According to mythology, Astypalea and Europa were daughters of Phoenix and Perimede. From the union of Astypalea and Poseidon were born the Argonaut Ancaeus and King Eurypylus of Kos. Ancient traditions suggest that the Carians were the first to inhabit the island.
The island was first settled in prehistoric times. Among its early inhabitants were the Carians, who named it Pyrrha due to its red colour, and the Minoans.
The Roman poet Ovid claimed that the island fell under the rule of Minos. The geographer Scymnus of Chios, who lived during the time of Mithridates VI of Pontus, recorded that Astypalea was Hellenised by Megarian colonists.
However, an inscription found at the Asclepion of Epidaurus claims that the inhabitants were ancient settlers from Epidaurus. Linguists, for their part, have determined that the dialect spoken on Astypalea belongs to the Argolic dialect.
During the Hellenistic period, it became a port of call for the Ptolemies of Egypt. The island developed significant maritime activity and became well known for its abundant fisheries and rich agricultural produce.
For its many fragrant flowers and fruits, the ancients called it the “Table of the Gods.” During Roman times, the island’s harbours were used as bases for operations against pirates, which is why the Romans granted its inhabitants many privileges.
In Byzantine times, the rise in piracy altered the settlement structure of the island, leading to the decline of coastal communities, the movement of populations inland, and the construction of fortresses for protection. After 1204, it came under Venetian control, primarily under the Quirini family, with the exception of a brief period when it belonged to the Byzantine Empire (1269-1310).
The Quirini remained the rulers of the island until 1537, when it was conquered by the Turks. Like the rest of the Dodecanese, it stayed under Turkish rule until 1912, after which it passed to the Italians, Germans, and British before being united with Greece in 1948.
Throughout history, the island has been known as Astypalea, Astypalea, or Astypalia. Medieval portolans (nautical charts) recorded it under the corrupted form Stampalia. Locals refer to it as Astroupalia.
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