Paxos

Paxos

Paxi or Paxoi is the smallest group of Ionian Islands. In Greek it is in a plural form.
The largest islands are Paxos and nearby Antipaxos which is famous for its wine
and two of the finest sand beaches in the Ionian Sea.

The main town of Paxoi, and the seat of the municipality, is Gaios.
In Greek mythology, Poseidon created the island by striking Corfu with his trident,
so that he and his wife Amphitrite could have some peace and quiet.

History

Although it was possibly inhabited from prehistoric times, the Phoenicians are
traditionally held to have been the first settlers on Paxos. The name is believed to
be derived from Pax, which meant trapezoidal in their language.

The Romans ruled the island from the 2nd century BC, and during the Byzantine
period and Middle Ages it was constantly attacked by pirates. After various rulers
and Crusaders had passed through, the island was taken by the Venetians at the
end of the 14th century.

During the Napoleonic wars, the Ionian Islands were taken by the French and the
Russo-Turkish alliance. On 13 February 1814, the island of Paxos surrendered to
the Royal Navy frigate HMS Apollo and 160 troops from the 2nd Greek Light Infantry
from Cephalonia and the 35th Regiment of the Royal Corsican Rangers. In 1815,
United Kingdom established the Ionian Union.

In 1864, together with the rest of the Heptanese, Paxos was ceded to Greece.