Overview

The name Zakynthos, as Homer mentions, was the name of the son of King of Troy, Dardanos. Zakynthos arrived in the island from the Arcadian city of Psofida and settled in the island around 1500 BC, when he built the homonymous city.

The settlers named the acropolis of the island, Psofida to remind them of their country. So, the first inhabitants is believed to be Achaeans but according to Plinio the island was first inhabited before 3000 BC and was named Hyria by the former settler and hero Hyriea, who was coming from Hyria in Viotia. The historic researcher Wood mentions that the name of the island is due to its morphology: Za-kynthos, which in Greek means many- hills. Other researchers call it with different names as Iakynthos, Diakynthos, Zakyta, Jacinthum, Jantes and Lesante.

The history of the island is similar to the history of the other islands of the Ionian Sea and dates back to the ancient times. The oldest signs of life that were found in the island, come from the Neolithic Era. There is evidence of a wonderful civilization but they do not allow the researchers to find more clues about the past of the island because of the catastrophic earthquakes.

Next to the fortress, they have found a marble cluster of godlike figures like Apollo, Aphrodite and Artemis, which is in the Tiemblo Museum of Venice. Moreover, ruins of ancient temples, tombs and buildings are scattered in different parts of the island.