Skiathos is an island with very important and age long history. It is inhabited since ancient times and always kept a leading role to the facts specified the fate of Greece. It met a lot of conquerors, but preserved its Greek island identity.
According to historic sources, Pelasgi were the first settlers of Skiathos. Kares, Cretes, Mycenaens and Chalkidis followed.
During the 8^th BC, when residents of Chalkida were at the island, an important era started for Skiathos. Chalkidis worked with the cultivation of olives and vineyards and made Skiathos known all around the ancient world.
During Persian wars Skiathos fought at the side of Athens.
In 478 BC Skiathos adjusted to the First Athenaeum Coalition and in 378 BC made an ally with Athens once again, the Second Athenaeum Coalition. At that time the island flourished financially. In fact it had its own copper coins.
In 146 BC Skiathos came to Roman hands.
We have no information for the life in the island during the first Byzantine period.
In 325 BC people Christianized and built the first church of Skiathos, Trinity during 530.
During Byzantine times the island belonged to Thessaly as all Sporades islands.
In 1204, Venetians rule Aegean islands. In 1207 Venetian Brothers Gyzi conquer the island. They built the famous Bourtzi Castle, right on the small peninsula separating the island’s port. Skiathos stayed under the Venetian rule until 1538, when after a 6-day siege, the Turkish Barbarosa took it in his hands. At that time the island suffered a lot.
Residents of Skiathos were ready for the Revolution of 1821. They offered ships to the war and participated in many battles. Freedom came in 1830 when all Sporades islands adjusted to Greece.
At the same period people – who had left and went to Castro due to pirate invasions – started to return and rebuilt the town around the port. So the town started developing again and took its current feature.