History of Chios

Prehistoric Period

The first traces of Chian inhabitants are found in the cave at Agio Gala, at Emborios and at Phana. They date back as early as 6000 to 5000 BC during the Neolithic period.

Ancient Greece

According to ancient Greek mythology, the first King of Chios was Oinopeonas, grandson of Minos King of Crete, and son of Dionysus and Ariadne, who taught the islanders how to cultivate vines. The myth says that the island owes its name to the daughter of Oinopeonas, Chiona.

Chios was one of the original twelve member states of the Ionian League, a confederation formed in the mid-7th century BC.

During the 7th century BC, Chios, like Samos, excelled in arts and some of the best Greek sculptors of the time came from the School of Sculpture in Chios.

The island also had become the largest exporter of Greek wine, which was noted for being of relatively high quality. Chian amphora (containers) have been found in nearly every country with whom the ancient Greeks traded. By the end of the 7th century BC, Chios was one of the first cities to mint coins stamping its emblem of the sphinx holding an amphora.

During the Peloponnesian war, its inhabitants fought at the side of the Athenians and were under the control of Athens until 356 BC. After that, the island became independent and was not forced to pay the annual tribute to Athens anymore, which made it become prosperous.

Chios is said to be the birthplace of the famous poet Homer. There is a rock in Vrontados village, called Daskalopetra, where Homer taught his poetry.

Roman Period

Chios became part of the Roman Empire (Roman province of Asia) during the Third Macedonian War on or about 171 BC. It later became part of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Theodosius I was the last emperor to rule over both the East and West Roman Empires. He was also credited for making Christianity the official religion of the empire. Following his death in 395 AD, the Eastern Roman Empire later became known as the Byzantine Empire.

Byzantine Period

The Byzantine Empire, previously known as the Eastern Roman empire survived the fragmentation and fall of the Western Roman Empire and continued to exist for another thousand years until it fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453.

The monastery of Nea Moni was built in the mid-11th century, by Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachos and his wife, Empress Zoe. According to tradition, it is built on the location where three monks, Nikitas, Ioannes and Iosif, miraculously found an icon of the Virgin Mary, hanging from a branch of myrtle. At that time, Constantine was exiled in nearby Lesbos, and the monks visited him and told of a vision according to which he would eventually become emperor.

Chios was part of the Byzantine Empire with exception for a period when it was briefly held between 1090–97 during the first expansion of the Turks to the Aegean coast. The Turks were driven back from the Aegean coast by the Byzantines aided by the First Crusade and the island was restored to Byzantine rule by admiral Constantine Dalassenos.

Genoese Period

Following the sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade in 1204, the Empire of Nicaea was established as one of the successor states to the Byzantine Empire. Subsequently the Treaty of Nymphaeum was a trade and defense pact signed between the Empire of Nicaea and the Republic of Genoa in Nymphaion in March 1261. The treaty ceded authority over Chios to the Republic of Genoa.

At this time the island was frequently attacked by pirates, and by 1302–1303 was also a target for the of the Turks.

The Genoese prospered from Chios’ value as a trade-post and provider of mastic, alum, salt and pitch. They loosely retained control until Chios was recaptured by the Turks in 1566.

Ottoman Period

Since the island was exporting mastic in many countries and selling it to the Sultan, its inhabitants had more privileges than in any other part of Greece.

Thanks to its trade, the island of Chios prospered in arts and letters. The School of Chios was founded in the 18th century and many churches and wealthy mansions were built. The population grew and the island had the privilege to be under the rule of the elder islanders of the community.

Massacre of Chios

With the Greek revolution of 1821, the inhabitants of Chios were roused by Lykourgos Logothetis of Samos who led his army to fight a Turkish garrison. When the Sultan heard what happened, he sent his fleet in Chios to punish the inhabitants for participating in the revolution.

On March 30, 1822, seven thousand Turkish soldiers under the command of Kara Ali Pasha disembarked on Chios and slaughtered 25,000 of its inhabitants and forced almost twice that number of people into slavery. To avenge the massacre, on the night of June 6th, 1822, Konstantinos Kanaris famously set fire to and destroyed the Turkish flagship, killing 2300 Ottoman sailors and officers including Admiral Kara Ali Pasha.

The massacre of Chios increased the sympathy of the rest of Europe and the growth of Philhellenism. After the massacre, Victor Hugo wrote the wonderful poem Enfant de Chios and Delacroix painted Le Massacre de Chios, which can be admired in the Louvre Museum.

The first refugees started to return to Chios in 1832.

On March 22, 1881, a disastrous earthquake destroyed the island, causing 6,000 deaths and tremendous destruction.

The Liberation

After the First Balkan War, the Greek navy turned their attention to the islands of the Aegean. The amphibious operation was spearheaded by Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis. After liberating the islands of Limnos, Thasos, Imvros, Samothraki, Psara and Lesvos, Kountouriotis turned on Chios.

On November 11, 1912, three cruisers, two destroyers and three troopships carrying 2,500 soldiers arrived at Chios and the following day they took over the town. Thousands of local inhabitants stormed the streets in joy welcoming the advancing Greeks.

The Turkish military command refused to capitulate and continued resisting the Greek army in the smaller towns and villages of the island. Fierce battles continued for about 40 days, until on December 20 the Turks surrendered.

Centuries of Ottoman rule ended in Chios as Greek troops triumphantly paraded in the island’s capital. The Ottoman Empire recognized Greece’s annexation of Chios and the other Aegean islands by the Treaty of London in (1913).

Modern Chios

Chios, grateful from the day of its release until today, does not cease to honor the memory of their glorified dead.