Santorini Vacation Rental Homes

Santorini History

Over the centuries, the island has been called Strongyle (the Round One), Kalliste (the Beautiful One), and Santorini.

Door, window and row of pithoi in front

Many people have linked its turbulent past with the tragic fate of the legendary continent of Atlantis. The French geologist, F. Fouque, rightly calls Santorini the "Pompeii of the Aegean".

Its fertile soil must have attracted the first colonists, around 3000 B.C., i.e. during the second Early Cycladic period. The excavations at Akrotiri verify the existence of an important civilization during the next period, the Middle Cycladic, from 2000/1900 to 1550 B.C. Apart from being farmers, they, like the inhabitants of the other Cycladic islands, must have been awesome sailors.

The storeroom on the groundfloor with rows of pithoi set into benches and beside them conical rhyton for the scooping, measuring and transfering of liquid from the pithoi to smaller vessels.

When Minoan Crete had become a maritime empire, Cretans came to settle on the island and intermarried with the locals. Around 1550-1500 B.C., this civilization was suddenly terminated, while it was at its peak. The cause was the violent eruption of the volcano, during which as we shall see, a large portion of the island exploded and sank to the bottom of the sea. Written documents, which could tell us exactly what happened, do not exist.

Earthquakes were always a common occurrence in the region. One especially catastrophic earthquake triggered the awakening of the volcano. The houses were destroyed. Most of the residents abandoned the island in panic and they did not return. The amount of time that elapsed between the earthquake and the eruption of the volcano is not known. However, it must have been at least a year.

Findings from Akrotiri in Prehistoric Thera

The erupting volcano buried the whole island under a thick layer of pumice, which at many points is over thirty metres deep. This took place between 1550 and 1500 B.C. The sea was seething, changing color constantly, from deep green to reddish and later, a bright yellow. The crust of the earth receded and the larger central portion of Strongyle, after blowing up, was sucked down into that vacuum. Eighty-three square kilometers of earth vanished into the abyss of the crater and the sea rushed in and flooded the spot, which had once been dry land. All that remains of Strongyle today is Santorini, Therasia and Aspronisi. This catastrophe of truly Biblical proportions must have been accompanied by enormous tidal waves which reached a height of 210 metres. The volcanic ash that spewed forth must have fallen on the earth within a huge and wide area.

Professor Spyros Marinatos, in 1932, formulated the following theory: The decline of the Minoan civilization around 1500 B.C. was not the result of enemy invasion, but of the blow dealt by the frightful consequences of the eruption of the volcano on Santorini.

The Antelope rendered in outline with superb accuracy and movement.

Santorini has often been connected with Atlantis, the legendary continent that sank to the bottom of the sea while it was at its zenith. In discussing Atlantis, Plato mentions that "it was a large and wonderful state superior to the other islands". The finds from the digs at Akrotiri, which indicate the presence of a high level of civilization, its violent cessation, and the synchronicity in the dates of the two catastrophes, have led many scholars to conclude that the lost Atlantis was none other than Santorini.

After the eruption of the volcano between 1550 and 1500 B.C., the island remained uninhabited for about two centuries. The Phoenicians, at the late 13th century B.C. were so enthralled by the beauty of Santorini, that they settled there and gave it the name Kalliste (which means beautiful).

Herodotus informs us that at the end of the 12th century B.C., around 1115 B.C., the Dorians arrived from Sparta, led by King Theras. Ever after, the island was called Thera in his honor.

The Boxing Children

By the 9th century B.C., it was a thoroughly Dorian colony, whose centre was at Ancient Thera on a fortified position on Mesa Vouno (Middle Mountain). At this time, Santorini, along with the shores of southeastern mainland Greece, Crete, Milos and Cyprus, constituted a bridge unifying East and West. True descendants of the Spartans, the Therans had created a closed society, which permitted but few influences from outside. However, the location they had chosen was so crucial to sea communication that in the 7th and 6th century B.C., the island began to have contact with other regions of Greece and Ionia in Asia Minor.

By the 6th century B.C., Thera was minting its own currency. During the Classical era (5th and 4th century B.C.), it continued to remain on the sidelines. During the Peloponnesian War, Thera allied itself with the Spartans. In 426/425 B.C., it came under control of the Athenians and was forced to join the Delian League. When the Macedonians gained supremacy over the rest of Greece, Thera too followed. Likewise, during the Hellenistic period, it was ruled by the Ptolemies of Egypt, who valued its strategic location and transformed Ancient Thera into a major base for the military operations they were conducting in the Aegean

The Two Fisherman

Under Roman Domination, from 146 B.C., Thera fell into total obscurity. During the Byzantine era, it acquired a modicum of political and military significance. Christianity must have reached Thera in the 3rd century. The prosperity of the Christian community on Thera in the early Christian era is born out by the existence of three old basilicas. One of them was erected at Ancient Thera and was dedicated to the Archangel Michael. The second was built on the site of the present Byzantine church of Piskopi at Gonia. The third basilica was erected at Perissa, where the Byzantine church of Ayia Irini stands today.

