The characteristics of Doulichion

... for there happend to be a ship of Thresprotian men setting out for Doulichion, rich in wheat. So he asked them to give me save passage to the chieftain Akastos.

The harbour of Astakos

So, there was a king called Akastos (Augustus) and he ruled on the island Doulichion. One of the natural harbours of the Ionian sea can be found at the ancient city Astakos (lobster). Isn't that a coincidence, Astakos and Akastos? Astakos could be a corruption of Akastos, like the island Krapathos, now called Karpathos, which is mentioned by Strabo:

The name Doulichion or Dulichium means long island. So, if we're looking for a part of the mainland, we have to look for a 1439 square kilometers oblong stretch of land, near the Ionian islands, with the characteristics of an island. In the Odyssey can be read:

The nearest mainland across from the islands of Odysseus is Akarnania. In Akarnania the city Astakos can be found and Akarnania is oblong and the size is right. Akarnania and the Echinai are located opposite Elis. Perhaps Homer didn't leave out Akarnania in the catalogue, but he called it Doulichion. Again, Acarnania isn't an island. Akarnania must have been some sort of an island, but how?

And of them that possessed Nisyros and Krapathos and Kasos and Kos the city of Eurypylos, and the Kalydnian Isles, of them Pheidippos and Antiphos were leaders, the two sons of king Thessalos son of Herakles. With them were arrayed thirty hollow ships.

Odyssey Book 14 line 324-326 Barry B Powell
Strabo Book 10.5.15