IKARIA TRAVEL GUIDE

IKARIA > HISTORY

HISTORY

Historical resources report that Ikaria was inhabited since Neolithic era. The 9th century B.C. Iones settled the island.

Round 750 B.C. settlers from Militos founded the ancient cities of Thermes and Oinoi in the island, which became members of the Athenian Alliance. In 133 B.C. the island was dominated by the Romans.

In the years to come the island faced many disasters by piratical raids.

During the Byzantine period the ancient city of Oinoi, was renamed in Dolichi and was raised as the administrative and economic centre of the island.

In the13th century Ikaria was conquered by the Venetians and in 1524 passed in the control of Turks.

Ikarians participated in the revolution of 1821 but the liberation of the island did not come until 1912, when the island rebelled, were set free from Turks and was named Independent Ikarian State. Few months later the island became a part of Greece.