The small but historic little island of Kastellorizo was called Megisti in ancient times after its first settler Megisteas. The island was inhabited since the Neolithic and meso-minoic times. Then the Dorians settled there, as they did on all the Dodecanese islands.

Τhe island had its own civilization, judging from the ancient findings, the inscriptions, tombs, walls and the remains of the temple of Apollo Megisteas whose worship was wide spread on the island as well as on the nearby coasts of Asia Minor. For example in Patara, a temple of supreme beauty with a statue of the god was built to honor him.

Megisti took part in the Trojan War along with the other Dodecanese islands and being an ally of the Athenians helped them in their battles against the Persians.

The island was conquered by the Romans, the Byzantines and then in 1306 by the Knights of St. John of Rhodes who built the castle with its tall twin walls and loopholes, making it one of the strongest fortresses of the Aegean Sea.

Since then, Megisti changes its name into the foreign word of Kastellorizo which derives from the words Castello-Rosso because of the red-colored rocks on which the castle was built.

The conquering of the island continued from 1440 to 1522 consequently by the Egyptians, the Franks and the Turks.

Megisti was subjected to the resistance of the Turkish dominion without resistance and in return only paid an annual tax (maktou) and maintained the freedom of religion, language and national traditions.