Little is known about the ancient history of Folegandros. Its inhabitants were Dorians. Later it came under Athenian rule. The island contained a polis (city-state) called Pholegandros, which was sited at the modern Chora and a member of the Delian League where it appears on Athenian tribute lists between 425/4 and 416/15 BCE.[1] The island was called the iron Pholegandros by Aratus on account of its ruggedness, and is also noted by ancient geographers Strabo[2] and Ptolemy, who calls it Pholekandros (Ancient Greek: Φολέκανδρος).[3]

The island was conquered in 1207 by the Venetian Marco Sanudo and remained under the rule of Venice until 1566, when it was taken by the Ottoman Turks. The Greeks reclaimed it in the 19th century during the Greek war of independence. During the 20th century it has been used as a place of exile for political prisoners, especially during the 4th of August regime. [4]