Symi consists of a cluster of three main islands: Nymos, Sesklio, and Symi. One version of its name goes back to Diodorus Sikieliotis: Symi was the name of the Nymph who, mating with Poseidon, gave birth to Chthonio, the "man of the earth", who is identified with the leader of the first inhabitants of the island who came from Thessaly. In the "Iliad", in the "Nionian Catalogue", the most beautiful of the Achaeans was the king of Symi Nireas, who took part in the war with three ships.
The first inhabitants of Symi who left traces of their walls on the acropolis were Pelasgians. The Dorians followed. Symi also participated in the Doric Hexapolis. In the 5th c. the Persians required the naval assistance of Symi, which then profited from their defeat at Salamis, to join the Athenian Alliance. Roman ruins in Emporios bear witness to the natural historical succession that also applied to Symi. In the Byzantine years, the seaworthy Symias were used by the Byzantines for the construction and manning of the high-speed routes. After 1204, Leo Gavalas included Symi in his own independent state, while in 1309 it passed into the hands of the Ioannite Knights, so it was fortified. Despite the repeated repulsions of the Ottoman raids, in 1522 the centuries-long slavery to the Ottomans begins. Symi, like other islands of the SE Aegean, it managed to secure important privileges early on, the main one being administrative autonomy and exemption from all other taxes except the annual special "maktos" tax. The island is developing commercially as an important Mediterranean port. Sponge fishing is gradually becoming an important source of income and fishing further stimulates the local economy. The Revolution of '21 moved and mobilized the Symians. Symi was included (May 1823) in the 13th province of the Aegean but ultimately together with all the Dodecanese it will remain outside the newly established state. Despite the reprisals, the island continued its upward trajectory. In 1912 it was occupied by the Italians with disastrous consequences for the economy. Participating in every form of resistance struggle, the people of Symia are justified in the Integration in 1948. managed early on to secure important privileges, most notably administrative autonomy and exemption from all other taxes except the annual special "makto" tax. The island is developing commercially as an important Mediterranean port. Sponge fishing is gradually becoming an important source of income and fishing further stimulates the local economy. The Revolution of '21 moved and mobilized the Symians. Symi was included (May 1823) in the 13th province of the Aegean but ultimately together with all the Dodecanese it will remain outside the newly established state. Despite the reprisals, the island continued its upward trajectory. In 1912 it was occupied by the Italians with disastrous consequences for the economy. Participating in every form of resistance struggle, the people of Symia are justified in the Integration in 1948. managed early on to secure important privileges, most notably administrative autonomy and exemption from all other taxes except the annual special "makto" tax. The island is developing commercially as an important Mediterranean port. Sponge fishing is gradually becoming an important source of income and fishing further stimulates the local economy. The Revolution of '21 moved and mobilized the Symians. Symi was included (May 1823) in the 13th province of the Aegean but ultimately together with all the Dodecanese it will remain outside the newly established state. Despite the reprisals, the island continued its upward trajectory. In 1912 it was occupied by the Italians with disastrous consequences for the economy. Participating in every form of resistance struggle, the people of Symia are justified in the Integration in 1948.

Source: South Aegean Region
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