History and Culture Evidence of Malta’s earliest inhabitants
dates back 8,000 years. The extraordinary Neolithic temples that
can be viewed on the island are believed to be older than the
ancient pyramids of Egypt and are widely thought to be the
oldest free-standing monuments in the world. The islands were
conquered by the Phoenicians around 2,000 BC, followed by the
Carthaginians, Romans and Arabs respectively. The Order of
Knights of St John ruled the islands from 1530 until 1798,
building hospitals, palaces and churches, erecting extensive
fortifications and generally boosting trade. A spate of attacks
from the Ottomans culminated in a prolonged battle later known
as The Great Siege of 1565. In 1798, Napoleon’s army conquered
the islands, establishing a civil code and educational system,
as well as abolishing slavery, but the British – who ruled for
the next 160 years - took over soon after. In the course of WW2,
the indomitable spirit shown by the Maltese led King George VI
to award Malta the ultimate ac