Chios. Detailed history

The island of Chios lies in the northern Aegean, about four miles off the coast of Asia Minor, separated by the Chios Strait. The island runs north to south about thirty miles and east to west at its greatest width, eighteen miles. The kidneyshaped, mountainous island has an area of about 325,000 square miles, with a predominant ridge running its total length and the two largest peaks, Pelineon and Epos, in the north.

The eastern part of the island held the majority of the population around the harbor of the ancient town of Chios. The site had been strategic since the Bronze Age. Just north of the town of Chios was the town of Vrontados, supposedly the birthplace of the epic poet Homer. Running south of there were several villages that included a substantial portion of the island’s population. While small villages lined the western region, it was mainly on the eastern side, facing Asia Minor or ancient Ionia, that the island relied on for its wealth.

Evidence indicates that Chios has been inhabited since the Neolithic Age. Although excavations have been limited to the caves in the north and a settlement in the far south, it is probable that other areas were also witnessed inhabited. The area in the south around modern Emporeio shows nearly uniform-sized houses, probably indicating a lack of extensive social stratification. The eastern side of the island was particularly suitable for cattle and agriculture.

Archaeological evidence for the Middle Bronze Age in the northern Aegean is scanty and seemingly totally lacking for Chios, which is probably due to lack of systematic excavation on the islands. But by the eleventh century, or during the time immediately after the Trojan War, evidence suggests that a vibrant society had emerged, ruled by a king (or at least by an oligarchy), and then later by a tyrant. The archaeological excavations that have been done, revealing remains from Euboea, Cyprus, and Phoenicia, show that the island was a commercial site for the eastern Aegean.

Chios rose in stature as it became part of the Ionian League. As one of the original twelve member-cities, it retained a significant amount of prestige and honor. They began to strike coins in the seventh century, using the sphinx as its symbol. Kin to the Athenians and the Ionians, the island’s residents shared the Athenian form of government, similar to Solon at Athens, a democracy based upon wealth. They had a voting assembly similar to the Ecclesia at Athens and magistrates similar to the archons, called damarchoi.

They were subdued by Croesus of Lydia about 560, and when Persia attacked Lydia, the cities of Ionia were asked to rebel against Croesus and support Persia. When the Ionians refused, King Cyrus of Persia punished them by not allowing them as much freedom as they had under Croesus, and they were conquered by the Persian general Harpagus.

Since the cities were divided into feuding factions of aristocrats, the Persians did not find a ready-made group who could rule in their stead. In 546, Persia conquered the region and annexed Chios. For the next fifty years, the Persians allowed the city a significant level of self-government through local tyrants, who had to walk a fine line between promoting Chios (and other islands) while satisfying Persia.

In 499, the cities of Ionia rebelled in the so-called Ionian Revolt. Until 493, the rebellion centered on Persian control through the appointed tyrants. Chios, along with Samos, supplied the bulk of the rebel’s fleet, with Chios contributing 100 warships at the Battle of Lade in 494. Chios continued to fight the Persians even after Samos defected, but ultimately it was defeated and taken over by Persia. After the Greek victories at Salamis and Plataea, the Spartans went on the offensive. When the Spartan commanders displayed arrogance toward many of the Greek cities, some of them, led by Chios and Samos, requested that Athens take over the command.

With Athens in charge, the new organization, the League of Delos or Delian League, indicated that its mission was to free the Greek cities from Persian rule. Chios now joined the league, and for the next seventy years, it was part of the Athenian Empire. During this time, Chios was one of the few cities supplied tribute instead of ships, which gave it some autonomy. Growing tired of Athens’s bullying, Chios rebelled in 412, along with others such as Byzantium and Miletus. Athens besieged the city, but the Spartans in 411 arrived, relieving the city and bringing it under Spartan control.

After the war, the island was free and independent. Persia continually recaptured many of the cities it formerly possessed. The city of Chios realized that its independence from Persia relied on its ability to defend itself—a difficult job—so it joined the Second Athenian League in 378. As with the first league, Athens became dominant, and Chios rebelled in 357 while Athens was involved in the Social War. Chios remained independent for the next twenty-five years until the rise of Macedon, and it came under the control of Alexander the Great when he invaded Persia.