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Ithaki
The origin of the first people to inhabit the island, which was during the last years of the Neolithic Period (4000-3000 B.C.), is unknown. The traces of buildings, walls and a road from this period prove that life existed and continued to do so during the Early Hellenic Era (3000-2000 B.C.). In the Pre-Mycenaean years (2000-1500 B.C.) some of the population migrated to the southern part of the island. The buildings and walls that were excavated showed that the life-style in this period had remained primitive. During the Mycenaean period (1500-1100 B.C.) Ithaca rose to the highest level of its ancient history. The island became the capital of the Cephalonians states, which included the surrounding islands, and was referred to as one of the most powerful states of that time. The Ithacans were characterized as great navigators and explorers with daring expeditions reaching further than the Mediterranean Sea. Soon after Ulysses' reign ended, the state's power diminished, and it became subject to the Dorian rule (1100-800 B.C.). Ithaca, no longer an important center, was under the jurisdiction of the nearest large island. During the ancient Hellenic prime (800-180 B.C.) the Corinthians neglected the small and barren island. Independent organized life continued in the northern and southern part of the island. In the southern part, in the area of Aetos the town Alalcomenae was founded. From this period many objects were found from excavations, which were of important historical value. Among these objects were the coins imprinted with the name Ithaca and the image of Ulysses and that it was self-governed. The name Ithaca has remained unchanged since ancient time, but it has been noticed that in written documents of different periods it was referred to other names such as:
According to the different periods, the conquerors and the circumstances, the population of the island kept changing. Although there is no definite numerical information until the Venetian period, it is believed that from the Mycenaean to the Byzantine period the number of inhabitants was several thousands, who lived mainly at the northern part of the island. During the Middle Ages, the population decreased due to the continuous invasions of the pirates which forced the people to live on the mountains.
In 1479 the Turkish forces landed on the islands setting the villages on fire, plundering, killing people and taking them captives. Ithaca became desolate and isolated. Many of the people fled from the island out of fear of the Turkish occupiers. Those that remained were hiding up in the mountains to avoid the pirates who controlled the channel between Cephallonia and Ithaca and the bays of the island. In the following five years, the Turks, Toques and Venetians placed claims on the islands diplomatically. The possession of the islands were finally given the Turkish Empire (1484-1499 A.D.). During this time the Venetians had strengthened into a major power with an organized fleet. The Ionian Islands were part of their pursuits, and in 1499 a war between the Venetians and the Turks broke out. The allied fleets of the Venetians and the Spanish besieged Ithaca, and the other islands. From 1500 A.D. the Venetians controlled the islands. According to a treaty in 1503, Ithaca, Cephallonia and Zante belonged to the Venetians, and Lefkada to the Turks. A few years after the French revolution took place, the Ionian area came under the rule of the French Democrats (1797-1798 A.D.) and the island became the honorary capital of Cephallonia, Lefkada, and part of the Greek mainland, which formed the Ithacan country.
Prominent citizens of Ithaki participated in the secret "Filiki Etairia" which was instrumental in organizing the Greek Revolution of 1821, and Greek fighters found refuge there.
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According
to the findings of the archaeologists, Ithaki has been inhabited
since the 3rd. millennium BC. The most important period of its
history was in the 12th Century BC, during Odysseus' reign. 
The
population welcomed the French, who took care in the control of the
administrative and judicial systems, but later the heavy taxation
they demanded, caused a feeling of indignation among the people.
During this short historical period the new ideas of the system and
social structure, greatly influenced the inhabitants of the island.
At the end of 1798 the French succeeded by Russia and Turkey
(1798-1807 A.D.), which were allies at that time. Corfu became the
capital of the Ionian States, and the form of government was
democratic with a fourteen-member senate in which Ithaca had one
representative. - RAM UNIVERSAL STUDIOS -