Symi is a rocky island located northwest of Rhodes. The small islands that surrround it, Nymos, Seskli or Teftlousa and Diavates, are an integral part thereof. Traces of prehistoric dwellings have been found in various areas of the island. It is believed that in the middle of the 4th century BC, Symi had been integrated into the unified Rhodian state. In Roman and Byzantine times the island was still closely associated with Rhodes. After the transfer of the capital from Rome to Constantinople (early 4th century AD), Symi became part of the “Province of the Islands”, while in the 8th century it was included in the “Cibyrrhaeot Theme”. Following the occupation of Constantinople by the Franks (1204) it came under the rule of Gavalades, while from 1250 to the beginning of the 14th century it has known various conquerors. In 1309, the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem occupied the islands of the Dodecanese, except for Karpathos and Kassos. After the occupation of the island by the Ottomans in 1522, the Symians, on their own initiative, ensured important privileges. These privileges alon with the administrative autonomy of the Symians led to the flourishing of shipbuilding, merchant shipping and sponge fishing. In the 18th century, some schools were founded, such as the School of Agia Marina, which was succeeded by the School of the Castle. The Symians, with their fleet, took an active part in the revolution of 1821, but were not included in the Greek state (1830). The Turkish rule in Symi and the rest of the Dodecanese ended with the Italian occupation in 1912. Since then the island has fallen into economic decline. The island’s population, which stood at 23,000 during its heyday, has dropped dramatically since World War II.