Syros is an island of the Cyclades. Its capital is Ermoúpoli. Its surface is of 86 km ² (19.782 inhabitants in 2004).

History

See also: History of Cyclades

Excavations revealed several objects, of many tombs, the ceramics vases, the statuettes, the skeletons and the ruins which date from the Bronze Age and which prove that the island has been inhabited for this period.

During the 5th century before our era the Phénicien S were installed on Syros and transformed the island into a commercial force by improving its port.

In the area of Kastri and Chalandriani of the tombs and villages of farmers dating from the beginning from the Period Cycladique were discovered.

Syros was one of the most important centers of Cyclades; this period is also the period during which great Syros-Kéros civilization opens out.

During the 6th century before our era was born Phérécyde, uncle and Master of Pythagore. It had a design of the Héliocentrisme and reached its apogee with Syros. The cave where he lived can be visited in Ano Meria.

During the medic Guerres Persians conquered Syros which was released by the Athéniens; then, Syros became member of the Ligue of Délos, a maritime alliance created and chaired by the Athenians, and paid taxes in the city of Athens.

At the 4th century before our era, Syros fell under the domination from Philippe from Macedonia and then under the authority from its successor, Alexandre Large the. After the death of this last, the island followed the fate of the remainder of the Greek islands and passed under the reign of the Ptolémées of Egypt which were the successors of Alexandre Large the.

As the remainder of the Greek islands, Syros suffered during several centuries from the attacks from the pirates; this explains why the villages of the time were built in the mountains.

During the Roman domination Syros thrived and developed; this lasted during two centuries and stopped when the island strongly saw itself competed with by its neighbor, the crowned island of Délos.

Few things are known to us over the Byzantine period with Syros because the island was of tiny importance in front of the size and the extent of the Empire. Christianity appeared on the island for this period and Syros became share of Evêché of Délos then was under the direction of Evêché of Athens.

The S were one disastrous period for the island which was often attacked by the pirates and who was touched by the plague.

In 1207 the Vénitiens took the control of the Greek Islands and Marco Sanudo conquered Syros and Naxos and becomes duke of Naxos.

During the Venetian domination the inhabitants of Syros suffered from poverty, famine and pirate attacks. The Venetian influence is visible today in the medieval city of Ano Syros which has a strengthened church dedicated to Georges saint.

After the Venetian period, the island found itself with an important catholic minority which entered under the protection of the France during the Turkish occupation.

In 1537, Syros is conquered by the Othomans but remains autogouvernée, with a privileged statute.

From 1770 to 1774 at the time of the Russo-Turkish war; the island was conquered by the Russian ; three years later, it fell down under the Turkish domination.

During the Guerre of Greek independence of 1821 the island was under French protection because of the great number of Catholics who lived there; thus it remained neutral but took part in Independence while becoming a refuge for all the Greeks who were persecuted by the Turks, for those which had revolted against their oppressors and for those which had escaped with the massacres and had left their grounds. Thus, from the thousands of refugees, coming from Tap-holes and the Eastern islands of the Aegean Sea, came to be installed on the shore, then uninhabited. All these emigrants built in a few years the capital of the island, Ermoúpoli, which saw its economy and its culture to flower quickly of the 19th century at the 20th century; it was one period of great prosperity for Syros and its inhabitants and the island became the shopping mall and cultural of Greece.

Today Syros is the administrative center and the capital of Cyclades as well as an important center for the trade, thanks to its excellent building sites naval and with its very developed cultural life.