Greek mythology contains several references to Serifos and its metal deposits. The island was colonized by the Boeotians and ruled by kings Diktys and Polydeuces. From the 6th century B.C., the island minted its own coins.
It's also known as the place where Perseus, son of Zeus and Danae, was raised (Perseus later slayed the Medusa to rid his mother of the amorous overtures of Polydeuces). On his journey home to Ithaca, Odysseus landed at Serifos where he encountered the Cyclops Polyphemus; the site is marked by a rock at the entrance to Koutalas bay where ruins of Cyclopean walls are visible.
The island was also settled by the Minoans, who exploited the mines at Moutoula and Galanis. Serifos did not take part in the Greek expedition against Troy, although the island did indirectly participate in the campaigns of Alexander the Great, a fact evidenced by the use of Serifos metals to forge their swords. In the 7th century B.C., the island was settled by the Ionians.
There's little evidence of the island's activities in Hellenistic times. Hora's fortifications, including the thick gates or loggias with battlements along its perimeter, attests to the island's need to fortify itself against attacks by the Turks.
In the latter half of the 19th century, Serifos returns to prominence with the exploitation of its metal deposits by foreign entrepreneurs.
The Governor's Mansion at Mega Livadi is one of the finest examples of neoclassical architecture in the Aegean today. There, in August 1916, the first labor law instituted an eight-hour work day was signed following clashes between miners and police. Around the same time, the miners form a union under Konstantinos Speras.
After the second world war, the mines faced stiff competition from European competitors and mining is no longer lucrative. Production is gradually reduced, leading to the mines' closure in 1963. Thousands of miners abandon the island, which turns its economy towards tourism.