Iolcos

Iolcus, also Iolkos, was an ancient city-state in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. It stood on the coast of the Pagasetic Gulf, near the route into the Thessalian plain. In later tradition the site is associated with the region of present-day Volos, and nearby settlements echo its mythic fame.

In Greek mythology, Iolcus is best known as the homeland of Jason and the starting point of the Argonauts’ voyage. According to myth, Pelias, the king of Iolcus, seized the throne from Aeson, Jason’s father. Jason was sent on a quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece, gathering the Argonauts and setting sail from Iolcus to Colchis. Upon his return, Jason’s attempt to reclaim the throne is a central motif in several versions of the tale, with Medea playing a pivotal role in later retellings.

Historically, Iolcus is referenced as a Thessalian polis in classical sources, though the precise ancient site has not been definitively identified. The locality’s exact boundaries and urban layout remain matters of scholarly debate, with the traditional location linked to the Pagasetic Gulf area opposite the Magnesian coast and near modern Volos.

The mythic prestige of Iolcus as the cradle of the Argonauts has made it a prominent feature of Greek literary geography. The name persists in modern toponyms and in the enduring association of the site with the epic journey of the Argo.