In antiquity, the island was named Aegilia or Aigilia (), or Aigileia or Aegileia (Αἰγίλεια), and was referred by Herodotus. Herodotus writes that during the First Persian invasion of Greece (492-490 BCE), the captives from the Siege of Eretria were kept on Aegilia (which belonged to Styra) during the Battle of Marathon (490 BCE). After the battle, these captives were picked up, and eventually sent to Darius I in Susa, Persia.