History through the names.
Strogili – Was the first name of the island and means “circular” in Greek.
This name was given because of the round shape of the group of islands which form Santorini.
Kallisti – The second name of the island, after volcano’s eruption, means the
” most beautiful”. By that time the island was inhabited by Phoenicians.
Kadmos, the son of Agenor, stopped at Kallisti during one of his wanderings in search of Europe. He left behind a group of Phoenicians, who were accompanying him, and they occupied the island until the arrival of Lacedaemonians and their king Theras.
Thira (or Thera) – The third name of the island, named after king Theras’ arrival. Having brought with him a crew of Mycaenians from Sparta, made the island a colony of the Lacedaemonians.
Santorini – The name Santorini is much more recent and is the name that Greeks use nowadays for this group of islands. Nevertheless the name “Thera” is also used. The name Santorini, which has a Latin root, was given by the Venetians who, after the Fourth Crusade (1204), had domination over the islands. The origin of the name was the Chapel of Aghia Irini (Santa Irini – Santorini) which was built on Therasia. The Chapel was situated on a small bay where the Venetians moored their boats.
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