ANCIENT TIMES
Sifnos is an island with an ancient history. Most of the ancient historians state that Sifnos was first inhabited by the Pelasgians and then by the Phoenicians, the Cares and the Leleges. According to mythology, these inhabitants were driven out by the king of Crete, Minos, who installed his sons as rulers in the Cyclades. Pliny mentions that the island was originally called Merope and Akhis. During the Minoan period the island was named Merope after the granddaughter of Minos, daughter of Ariadne and Oenopion. Other names attributed to it in the medieval years are Siphinos, Sifunos, Sifanos, Sifana and Sifanto. However, the name it retains to this day seems to owe it to the son of the Attic hero Sounius, Sifnos.
The island was first inhabited in the second half of the third millennium BC. this is evidenced by clusters of graves and foundations of settlements, which were discovered at the end of the 19th century by the archaeologist Christos Tsountas, mainly in coastal locations, such as in the Akrotiri site, Platy Gialos, Vathy and Faro. The island experienced great prosperity during the Proto-Cycladic times, as can be seen from the finds from the acropolis of Agios Andreas and the cemetery, while during the Middle Cycladic era, the existence of a settlement in Kastro is attested. In the Mycenaean years, the citadels of Agios Andreas, Agios Nikitas and in Frudi of Kalamitsi developed and flourished. Tradition states that at the end of the 1st millennium Athenians settled in Sifnos led by Alcinora. Then, a new era begins in which is established, according to Herodotus, the "asty" in today's Castle. Based on the information of Stefanos Byzantios that the island had three cities, Sifnos, Minoa and Apollonia, the ruins of the Castle, with its monumental marble wall, are identified with ancient Sifnos. A society is gradually organized there that develops important commercial and political relations not only with the nearby Cycladic area but also with more distant areas.
Sifnos of the 6th century BC. is one of the richest islands of the Cyclades and knows a special glamour. Its wealth was based mainly on its gold and silver mines, its quarries and its ceramic production. The testimonies of Herodotus and other ancient authors that silver and gold were produced in Sifnos have been fully confirmed by modern scientific research, while at the same time the excavation research has brought to light silver mines in Agios Sostis, on the NE side of the island. Proof of the flourishing economy and prestige of the Sifnians is the rebuilding, around 525 BC, in the sanctuary of Delphi, of the Treasury of the Sifnians, from the tithe that came from the profits of the island's gold mines. Another indication that Sifnos was very rich is that coins were minted in Sifnos around 600 BC. i.e. after Aegina and before Athens and Corinth! During the Persian wars the island sided with the Athenians and later became a member of the First Athenian Alliance. Although the mines seem to be inactive now, the island is still quite rich, as evidenced by the archaeological finds, most of which were lost during World War II. Political developments in Greece and the dispute between Athens and Sparta during the Peloponnesian War affect life in Sifnos, and a turbulent period of state changes follows. as evidenced by the archaeological finds, most of which were lost during the Second World War. Political developments in Greece and the dispute between Athens and Sparta during the Peloponnesian War affect life in Sifnos, and a turbulent period of state changes follows. as evidenced by the archaeological finds, most of which were lost during the Second World War. Political developments in Greece and the dispute between Athens and Sparta during the Peloponnesian War affect life in Sifnos, and a turbulent period of state changes follows.
In Sifnos they worshiped as special deities Apollo Enargo, Artemis Ecbateria, Zeus Epivimius, Dionysus, Pana, Athena and the Nymphs.
During the Hellenistic period and even after, the maritime area of ​​Sifnos became the theater of many wars until the Roman conquest in 145 BC. At this time the islands are plagued by piracy. Sifnos once again experienced a small boom during the Roman era, as the rich finds from the cemeteries and the brilliant sarcophagi show. However, traces of public buildings from that period are not preserved.
BYZANTINE PERIOD
The historical and philological references about Sifnos during the Byzantine period are minimal. From 324 AD, it was included together with the rest of the Cyclades in the Province of the Islands of the Eastern Roman Byzantine State and until the 6th century it belonged to the diocese of Paros-Sifnos-Amorgos. The economic development and the commercial activity of the provinces of the southern Greek area strengthen the commercial importance of Sifnos during the Early Byzantine period. It goes through a period of decline, when it is hit by raids by Slavs and Arabs during the 7th century and Latin pirates from the 11th century. Regarding the economy of the period, we know that it is mainly agricultural, while we do not have much information about buildings, nor abundant traces. In Kastro, which continued to be the most important settlement, finds from the Byzantine period are limited.
