Kea: Cyclades’ unassuming historical niche (#2)

Kea: Cyclades’ unassuming historical niche (#2)

Kea’s turbulent political status following periodic affairs with the powers that were at the time meant that a series of watch towers needed to be built around the island as an early warning system to protect them from their enemies.

Following the acme of the 5th Century BC, the Hellenistic period saw the island entering a phase of decline affected by the need to seek safety under the domination of powerful cities to secure safety against impending piracy threats in the area. 

Consequently Kea became the base for many empires including the Egyptian, Macedonian, Rhodian and of course the Roman empire.  

Following events like earthquakes and the decline of the Roman Empire, by 1st Century AD and up to the 4th Century AD the city of Karthea was destroyed and the population of the island dramatically reduced. 

Despite these hardships, cultural life was very much alive and vibrant.

During the Byzantine times, Kea became the official name of the island and it was ruled under Athen’s Diocese who commissioned many churches on its lands. Following the fall of Constantinople the island came successively under Venetian and Turkish rule, all the while its local communities were often attached by pirates in the region. 

Kea was occupied by the Turks in 1527 but there were no Turkish settlers on the island. Due to this reason, during that period Kea attracted many religious and intellectual personalities who wanted to avoid much exposure to Ottoman censorship. 

In the 18th century, Kea now also called Tzia, became involved in trade and small scale industry. It’s siding with Russian and Venetian powers brought about the wrath of the Ottoman Empire who sacked its cities many a time. During the Greek Revolution of the 1800s, which led to the formation of the modern Greek state, many distinguished Keians were members of the Filiki Heteria, the secret revolutionary society that played a key role in the revolution. 

In the 20th century, the island developed culturally and agriculturally, exporting acorns, barley, wine, honey and dairy products and in 1927 Ioannis Gleoudis built the Enamel and Metalworks factory in Korissa, where its ruins can still be seen. Though the loss of whole generations on the immigration to America really affected the island, it also brought its knowledge to international circles. In the 1970's, the artist Fasianos promoted the island through his work and popularised it among other distinguished artists. In recent times, Kea is an untapped hidden gem with a rich historical descent and even richer edifying present waiting to be further discovered.