In 1153, for the first time, there are writings referring to the island as Santorini. It seems to have been called that by the Crusaders, after the chapel Ayia Irini (Santa Irini - Santorini).

In 1487, Santorini and the other islands were annexed by Venice. The Latins, during their occupation of Greece as well as afterwards, encouraged the conversation of as many inhabitants as possible to the Catholic faith. Under the Latins, Santorini, like the rest of the islands, was a victim of the rivalry among local leaders, as well as of repeated looting by pirates, who had already become the scourge of the Aegean in the days of Byzantium.

The Ladies in the wall-painting from the House of the Ladies are depicted almost life-size with long hair, gold earrings, painted lips and cheeks and in Minoan garments, beneath a starry sky

Santorini was subjugated by the Turks in 1579. The Turks did not settle on the island. They merely renamed it Small Mill, because of the many windmills there. During the Turkish occupation, the islanders enjoyed relative autonomy. In exchange for this privilege, they were obliged to pay a tax both to the Sultan and to the Republic of Venice.

Eventually, piracy died down, making it possible for navigation to develop. Santorini gradually acquired its own distinguished fleet. Trade and transport grew, facilitating the promotion of local products, such as its celebrated wine. Santorini opened relations with all the major ports in the Eastern Mediterranean. One indication of the prosperity that reigned during those days is the fact that in 170, the monastery of Prophitis Elias possessed its own ship.

The Lady in the wall-painting from the House of the Ladies

Shipping and trade continued to flourish into the early 19th century. In 1821, with the outbreak of the Greek war of Independence, Santorini's fleet was the third largest in the country, after those of Hydra and Spetses. The emergence of the steamboat at the end of the 19th century brought an end to Santorini's shipping wealth, and the island's decline was tragically capped by the catastrophic earthquakes of 1956. Life was shattered. Most of the buildings were damaged, many collapsed completely. The event marked abandonment, which continued into the 1970's. During this period, however, the interest of scientists, archaeologists, historians and geologists in Santorini's past began to lift it back to centre stage.

As time goes by, more and more people are discovering it. Its reconstruction is well on its way and works are being undertaken to modernize its infrastructure. Today the past seems very remote. In summer, this once ignored Aegean island resembles a buzzing beehive. For thousands of Greeks and foreigners it has become a favorite place to spend the whole summer, for others it's the place for an ideal holiday.



