History

Recent History

As a major ferry hub for the Cyclades and for onward travel to other island groups, Paros is thriving and its main port, Parikia, can be hectic. The impact of the constant stream of visitors has been mixed. Development of the village of Naoussa, on the north coast, has transformed it from a quiet fishing settlement into a popular tourist resort, but it has maintained its charm and harbour-side atmosphere. The serene mountain village of Lefkes meanwhile, still takes siesta seriously - visitors arriving in the afternoon heat should tread lightly.

Modern Day History

Like the rest of the Cyclades and Greece as a whole, Paros suffered occupation by Axis powers during WWII. The hardship continued after the war as internal conflict gripped the country. The poverty that wracked the island led many to leave to pursue opportunity on the mainland, or further abroad in the US and Australia.

The tourism boom beginning in the 1970s started to shine the light of economic recovery at the end of the tunnel of backwater stagnation.

Pre 20th Century History

Paros was most likely colonised during the Early Cycladic period (3000-2000 BC). In the Middle Cycladic period (2000-1500 BC) Paros and many of the other islands were occupied by the Minoans, before control of the Cyclades passed to the Mycenaeans at the beginning of the Late Cycladic period (1500-1100 BC). Paros sided with the Persians during the Persian wars and suffered retaliation from the Athenians. The subsequent Athenian League included Paros, but on the league's decline, the island became part of the Macedonian empire. Until 146 BC, Egypt's Ptolemic dynasties (successors to Alexander the Great) were in control, whereupon Paros became subject to Roman rule. During this period Christianity became the major religion and a number of significant churches and chapels were constructed. From 395 to 1204, Paros was part of the Byzantine Empire, however, pirate activity in the region gradually led to the depopulation of the island and it had become not much more than a pirate base when, after the sacking of Constantinople by crusaders in 1204, it was ceded to Venice. Piracy again devastated the island in the late 16th century before the Ottomans claimed it in 1560. During the war of Greek independence, the islands of the Cyclades became havens for refugees and became part of the new Greek state at the conclusion of the war.