As far as we know people have been living on the island for about 3000 years. In 654 BC it was discovered by the Carthaginians who founded iBiza town making it one of the earliest town in Europe.

The Carthaginians were merchants and they used iBiza as a trading hub. It had a large harbor and they built strong city walls. The mainly traded salt made in salt pans in Salinas. You can still see them today and the process of making salt by evaporation largely remains unchanged.

The Carthaginians also used iBiza to bury there dead. It’s thought they chose the island as there were no wild animals to dig up the corpses.

The Romans took the island by force in 123 BC. The bridge the Romans built can be seen in Santa Eulalia crossing the river bed at the entrance to the town.

After the Romans, between the 5th and 9th centuries A.D. Ibiza was invaded and conquered by the Vandals, the Barbarians and the Byzantines.

Then the Arabs arrived and stamped there culture on the island. You can still see there influence in the architecture, traditional costumes and the local language Ibicenco.

iBiza was conquered by the Catalans on the 8th August, 1235. They demolished down the Arab mosque to build the Cathedral on its foundations. It’s still standing. The villages of the island were renamed after Christian Saints, and the church building began The oldest churches can be found in Santa Eulalia, San Miguel, Sant Jordi and San Antonio.

The island is now only really invaded by the British who on a Saturday night in San Antonio do more damage to the reputation of the island than the Vandals ever did.

Tags: Travel Tips

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