An island is born

The sinking of the African slab, underneath the micro-slab of the Aegean Sea, created many volcanoes, forming a bow in the Southern Aegean Sea, and Patmos lies on it.

Patmos (or "Latmos" in the ancient times) was the favourite island of the goddess of the moon "Selini"!

Prehistorically the island was inhabited by the Karians! The island was later occupied by the Dorians and following that by the Ions! The name Patmos is believed to have derived from the name of the mountain Latmos in Karia, of Asia Minor. Moreover, it is said that Orestis found refuge in Patmos, passing through with the Argians, while being chased by the Erinnyes for killing his own mother Klitemnistra.

All the walls in the area of Kasteli are dated back to the 6^th and 4^th Century and the various findings prove the existence of an "acropolis", where as it is believed, there were temples of the gods Apollo and Dionysus as well as a Hippodrome! According to the findings, especially those on the walls of churches, the social and cultural life of Patmos flourished during ancient times.

The islands patron goddess was Artemis the Patmian, a figure of Ephesus and her temple was situated in Chora (Main town). On its ruins, the great basilica of Saint Ioannis the Theologian was built by himself and later the Monastery Saint Christodoulos.