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PREHISTORIC TO CLASSICAL ERA
Kos was inhabited from the very early Bronze Age (2900-2100 BC) as the prehistoric tombs and the findings in Asklupi and in the White Stone cave prove. Pelasgi, Kares and Leleges were the first inhabitants. Phoenicians and Achaeans passed through Kos as well. We can also find relics of the Mycenaean Era or the later Bronze Age (1600-1150 BC). "Karis" and "Meropis" are the ancient names of Kos. Plinios also called it "Nimphea".
In the second rhapsody of Iliad, Homer tells us that Kos along with the islands of Nysiros, Kalymnos, Karpathos and Kassos took part in the Trojan War with thirty ships. This was followed by the Dorianization of the island, when, during the 7th and 6th century BC, Kos took part in the Federal Alliance of "Dorian Hexapolis". There is a huge number and variety of ceramics of the Geometric Era, which was brought to light by archeological diggings. The "municipalities", seven in total along with the one of Kos, were formed through the years and the citizens began to prosper.
The sailors and merchants that traveled in the Aegean sea, ranked Kos in the same wealth category with the other islands of Asia Minor's coast (Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Rhodes) giving them the name "Makaron Islands".
THE HELLENISTIC PERIOD
The Hellenistic period is the brightest period in Kos' history. In the creation of the new city (366 BC) a lot of marble monuments were built such as the sanctuary of Hercules, Pandimou and Pondias Aphrodite, the Market, the Gymnasium, the Stadium, the Theatre, the Altar of Dionysus and the Acropolis. The relics of these monuments were brought to light by the diggings of Italian archeologists.
King Ptolomeos II of Egypt was born in Kos at this time. He adored Greek literature and was know as the Philadelphos.
During the Hellenistic period, the island thrived economically and culturally. Kos was not only rich in agricultural and livestock products but also started developing its export trade in wine, olive oil, fruit, perfumes, silk and wool.
THE LATE HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN PERIOD
Kos prospered during the late Hellenistic period. Elegant buildings such as the conservatory, the Casa Romana, the Vespasiani ("Nimphea"), the Thermes with it's rich mosaics, all demonstrate the luxury in which the citizens of the island lived. The harbour of Kos never stopped being the centre of transit trade.
THE BYZANTINE PERIOD
Despite the earthquakes and the incursion, mostly by the Arabs, the island managed to prosper. That is why Efstathios the archbishop of Thessaloniki (12th century) wrote: "If Kos is not enough to satisfy your hunger than neither is Egypt". During the first half of the 7th century Kos was governmentally part of Byzantine domination, maybe the Kivireoteon. In the end of the 11th century several landowners appeared that owned a lot of arable land.
THE ORDER OF THE IOANNITE KNIGHTS (KNIGHTS OF SAINT JOHN)
The centuries that followed were marked by the presence of foreign conquerors. After a short occupation of the island by the Venetians and the Genoans, Kos came under the control of the Ioannite knights in 1314. The Order was a force to be reckoned with, with its own governors, who were constituted by the Council of the knights of Rhodes. At the same time Kos was attacked by the Turks. The knights however successfully managed to repulse them for a time largely due to the fortifications of the Perimeter Wall and the Castle of Nerazia (city), the Castle of Antimachia, which was unsuccessfully attacked - mostly in 1457, the Castle of old Pyli and the Castle of Kefalos. Even today the restorations to the damage done by the Turkish attacks of the two most important castles, those of Nerazia and Antimachia, are clearly visible.
THE TURKISH DOMINATION
On January 5th 1523 the island was finally conquered by the Turks. Rhodes and Kos in contrast with other islands of Dodecanese suffered from heavy taxes. Kos became a province (kaimakamliki) of Rhodes. The people of Kos rallied round the Archbishop, who officiated under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Because of the outbreak of the Greek Revolution, the people of Kos were made to pay dearly. On July 11th 1821 the Turkish hung a lot of priests under the historical plane tree of Hippocrates in retaliation. According to a written testimony of the French traveler Pouqueville, the Turks decapitated 900 Christians. The citizens of Kos suffered a lot in August 1824 during the naval battle of Gerodas. It was only after 1838 that they were granted a few basic human and political rights. The most important sector of the economy of the citizens during the Turkish domination was agriculture.
THE ITALIAN DOMINATION - GERMAN DOMINATION
On May 20th 1912 the Italians conquered Kos. The inhabitants welcomed them as their liberators. Soon they found out that their promise of a short occupation of the Dodecanese was insincere. The answer to the ulterior motive of the Italians was vigorous and included conjunctive resolutions with Greece. After the treaty of Lozane the total Italian Domination of the Dodecanese was consolidated and the inhabitants of those islands were considered Italian citizens with singular citizenship. Kos became vice - governorship (Reggenza) and was under the jurisdiction of the governor (Governatore) of Rhodes. In all sectors (language, education, religion, economy etc.) there was a sweeping program of fascist italicisation of the citizens. The people of Kos, being Greek, naturally resisted.
After the disastrous earthquake on April 23rd 1933 the new city of Kos was rebuilt by the Italians. The archeologists dug up and repaired a lot of monuments. A large number of sculptures of the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman era are kept and exhibited at the archeological museum, which is at Eleftherias square. When the 2nd World War was declared, many volunteers took part in the "Dodecanese's Regiment". The Dodecanese Regiment fought with the Army of Central Macedonia (Macedonia of course referring to the original and true Macedonia of Greece and not FYROM or Skopje which has usurped the name in recent times) against the Germans.
After the Italian truce (03.09.1943) there was a landing of a small English force on the island, which was accepted by the Italians in order to face a potential German attack. On October 3rd 1943 the island was conquered by German troops. A new period of terrorism and brutality began.
THE ENGLISH OCCUPATION - THE GREEK MILITARY COMMAND - UNIFICATION
On May 9th 1945, after the signing of the protocol of Simi, which was about the unconditional surrender of the Dodecanese to the Allies, the English took over full authority in Kos from the Germans.
The local authorities were re-established. The Greek schools, which were closed since 1938, reopened. The people were liberated from the suffering caused by Italian Fascism and German Nazism. Although the English coveted the occupation of the Dodecanese, promoting the idea of autonomy under the British Crown, the decision of the Foreign Ministers of the Great Powers in Paris (27.06.1946) gave an end to the English occupation by granting these islands to Greece. That decision was approved at the peace conference again in Paris (10.02.1947) and on May 31st 1947 the Greek Armed Forces took over the administration of the island from the English. The official festive celebration of the unification with Greece was on March 7th 1948.
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