Pherecydes, native to the Aegean, wrote that the island of Chios was occupied by the Leleges, aboriginal Greeks themselves reported to be subject to the Minoans on Crete.

They were eventually driven out by invading Ionians.Chios is one of the original twelve member states of the Ionian League.

As a result, Chios, at the end of the 7th century BCE, is one of the first cities to strike or mint coins, establishing the sphinx as its specific symbol.

It maintains this tradition for almost 900 years.