evidences the island's Phoenician history The island of Sant'Antioco was settled at least from the 5th millennium BC (the so-called
culture of San Michele of Ozieri), which was based mainly on fishing and agriculture. Typical tombs (called
domus de janas) and
menhirs belonging to this culture have been found. The island also housed the
nuragic civilization: findings include the
Giants' grave of Su Niu de su Crobu ("''Crow's Nest''"). pavement depicting two panthers drinking from a krater In the 8th century BC the
Phoenicians founded a new settlement, with the name of
Sulky (
Punic:) or Solki, of which a
tophet (children)
necropolis has been excavated. Later (
6th century BC) it became a
Carthaginian colony, to which another necropolis belongs. The Punic domination ended in the 3rd century BC, when Sulky was conquered by the
Romans, who connected it to the mainland through an artificial
isthmus. During the civil war between
Julius Caesar and
Pompey it sided with the latter, being severely punished after his defeat. During Roman times, it was called
Plumbaria, after its
lead deposits. The current city name derives from
St. Antiochus, evangelizer of the area, who was martyred in 125 AD. After the decline and the end of the
Western Roman Empire, Sant'Antioco was a fortified strong point of the
Byzantines. It was repeatedly attacked by the
Saracens starting from the early 8th century, and gradually abandoned by the inhabitants who fled to the more protected inner area; the island mainly remained important as the end of pilgrimages devoted to St. Antiochus. A new settlement (
bidda in
Sardinian) was established around 935 by the
judge (the local title for lord) of
Cagliari, but this also was abandoned after the end of the
giudicato. The island was a territory of the
Kingdom of Sardinia (created in 1324) and later was acquired by archbishopric of Cagliari (1503) and, in 1758, by the religious Order of SS. Maurizio and Lazzaro. In the 18th century the area began to be repopulated and toward the mid of the century there were 38 houses, 15 workshops, and 164 huts, with some 450 inhabitants. In January–May 1793 the island was occupied by French troops under admiral
Laurent Jean François Truguet, and the citizens freed from ecclesiastical taxes. The last attack by North African pirates occurred in 1815; the same year in which the
relics of the
patron saint were brought back to the cathedral. ==Climate==