Historical era

Ancient and Byzantine Times

As it emerges from the findings of the 1985-6 and 1994 excavations, the “Cave of Za” has witness a continuous human presence since the late Neolithic period (4,300 – 3,200 B.C.).

In the broader area of Filoti, and specifically at “Akrotiri” (Cape) and at Kalando, there have been found many…, while from the Hellenistic period remains the “Castle of the Stream”.

Kalandos, in ancient times, had close relations –due to proximity—with the Small Cyclades.

This relation continued until recently, and was differentiated only with the change of conditions created by the coastal shipping connection of the Small Cyclades with Chora. This can be seen, also, by the cashbook with the credit amounts of the “Old Smithy” at Fasola.

As in the whole of Naxos, so in the broader area of Filoti, Byzantine Era has left intense signs with churches, the building of which is referred to these times.

Occupation by the Franks and Turks

During the occupation by the Franks (1207-1537), the village constituted a “Toparchy” (local administrative unit) –one of the 56 into which the island had been divided—bearing the name “Filotis”.
Under the Franks, the Filotites were turned into serfs in the fertile lands of their Territories, and worked as free small farmers in the barren ones.

An architectural legacy of the Franks times is the Castle of Barotsi that looms above the Village and is inhabited continuously until today.

In 1344 Turkish pirates destroyed the Filotitic Arion settlement, the inhabitants of which resettled in Filoti.

In 1537 Naxos was conquered by the Turks, however the Franks –who became tributaries to the Turks—continued to own and exploit the land of the island, with the Filotites continuing being serfs.

In 1566 the Filotites became citizens of the Ottoman Empire, and as such they could now emigrate for work to other parts of the empire.
So, they had the chance to emigrate to Constantinople, to Vourla and to Smyrni.

The Nobelist poet Seferis, who came from Vourla, was a Filotite from his mother’s side.

From 1621 onward, the Naxiotes did not feel almost at all the Turkish influence, although formally they were under the Ottoman Administration. The oppression came from the Franks, who acted now not as conquerors, but as feudal lords.

In fact, since 1621 the Institution of Commons was established, and Filoti came under the “Commons of the Villages”. That meant that it was administrated by a communal authority with “Dimogerontes” (elderly council), who made decisions collectively and submitted them for approval to the Ottoman administration.

Being under a double subjugation, the Naxiotes started feeling more oppressed, and in 1641 the farmers proceeded to an insurrection.
The result of this insurrection was the limitation of the privileges of the Franks, and the granting of more liberties to the Naxiotes.

In fact, the disputes were no longer between the Greeks and the Venetians as conquerors, but between the economically –and not only economically—oppressed inhabitants and the feudal lords.

Under such circumstances, the Filotites claimed a part of “Lahanario” for the building of the church of the “Holy Mary of Filoti”, at the spot of the older small byzantine church.

As a result, in 1717 the whole area of “Lahanario” was granted for the creation, not only of the church, but also of a big square.
In 1669 Filoti was the destination of Cretan refugees, due to the conquest of Crete by the Turks.

Naxos as a part of the Free Greek State

Naxos has been a province of the Free Greek State since its founding.
In 1835 it was integrated to the Municipality of Aperanthia having as a seat Apeiranthos.
In 1840 it became a part of the Municipality of Tragaia.
In 1833 the Barotsis donated the piece of land opposite the church, and the “Boys School of Filoti” (now “Old School”) was built, which started operating as such in 1838.
In 1912, as having more than 300 inhabitants and an elementary school, Filoti became an autonomous Community.
In 1917 the church of Saint Nicolas was given to the Filotites, which the Franks had turned into a catholic one with the beginning of the Venetian Occupation (1207).
In 1991 Kalandos was declared a settlement and was acceded to the Community of Filoti.
In 1997 Filoti was acceded to the Kapodistrian Municipality of Drymalia, having as a seat Chalki.
Since 2010 Filoti constitutes the Municipal Community of the “Municipality of Naxos and the Small Cyclades”.