Korkyra

Korkyra, Greek Κέρκυρα, is the ancient name used for the island of Corfu and for its principal city. In Latin sources the island is Corcyra; in modern Greek it is Kerkyra. Located in the Ionian Sea off northwest Greece, Corfu is the northernmost of the Ionian Islands, opposite Epirus and near the Albanian coast. The city of Korkyra became a prominent ancient Greek polis and maritime power.

History: Korkyra was established as a Corinthian colony in the early first millennium BCE. In the classical era it exercised influence in Ionian affairs, and the Corcyrean War (433–431 BCE) between Corcyra and Corinth was a key episode preceding the wider Peloponnesian War. The island later came under Roman rule, and after late antiquity it belonged to the Byzantine world.

In the medieval and early modern periods, Venice controlled Corfu for centuries, strengthening its fortifications. The island passed through the hands of successive powers during the early modern era, including the Septinsular Republic under Russian–Ottoman influence, then the French, and finally the British under the Ionian Islands protectorate before it joined Greece in 1864. Modern Corfu remains a major tourist destination; its cultural landscape reflects Greek, Venetian, French, and British influences.

Etymology and usage: Korkyra is primarily encountered in classical texts and archaeological contexts. Corfu is the contemporary name used today, while Kerkyra is the local Greek form. The term persists in the names of archaeological sites and coin finds associated with the ancient city and island.