According to the legend of Hesiod, the Goddess Aphrodite rose from the Kytherian Sea. Uranus imprisoned Gaia's youngest children in Tartarus, deep within Earth, causing her pain. To punish her husband, Gaia called on her children to help rid her of their “barbarian” father. With the scythe given to him by his mother, Cronus (Saturn) cut off Uranus' genitals which fell into the sea of Kythera. From their white foam caps, later swept by the wind to Cyprus, Aphrodite was born.The island of Kythera marks the defining cross-road of Mediterranean travel routes, and as such bears a turbulent history. A pot found in the cave of Agia Sofia in the village Kalamos testifies that Kythera was already inhabited during the Neolithic age, from the end of the 6000 b.C. and afterwards. Both Housti cave (also in Diakofti) and the area of Paleopolis produced findings that certify the existence of life as far back as 4000 b.C. An increase in settlements is noticed during the First Hellenic Period, in the 3rd Millennium. At the end of the 3rd Millenium, the Minoans expand their influence towards Kythera and control the area. They create a commercial station in Paleopolis, which held a bay (today a piece of field land), and start plans to construct a harbor. Kythera thus became involved in the network of Minoan authority control points in the war against piracy of the Aegean Sea. On the mountain Agios Georgios, archaeologists discovered the traces of a Minoan hill-top sanctuary which also operated as observation post and lighthouse for sea men. Together with the fall of Minoan Crete, the Minoan colony declined towards the end of the 15th century b.C., followed up immediately by the Myceneans. Following the decline of the Mycenean kingdoms, the Dorians set foot upon the island approximately at the end of the 12th century, and initially Kythera belonged to the territoryof Argos. It is unknown when exactly the Phoenixes arrived the island, who first extracted the deep red dye from the porpura shell, a very expensive exportable product. It was this procedure that lent ancient Kythera the name Porfiris or Porfiroussa. According to Herodotus, the establishment of the Aphrodite cult is owed to the Phoenixes, who introduced the worship of Astarte from the East.
In the mid 6th century b.C., after the occupation of Parnonas, Sparti places Kythera under its power. In 424, during the Peloponnese war, the Athenians occupy the island which, under the Nikias treaty in 421, is once more ceded to the Spartans. Under Sparta's dominion, the worships of the Spartan Pantheon, the Dioscuri, Alea, Gaeiohos Poseidon and Heracles are introduced, while the worship of Asklipios (Aesculapius or Aeglapius), is also introduced in the 5th century.
After the Eleftherolacones rebellion in the second century b.C. Kythera becomes independent, cutting their own coin. For the spreading of the Roman Empire towards the East Kythera holds no special strategic importance.
Scandia is hit by a great catastrophe when in 375 a.D. a deadly earthquake sweeps the settlement establishments, and the resulting tsunami changes the coastal line completely.
From 395 a.D., Kythera belongs to the Eastern Roman Empire. The excavations of Huxley and Coldstream in Kastri show that the area was inhabited and, since there is a harbour facility, constituted a naval station through the 6th century a.D.. In 673 the Arabs occupy the northern coasts of Crete and destroy and devastate the harbour and fortresses of Skandia bay. After the middle of the 7th century Kythera's presence on the political map begins to fade.
For approximately three centuries, the island remains unnoticed by the outer world. From 825 onwards Crete is under the total occupation of the Arabs and Saracens pirates, who continuously spread fear in the Kytherian Sea and neighbouring areas.
Piracy and the Arab raids in the Eastern Mediterranean prove a serious menace to the coastal inhabitants of the island. Led by Nikiforos Fokas, the Byzantines reoccupy Crete from the Arabs in 961 a.D., led by Nikiforos Fokas. In the 12th century the Edemonoyiannis family arrives from Monemvassia and stays until 1204. A first small settlement facility was probably located in Kolokithia, today’s bay of Agia Patrikia, but the fortress was erected in today’s settlement of Agios Dimitrios in Paleohora. In the 10th century, Christian churches such as Agios Andreas in Livadi and Agios Dimitrios in Pourko are built; meanwhile, the population seems to increase. In the 14th century, after the fourth Crusade (1201 - 1204) the newly-powerful Venetians annex Kythera along with other islands and Greek territory. This happens parallel with the occupation of Constantinople in 1204. The Feudal system is established in Crete and Kythera and the Venetian state installs the Venier family on the island in 1207, who take over Kythera and Western Crete and keep control over the area for many years.
Along with the Ionian islands, Kythira will remain under the domination of the Venetian Domination for six centuries. In 1238, observing the Venetian occupation of the area, Nikolaos Eydemoyiannis marries his daughter off to the son of the Venetian Seignior of Crete, Venier. Kythera remains under the domination of Venice. From 1275 to 1308 the Byzantines return, retaining temporary domination along with the Monemvassian Pavlos Notaras. During this time Michael Paleologos the 8th rules as Byzantine emperor (1259-1282). Led by members of the Notaras family, the Monemvassians enforce the emperor's framework of anti-Latin policy, restoring the island to the Byzantine control and banishing the Veniers. However, the Veniers will return to the island after 1308 to inhabit the island with new populations. In 1316, the Kassimatis family settles on Kythera, as well as families from Mani. The Venetians, thereafter, declare the war on all the Aegean Sea. In 1363 Kythera is under complete Venetian occupation. The cast of the nobles is established in the new city of Kythera, today’s capital. The Byzantine capital of Agios Dimitrios, today’s Paleohora (built by the Evdemonoyiannis family) loses its significance and Notaras family withdraws from the island. In the 16th century, the population seems to count 4000 inhabitants. These create three settlement concentrations to allow better fortification and organization against pirate raids. The thus fortified settlements are those of Agios Dimitrios in today’s Paleohora, of Milopotamos in Kato Hora and of Hora, today’s capital.