LATIN KINGDOMS
After the overthrow of the Byzantine Empire by the crusaders in 1204, Sifnos, like the rest of the Cyclades, joined the Duchy of Naxos, founded in 1207 by Marco Sanoudos. In 1269 it was recaptured by the Byzantines and in 1307, after the peace treaty between the Byzantine emperor and Venice, it passed to Ioannis Dakoronias, who proclaimed himself a free and independent ruler. Dakoronia fortifies the island, which was overseen by the dukes of Naxos, walls the city with a strong castle and effectively counters the attacks of the claimants of the island. Throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, Sifnos continues to be plagued by pirate raids that dramatically reduce its population.
OTTOMAN PERIOD
Sifnos remained in the Dakoronia family until 1464 and then passed to the Gozzadini family. In 1537 Hayredin Barbarossa, head of the Ottoman fleet, attacked the Cyclades and the Gozandini became vassals of the sultan until 1566, when the administration of the islands was granted to the Jew Joseph Nazi. With the privileges granted by Sultans Murat III in 1580 and Ibrahim I in 1646, Sifnos, as well as the rest of the islands of the Cyclades, created conditions that favor economic and spiritual development. As in the case of the rest of the Cyclades, the community institution of self-government flourished in Sifnos. At the beginning of the 17th century, a dynamic personality was active in Sifnos, the great merchant Vassilis Logothetis, which contributes to the emergence of the island as an economic center of the Cyclades with activity in the fields of self-government, crops, shipping, trade. Also important is his contribution to the spiritual life of the place with the construction of the male monastery of Panagia Vrysiani, which was an important monastic and ecclesiastical center. At the end of the 17th century, the famous School of the Holy Sepulcher, known as the Archipelago School, was also created, which operated until 1833 in a building complex in the area of ​​the Castle serving 300 students. The patron saint of the island, Panagia Chrysopigi, was built in 1650 and is today one of the 230 temples of the island that are in operation. The most important information given by the travelers of the 17th century is that the population outside the Castle, which lived in the rural settlements, began to increase. In 1770-1774, during the Russo-Ottoman war, it was occupied by the forces of tsarist Russia and regained by the Ottomans after the signing of the Kiucchuk-Kainartzi treaty. The list of sworn friends also mentions Sifnii: Nikolaos Gryparis, Dimitrios Lagos and Georgios Baos. In 1821, the schoolmaster Nikolaos Chrysogelos (1780-1857) raised the flag of the Revolution at the school of Sifnos and after being put in charge of 150 Sifnian warriors, he landed in the Peloponnese, where he developed a multifaceted campaign. In 1830, Sifnos was integrated into the Greek state. during the Russo-Ottoman war it was occupied by the forces of tsarist Russia and regained by the Ottomans after the signing of the Kuchuk-Kainartzi treaty. The list of sworn friends also mentions the Sifnians: Nikolaos Gryparis, Dimitrios Lagos and Georgios Baos. In 1821, the schoolmaster Nikolaos Chrysogelos (1780-1857) raised the flag of the Revolution at the school of Sifnos and after being put in charge of 150 Sifnian warriors, he landed in the Peloponnese, where he developed a multifaceted campaign. In 1830, Sifnos was integrated into the Greek state. during the Russo-Ottoman war it was occupied by the forces of tsarist Russia and regained by the Ottomans after the signing of the Kuchuk-Kainartzi treaty. The list of sworn friends also mentions the Sifnians: Nikolaos Gryparis, Dimitrios Lagos and Georgios Baos. In 1821, the schoolmaster Nikolaos Chrysogelos (1780-1857) raised the flag of the Revolution at the school of Sifnos and after being put in charge of 150 Sifnian warriors, he landed in the Peloponnese, where he developed a multifaceted campaign. In 1830, Sifnos was integrated into the Greek state.
MODERN TIMES
During the days of Kapodistrias, the first ruler of Greece, Sifnos was a special province in the part of the Central Cyclades and was the seat of an Administration that included the islands of Milos and Kimolos. During the regency of Othon in 1833, the headquarters of the Administration was moved to Milos and Sifnos was divided into two municipalities, Artemona-Kastro and Apollonia with the remaining villages. In 1836, the two municipalities merged and the capital was moved to Apollonia. In 1941, Sifnos initially joined the Italian administration, in the context of the occupation of the Greek territories by the Axis Powers. After the capitulation of Italy in 1943, the island came under German administration until its liberation in 1944.

Source: FOUNDATION OF THE HELLENIC WORLD
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