The history of Paxos and Antipaxos

According to mythology, Paxos was created by Poseidon, who wished to form a love nest for his beloved Amphitrite. The God of the Sea struck the southern tip of Corfu with his trident, and thus the island of Paxos emerged. This myth inspired the inhabitants to adopt the trident as the symbol of the island.

The name Paxos is derived from the Phoenician word “paks,” meaning geometric “trapezoid”—a reference to the island’s trapezoidal shape when viewed from the sea or above. The history of Paxos is closely linked to that of Corfu. According to historical texts, in 229 BC, the Corfiots were defeated by the Illyrians under Queen Teuta, leading to Paxos falling under Illyrian control. From the 13th century and especially in 1386, Paxos came under Venetian rule.

The Venetian occupation lasted until the end of the 18th century. During this period, Paxos and Antipaxos were frequently threatened by pirates and raiders, prompting the construction of two castles: one on the islet of Agios Nikolaos in the Bay of Gaios and another in Lakka. The Venetians also promoted the intensive cultivation of olive trees, which became the island’s main source of income—alongside fishing—until the rise of tourism in the early 1970s.

In 1797, the French expelled the Venetians, only to be replaced later by the Russians and Ottomans until 1801, when the autonomous State of the Seven United Islands was established—the first form of a Greek state since antiquity. Paxos and Antipaxos participated independently in this state and adopted the trident as their emblem. In 1807, the state was overthrown by Napoleon, and the islands came under French rule until 1814, when British forces led by Greek Major Theodoros Kolokotronis occupied Paxos and annexed it to the United Kingdom.

In 1821, Paxos took part in the Greek War of Independence. One of the island’s heroes was the fire-ship captain Georgios Anemogiannis, who lost his life at the age of 23 in Nafpaktos; his statue stands in the port of Gaios. After the establishment of the modern Greek state, the people of Paxos joined the union with the rest of the Ionian Islands, which was finalized on May 21, 1864.

A corresponding monument can be found in the central square of Corfu.