[1] Prominent historical monuments on the island include the church of Agios Georgios (Greek: Άγιος Γεώργιος) and the nearby ruins of an ancient Roman temple.

In Antiquity, the island was known as Pharmakousa (Greek: Φαρμακοῦσσα,[2] Latin: Pharmacussa[3]) and took its name from pharmaceutical herbs that were growing on it.

Plutarch in his Parallel Lives tells that the young Julius Caesar, while traveling to Asia Minor, was kidnapped by pirates and held prisoner there 38 days.

After having paid a ransom twice as high as his kidnappers claimed (since he said that the required amount was too low for someone like himself), and having been freed, he organized a fleet and maintained his promise, crucifying all of them.

Farmakonisi was notable since the ancient times for its very rich flora with several species of herbs growing on the island's surface.