Santorini History Over the centuries, the island has been called Strongyle (the Round One), Kalliste (the Beautiful One), and Santorini. Door, window and row of pithoi in front Many people have linked its turbulent past with the tragic fate of the legendary continent of Atlantis. The French geologist, F. Fouque, rightly calls Santorini the "Pompeii of the Aegean". Its fertile soil must have attracted the first colonists, around 3000 B.C., i.e. during the second Early Cycladic period. The excavations at Akrotiri verify the existence of an important civilization during the next period, the Middle Cycladic, from 2000/1900 to 1550 B.C. Apart from being farmers, they, like the inhabitants of the other Cycladic islands, must have been awesome sailors. The storeroom on the groundfloor with rows of pithoi set into benches and beside them conical rhyton for the scooping, measuring and transfering of liquid from the pithoi to smaller vessels. When Minoan Crete had become a maritime empire, Cretans came to settle on the island and intermarried with the locals. Around 1550-1500 B.C., this civilization was suddenly terminated, while it was at its peak. The cause was the violent eruption of the volcano, during which as we shall see, a large portion of the island exploded and sank to the bottom of the sea. Written documents, which could tell us exactly what happened, do not exist. Earthquakes were always a common occurrence in the region. One especially catastrophic earthquake triggered the awakening of the volcano. The houses were destroyed. Most of the residents abandoned the island in panic and they did not return. The amount of time that elapsed between the earthquake and the eruption of the volcano is not known. However, it must have been at least a year. Findings from Akrotiri in Prehistoric Thera The erupting volcano buried the whole island under a thick layer of pumice, which at many points is over thirty metres deep. This took place between 1550 and 1500 B.C. The sea was seething, changing color constantly, from deep green to reddish and later, a bright yellow. The crust of the earth receded and the larger central portion of Strongyle, after blowing up, was sucked down into that vacuum. Eighty-three square kilometers of earth vanished into the abyss of the crater and the sea rushed in and flooded the spot, which had once been dry land. All that remains of Strongyle today is Santorini, Therasia and Aspronisi. This catastrophe of truly Biblical proportions must have been accompanied by enormous tidal waves which reached a height of 210 metres. The volcanic ash that spewed forth must have fallen on the earth within a huge and wide area. Professor Spyros Marinatos, in 1932, formulated the following theory: The decline of the Minoan civilization around 1500 B.C. was not the result of enemy invasion, but of the blow dealt by the frightful consequences of the eruption of the volcano on Santorini. The Antelope rendered in outline with superb accuracy and movement. Santorini has often been connected with Atlantis, the legendary continent that sank to the bottom of the sea while it was at its zenith. In discussing Atlantis, Plato mentions that "it was a large and wonderful state superior to the other islands". The finds from the digs at Akrotiri, which indicate the presence of a high level of civilization, its violent cessation, and the synchronicity in the dates of the two catastrophes, have led many scholars to conclude that the lost Atlantis was none other than Santorini. After the eruption of the volcano between 1550 and 1500 B.C., the island remained uninhabited for about two centuries. The Phoenicians, at the late 13th century B.C. were so enthralled by the beauty of Santorini, that they settled there and gave it the name Kalliste (which means beautiful). Herodotus informs us that at the end of the 12th century B.C., around 1115 B.C., the Dorians arrived from Sparta, led by King Theras. Ever after, the island was called Thera in his honor. The Boxing Children By the 9th century B.C., it was a thoroughly Dorian colony, whose centre was at Ancient Thera on a fortified position on Mesa Vouno (Middle Mountain). At this time, Santorini, along with the shores of southeastern mainland Greece, Crete, Milos and Cyprus, constituted a bridge unifying East and West. True descendants of the Spartans, the Therans had created a closed society, which permitted but few influences from outside. However, the location they had chosen was so crucial to sea communication that in the 7th and 6th century B.C., the island began to have contact with other regions of Greece and Ionia in Asia Minor. By the 6th century B.C., Thera was minting its own currency. During the Classical era (5th and 4th century B.C.), it continued to remain on the sidelines. During the Peloponnesian War, Thera allied itself with the Spartans. In 426/425 B.C., it came under control of the Athenians and was forced to join the Delian League. When the Macedonians gained supremacy over the rest of Greece, Thera too followed. Likewise, during the Hellenistic period, it was ruled by the Ptolemies of Egypt, who valued its strategic location and transformed Ancient Thera into a major base for the military operations they were conducting in the Aegean The Two Fisherman Under Roman Domination, from 146 B.C., Thera fell into total obscurity. During the Byzantine era, it acquired a modicum of political and military significance. Christianity must have reached Thera in the 3rd century. The prosperity of the Christian community on Thera in the early Christian era is born out by the existence of three old basilicas. One of them was erected at Ancient Thera and was dedicated to the Archangel Michael. The second was built on the site of the present Byzantine church of Piskopi at Gonia. The third basilica was erected at Perissa, where the Byzantine church of Ayia Irini stands today. In 1153, for the first time, there are writings referring to the island as Santorini. It seems to have been called that by the Crusaders, after the chapel Ayia Irini (Santa Irini - Santorini). In 1487, Santorini and the other islands were annexed by Venice. The Latins, during their occupation of Greece as well as afterwards, encouraged the conversation of as many inhabitants as possible to the Catholic faith. Under the Latins, Santorini, like the rest of the islands, was a victim of the rivalry among local leaders, as well as of repeated looting by pirates, who had already become the scourge of the Aegean in the days of Byzantium. The Ladies in the wall-painting from the House of the Ladies are depicted almost life-size with long hair, gold earrings, painted lips and cheeks and in Minoan garments, beneath a starry sky Santorini was subjugated by the Turks in 1579. The Turks did not settle on the island. They merely renamed it Small Mill, because of the many windmills there. During the Turkish occupation, the islanders enjoyed relative autonomy. In exchange for this privilege, they were obliged to pay a tax both to the Sultan and to the Republic of Venice. Eventually, piracy died down, making it possible for navigation to develop. Santorini gradually acquired its own distinguished fleet. Trade and transport grew, facilitating the promotion of local products, such as its celebrated wine. Santorini opened relations with all the major ports in the Eastern Mediterranean. One indication of the prosperity that reigned during those days is the fact that in 170, the monastery of Prophitis Elias possessed its own ship. The Lady in the wall-painting from the House of the Ladies Shipping and trade continued to flourish into the early 19th century. In 1821, with the outbreak of the Greek war of Independence, Santorini's fleet was the third largest in the country, after those of Hydra and Spetses. The emergence of the steamboat at the end of the 19th century brought an end to Santorini's shipping wealth, and the island's decline was tragically capped by the catastrophic earthquakes of 1956. Life was shattered. Most of the buildings were damaged, many collapsed completely. The event marked abandonment, which continued into the 1970's. During this period, however, the interest of scientists, archaeologists, historians and geologists in Santorini's past began to lift it back to centre stage. As time goes by, more and more people are discovering it. Its reconstruction is well on its way and works are being undertaken to modernize its infrastructure. Today the past seems very remote. In summer, this once ignored Aegean island resembles a buzzing beehive. For thousands of Greeks and foreigners it has become a favorite place to spend the whole summer, for others it's the place for an ideal holiday. Last Updated: Site Index Important Notices/Privacy Policy Accessibility Help Contact Us Home Santorini Vacation Rental Homes and Santorini Homes for Sale, The OWNER has the exclusive proprietorship and possession of the countryside based residence, Athena #1 House & Aphrodite #2 House, located on the island of Santorini, Greece and in the area "Ekso Gialos" which is newly built, full equipped with all the necessary accessories.