not only for the islands but also for the cape itself,Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), Cleides Pliny calls this headland Dinaretum, while Stadiasmus simply calls it Akra and Ptolemy names it Boosura (Βοόσουρα or Οὐρὰ Βοός, "Ox’s Tail")Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), Boosura However, the Palatine manuscript of Ptolemy preserves the reading Kleides (Κλεῖδες). The cape is today known as Cape Saint Andreas. Archaeologists have also found an ancient coin with the inscription "Kleides".
Modern writers also refer to the Kleides Islands by name, including: Florio Bustron (1550 - 1570) in his work Chronique de l'Île de Chypre de Florio Bustron.Chronique de l'Île de Chypre. Par Florio Bustron. Publiée par M. René de Mas Latrie. 1884 Stefano Lusignan in his Description de toute l'isle de Cypre, published in 1580.Description de toute l'isle de Cypre, Luigi Palma di Cesnola in the Cyprus : its ancient cities, tombs, and temples : a narrative of researches and excavations during ten years' residence as American consul in that island, published in 1877.Cyprus : its ancient cities, tombs, and temples : a narrative of researches and excavations during ten years' residence as American consul in that island, Luigi Palma di Cesnola, 1877 David George Hogarth in the Devia Cypria, which was published in 1889.Hogarth, D. G., Devia Cypria, 1889, p.82 Franz Felix Adalbert Kuhn (1812 - 1881) in the Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung auf dem Gebiete der Indogermanischen Sprachen.Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung auf dem Gebiete der indogermanischen Sprachen, Band 9, 1860, p.292 Charles Vincent Bellamy and Alfred John Jukes-Browne in The geology of Cyprus in 1905.The geology of Cyprus, 1905, p.5 George H. Everett Jeffery in the A description of the historic monuments of Cyprus. Studies in the archaeology and architecture of the island, published in 1918, described his trip to the islets: A description of the historic monuments of Cyprus. Studies in the archaeology and architecture of the island, George Jeffery, 1918, p. 255
During the British occupation of Cyprus, a lighthouse was built on one of the islets.
BirdLife International identified the Kleides Islands as an Important Bird Area.PROTECTED AREAS A CHALLENGE FOR NORTH CYPRUS, Protected Аreas a challenge for North Cyprus. Adrian Phillips, with Frank Bracewell Report and recommendations following a visit to North Cyprus, 4-11 February 2001, p.10
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