According th mythology, the island’s first colonist was the Minoan Alcaios, who built the first city on the site on which Parikia stands today. After the departure of the Minoans, the island was settled by Ionians who had left mainland Greece when the Dorians descended from the North in about 1100 B.C.

The island was still in the hands of the sons of Minoa when the Ionians arrived (the sons’ names are recorded as being Eurymedon, Chrysos, Niphalion and Philolaos). After initial defeats, the Ionians subjugated the island, and then proceeded to sack it, destroying the Cretan civilization and murdering the Cretans themselves. However, archaeological discoveries have shown the extent to which Paros had developed during the Minoan period.