Prehistory

Seven thousand years of prehistory and history have made the Maltese what they are today. However, the Maltese Islands have had an even more remote and interesting prehistory.

Having formed part of a larger land mass, Malta has proven to be a trove of prehistoric remains including the vestiges of elephant, hippopotamus, deer and bear among others, in valleys hewn out by long lost rivers.

The First Inhabitants

The first people to set foot on these islands around 5000 BC probably came form the neighbouring islands around Sicily or from Sicily itself.

Cave and small village dwellers of the Maltese Neolithic later gave way to the famous temple builders of the Megalithic Period, which forms part of the Maltese Copper Age.

The ruins of these free standing temples, built of enormous blocks of local stone with a finesse that requires to be seen to be appreciated, are witness to a culture that may not have only been restricted to these shores.

The temples of Hagar Qim, Tarxien and Mnajdra in Malta and of Ggantija in Gozo, as well as the underground jewel called the Hypogeum are all very fine examples of this megalithic architecture.

The Bronze Age saw a totally different people on these islands. There appears to be a distinct cultural break, as evidenced by the pottery and traces of fortified villages of this period, between the people of the preceeding Copper Age and the Bronze Age arrivals.

Punic Malta

The first millennium before Christ saw the arrival of the Phoenicians in Malta bringing to these islands a touch of Egyptian influence and greater measure of trade.

The Phoenicians, being mainly traders, founded a commercial outpost, Carthage, near present day Tunis. Carthage was to rise to a considerable power in the Mediterranean and Malta subsequently fell under its influence.

A famous son of Carthage, Hannibal, is said to have been born in Malta, although there does not seem to be direct evidence of this. Hannibal is best know for his expedition against Rome when he led his army including many elephants across the Alps.

Three wars known as the Punic wars were fought between the Carthiginians and the Romans and it was during the second Punic war in 218 BC that Malta fell to the Romans.

Roman Rule

The Roman remains found in Malta date to this period of time. These include a Roman town house, Roman baths, catacombs and traces of a temple. It was also during the Roman period, in 60 AD that St. Paul was shipwrecked while on his way to Rome.

Malta remained within the Western Roman Empire up to just before the fifth century – a full six hundred years of Roman rule. From around the beginning of the fifth century to 870 AD, Malta passed through an obscure period under Byzantine rule.

Arabs and Christians

The rise of Islam and the colonisation of North Africa by the Arabs was also to influence the course of Maltese history when the islands were taken over by the Arabs in 870 AD.

Although no trace of Islam remains in Malta (except for people coming mainly from North African countries today), it is probable, however, that the Maltese language and many place names in Malta originate from that period.

It was in 1090 AD that the Normans from the north reached Malta, and for the next hundred years, Malta was to pass through a series of European dominations – Norman, Swabian, Angevin, and Aragonese.

Malta passed through a period of Spanish rule under the Aragonese, as part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. This period saw a more Europeanised consolidation with the establishment of an aristicocracy and a ruling body made up mostly of nobles called the Universita.

The Knights of St. John

However, in 1530, the Spanish King Charles V gave Malta to the Order of The Knights of St. John of Jerusalem for a nominal price of a yearly falcon. Hence the story of the legendary Maltese Falcon.

The Knights of St. John fortified the island, built beautiful palaces and put Malta on the international map when in 1565, they defeated the mighty Turkish army and navy during the Great Siege of Malta.

For almost 270 years Malta prospered under the Knights, but they became quite unpopular towards the end of their reign.

The French Interlude

In 1798, Napoleon took Malta on his way to Egypt and ousted the Knights. Some Maltese were happy with the change but many were not, and asked the help of the British.

With a revolt from the Maltese on the landward side and a blockade of the main harbours on the seaward side, the French capitulated and in 1800 AD the British set foot in Malta.

It is interesting to note that today both the British and the French are an integral part of Malta's tourism and are warmly welcomed in the same spirit of hospitality epitomised by the welcome given to St. Paul.

The British and the Maltese

The British military presence on the islands lasted a full 179 years. Malta went through two world wars under British rule, and in 1964 it became an independent state within the commonwealth.

Ten years later in 1974, Malta became a republic and in 1979, the last British soldiers left the island. However, cooperation and friendly ties between Britain and Malta are still very strong, although today Malta is seeking stronger ties with the European Union.

Malta formally submitted its application to join the Union in 1990 and became a member of the European Union in May 2004.

At the moment Malta has joined ERM II with the intention of adopting the Euro as its currency in the near future.

Back to Top