Editing Paxos (section)

==History==

Paxos is a historical island that has been inhabited since prehistoric times. According to tradition, the [[Phoenicia|Phoenicians]] were the first settlers on Paxos, and it is believed that the name "Paxos" originated from the Phoenician word "Pax," meaning "trapezoidal." In ancient times, Paxos played a significant role, especially during the First Illyrian War in 229 BC when the [[Battle of Paxos]] was fought between the ancient Greek and [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] fleets. The account of this battle is documented in The Histories, a work by the ancient historian [[Polybius]].

Paxos has been ruled by various conquerors, including the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] in the 2nd century BC, pirates during the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] era and [[Middle Ages]], and by [[Crusades|Crusaders]]. Eventually, the Venetians gained control of the island at the end of the 14th century.

During the [[Napoleonic Wars]], the Ionian Islands were occupied by the French and the Russo-Turkish alliance. However, Paxos surrendered to the [[Royal Navy]] frigate [[HMS Apollo (1805)|HMS ''Apollo'']] and 160 troops from the 2nd Greek Light Infantry from Cephalonia and the 35th Regiment of the [[Royal Corsican Rangers]] on February 13, 1814. The United Kingdom established the Ionian Union in 1815, and in 1864, Paxos, along with the rest of the Ionian Islands, was ceded to Greece.