Itanos was an important settlement from Minoan times until the Christian era. It was particularly powerful during the Greek era and it was flourishing by the seventh century B.C. Itanos was continuously at war with its neighbours, originally with Praisos, and when Ierapytna destroyed Praisos, Itanos was at war with Ierapytna. An important reason for the conflict was dispute over the control of the Temple of Zeus in Palaikastro. The inscription in the monastery of Toplou shows that the two cities asked for the arbitration of Magnesia of Asia Minor in 132 B.C. in order to resolve the conflict.