Neolithic Period
The oldest traces of human presence on the island of Karpathos date back to the end of the Neolithic Period (4,000-3,000 BC).
The first inhabitants seem to have come from Asia Minor and were relatives of the pre-Hellenic peoples who lived in Crete and the other Greek islands (Kares, etc.).
The primitive Neolithic Culture of Karpathos continues in the 3rd millennium BC, but around 2,000 Minoan settlers from Crete bring a new breath and economic bloom to the island.
New Palace Period
During the New Palace Period Crete (about 1700-1450 BC), known as the “Age of Minoan and Minoan naval Colonization” Karpathos seems to have purely Minoan character, is populous and economically and culturally developed.
Historian Diodorus Sicilian mentions the Cretans as the first inhabitants of Karpathos, whom King Minos sent as colonists during the time of his seaside domination.
Later on, they followed Argos settlers (apparently Mycenaean), led by Ioclos, son of the Dimoleon.
Homeric years
Both Homer and archaeological data confirm the presence of the Achaeans (Greek Mycenaeans) on the island, although the Minoan character of its culture continues until the end of the Bronze Age.
In the Trojan campaign, Karpathos takes part, under the orders of Herakleidos Fidipus and Antiphos.
Archaic Period
There is no evidence of the fate of the island from the end of the Bronze Age to the Archaic period.
The Doric population appears to dominate on the island then and the four cities that Strabo hints might have existed since the Archaic period, if not before.
Pigadia was in Antiquity, and until recently, the port of the city of Karpathos (today’s Aperi) and was called Poseidion.
The other three cities were Arkesia, near Arkasa, Vrykous (present-day Vrukounda, in the northwest of Karpathos) and Nisyros, which may have been in the present Saria Palaces.
Saria was, in antiquity, independent of Karpathos and was called Saros.
After 478 BC Karpathos becomes a member of the First Athenian Alliance, as shown by the taxes paid by its cities to the Allied Fund.
In 404, at the end of the Peloponnesian War, the Spartans subjugated the island, but after the battle of Kindos (394 BC) came to Athens and later became a member of the Second Athenian League.
Classic-Hellenistic Period
In the Classical and Hellenistic Period, Karpathos is presented as financially lively and culturally prosperous.
This is largely due to the cultural and economic relations it develops with the cities of Rhodes, mainly with Lindos. Much of the island, if not whole, was part of the Rhodian or, more specifically, the Lindos state.
The main city of the island was apparently Karpathos, which probably was in today’s Aperi.
This village seems to have continued to be the capital of Karpathos in later years.
Roman period
By subjugating to the Romans, Karpathos acquires great strategic importance, since it is one of the three great naval stations of Rome in the Mediterranean.
The importance of the island will be maintained later, on the Byzantine Empire: the sources say that the ships of the Karpathos navy are driving Nikephoros Phokas to Crete in 961 AD.
On Diocletian (284-305 AD) it belongs to the “Province of Islands” (Provincia Insularum) and to Heraklion (610-641) on the subject of Crete.
Pirates
There are about three centuries (mid-7th to mid-10th century AD) of decay and desolation.
Pirates from North Africa and Asia are spreading terror and havoc in the coastal settlements that as a result are abandoned. These settlements are substituted by the medieval mountain villages that have been preserved to this day.
Between 1204 and 1312, Karpathos becomes the object of competition between Byzantine, Genoa, St John’s Knights and Venetians.
The Venetians, with Andreas Kornaros, eventually prevailed and remained rulers of Karpathos and Kasos until 1538, when Hajreddin Barbarossa occupied the islands on behalf of the Turks.
Turkish domination
During the Ottoman domination, Aperi continues to be the capital until 1892, when the present Pigadia took its place.
In 1821, Karpathos revolted and took part in the struggle of independence.
But with the end of the Revolution, along with the other Dodecanese, it remains a part of the Ottoman Empire, having spent almost ten years for freedom and inspiring the air of independence.
In 1912, Turkish occupation was succeeded by the Italian.
In 1944, the Karpathians rallied against the Italians and called on the British allies to occupy the island.
In March 1948, Karpathos, along with the rest of the Dodecanese, is integrated into Greece.
