Alonissos - The Story of a Βeautiful island
Today Alonissos took this name in the early years of the liberation of Greece and is not the same as the ancient Alonissos. The island in ancient times was called Ikos, while the neiborhood island to the north, Kyra Panagia, was probably called Alonissos by the ancient Greeks. The island's history is lost in the Paleolithic era, when it is probable that it was connected to the other islands and Thessaly. Tradition says that Cretans led by the mythical hero Stafilos made colonies in Peparithos (current Skopelos) and Iko. This colonisation became in the 16th century BC during the Minoan naval in the Aegean Sea. In that time, begins the cultivation of olives and vines. The Minoan colony takes later a Mycenaean character. The Mycenaean city is located in today Kokkinokastro, on the east coast of the island. At the end of the Mycenaean era, on the island come the father of Achilles, Peleus, and stays until the end of his life. According to tradition, in the island was found the tomb of Peleus. Historically, however, it is clear that in the geometric times is found Iko under the authority of Dolopes. The Dolopes appeared to be a part of the great race of the Pelasgians. After a period of time, they became dangerous and evil pirates of the Aegean. To deal with them, later, the Athenian fleet under the command of Cimon moved to the island, who routed them and annexed the islands to Athens. Thus, in 476 BC, the island joins the first Athenian Alliance. In the classical era, Ikos must have two cities (the geographer Skylax, 5th century BC, called it dipolin). At that time the island is famous for the cultivation of vines and fine wine. The wine was exported in jars, which are one of the two handles bearing the inscription IKION. At this time it appears that the location of the island is very important. This is confirmed by the number of ancient shipwrecks, which have been identified in the region. This important position has made the island base of the Athenian fleet struggles against Philip. In 190 BC the island was conquered by the Roman fleet. We have almost no information for the history of Iko until the capture of Constantinople by the Franks in 1204 AD, when the island and the adjacent islands came into possession of the Franks. Along with Skopelos, Alonissos is an alternating conquerors. After the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453, the islands were obtained by the Venetians. They remained Venetian until 1538, when the Turkish fleet under Barbarossa Chairedin imposed on the Turkish authorities. During the revolution of 1821 and the first years of liberalization of the Greek nation, the Greeks resorted to Alonissos from various parts of Greece. They, along with the natives of the island, compose the present population of Alonissos.