In 1537 Hairedin Barbarossa, an admiral of the Ottoman empire and buccaneer of the shores of Barbaria, ravages and destroys Paleohora, killing civilians while many prisoners are sold as slaves. Paleohora is completely abandoned. Families who survived or escaped the massacres fled to the surrounding villages. In the last years of the Venetian domination, the island's population will reach 7500 people. The island remains Venetian throughout Napoleon the Great's conquering of the Venetian state in 1797. From then on, under the Campo-Formio treaty, Kythera and all the Ionian islands underly the French occupation. In 1797 Vicens Renault occupies Kythera and the new bourgeoisie (with the farmers and workers) burn “Libro d’Oro”, the book of nobles, on Estavromenos square.
In 1798 the French plant the Tree Of Freedom on Estavromenos square in Hora and preach the ideals of the French revolution, “Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood”. In the meantime Kytherians begin to migrate to Smyrna. After a short period of time, between 1798 and 1799, the Turks and Russians form an alliance in order to occupy the Ionian islands and Kythera. After a suffocating siege, the garrison of a few French soldiers delivers the castle to the Russian fleet. Under the Constantinople treaty, the semi-autonomous State of the Ioanian Islands is established. However, the preservation of privileges for nobles enrages the townsmen and villagers, who chase and massacre Provleptis and other nobles, ransacking their properties. On May 12th, 1799, during the celebration of the monastery of Agios Theodoros, two more noblemen are killed.
In 1807 the islands are held by the French (1807-1809) under the Tilsitt Treaty, until they are occupied by the British. Under the Paris Treaty the “United State of the Ioanian Islands” is established on November 20th, 1815 ensuring federal democracy and a protectorate of the British, with Corfu as capital city. The British instigate many works on Kythera, forcing the inhabitants to drudgery and hard labour construction work. On 26 August 1817, the Ionian State writes a Constitution but remains in the sphere of British influence.
During the Greek Revolution of 1821, many refugees from the Peloponnese arrive on Kythera, while some Kytherians leave for the Peloponnese to assist the liberation fight. For the years following the liberation, many Kytherians leave the island to seek work in the free Greek state, Crete and Smyrna.
On May 28th, 1864, Kythera is united with freed Greece. In 1903 a strong earthquake hits Kythera, obliterating Mitata completely while houses collapse across the island. Administratively, Kythera changes hands several times: after belonging to the prefecture of Argolida and Korinthia, the island is transferred to the prefecture of Laconia, later constituting a separate prefecture together with AntiKythera until finally becoming a province of Attica as it remains today.
The early 20th century sees the start of large migration waves to Australia and America. In 1916, A company of Cretes come to Kythera with the escort of approximately 200 gendarmerie and occupy the island in the name of the “National Defence Government”, led by Eleftherios Venizelos with headquarters in Thessaloniki. A cooperation is formed with the “Venizelian” congressman Panayiotis Tsitsilias, and on February 17th, 1917 Kythera declares the “Autonomous Administration of Kythera”. They support Eleftherios Venizelos and the National Defence Government against the king. First World War was in progress and Eleftherios Venizelos counted himself to the Great Powers (known as Entente Cordiale Alliance: Great Britain, France and Russia), while the state of Athens led by the king supported Germany. Therefore, the “Autonomous Administration of Kythera” declared war against the Germans! The control of the Kytherian straits during the First World War belonged to the allies, which was of decisive importance.
Many Kytherians participated in the National Resistance during the Second World War. The island was occupied by the Germans and the Italians on May 10th, 1941. A resistance front was organized on the island with the support of partisans from Peloponnese. This limited the German's control over the island. On September 4th, 1944 the remaining Germans were chased from Kapsali and the surrounding hills and forced to leave Kythera. The island is the first area of Greece to be freed. After ten days, on September 14th, ships of the allied forces are brought into the port of Kapsali. After the war most young people abandon the impoverished land, leaving for Athens, Australia and the United States in search of a better life.
The migration abroad ceases in late 70’s. The urbanism that started in the mid 50’s continues through until the 90’s. It is then that the island's touristic development begins. Under the “Capodistrias” law, the 13 communities that existed until 1998 are united to the municipality of Kythera. Today, the island faces the challenges of an abrupt financial progress. Seeking a course which will neither corrupt its personality nor permit traumatic consequences to the environment, Kytherians worldwide are called on to take decisions that will place the person, the citizen, the resident of the island in the centre of interest. Conglomerations of unfair profit and uncontrolled progress are not as distant from Aphrodite’s island as one may like to believe. After centuries of invasions and lootings, the island faces yet another new “conquerors’ raid” threat. History continues to be written and those writing should take care…
