Filoti (in Greek: Φιλώτι or Φιλότι; officially: Φιλότιον) is a semi-mountainous village of central Naxos, Greece, with a population of 1,617 residents (census 2021),[1] located at the foot of Mt.

The first image of the visitor approaching the village from the main motorway is impressive because it is built amphitheatrically on two hills.

The interior of the two old settlements on the two hills is what more traditional one would expect from an old cycladic village, such as the large historic church of Panagia at Lakanario square, paved labyrinthine streets, arches and steasta (covered walkway).

[39][40][41] In the exact location of the present village settlements (Klepharos and Rachidi) no important archaeological finds have been revealed, but scattered fragments of black-figure potteries of the classical and Hellenistic period.

[42] The only evidence of the existence of an ancient settlement in today's place is its location for the following reasons:[43] Apart from the cases it is known that in the Neolithic and Archaic period, the greatest activity is observed mainly in the coastal settlements (as in Grotta of Naxos town (37°6′30″N 25°22′33″E / 37.10833°N 25.37583°E / 37.10833; 25.37583 (Grotta)), Apollonas (37°10′46″N 25°32′59″E / 37.17944°N 25.54972°E / 37.17944; 25.54972 (Apollonas)), Kastraki (37°00′18″N 25°23′17″E / 37.00500°N 25.38806°E / 37.00500; 25.38806 (Kastraki)), Spedos (36°57′18″N 25°30′26″E / 36.95500°N 25.50722°E / 36.95500; 25.50722 (Spedos)), Panermos (36°57′40.6″N 25°32′5″E / 36.961278°N 25.53472°E / 36.961278; 25.53472 (Panermos)) and Kalantos) and less in mountainous.

Sanudo divides the island into 56 fiefs; in the most fertile areas he instated his own people, forcing the natives to cultivate the occupations of the conquerors as serfs or to exploit barren and mountainous lands.

[51] Around 1344, the Turkish pirates destroyed the neighboring settlement of Aria, but Filoti is rescued, where the survivors were moved.

Turks exercise the administration and collect the taxes through the Venetians, who have a good knowledge of the place for many years.

[4] It is a transitional period in which Turks, in order to appease the reactions of the Orthodox population, begin to restrict the privileges of Venetians and give more rights to the Naxians.

Before the Turkish domination in Naxos (1537), the feudal fortunes were inherited or the Duke's consent needed to be transferred.

[58][57][59] Although under the Ottoman administration, the seignior insisted on the tactics of the Venetian era and presented Filoti as his property.

Filotians demand in the place of the old Byzantine church of Panagia to build a new bigger one and ask for a part of the garden of the "Lachanario" – today's homonymous square in Klefaro – which belonged to the feudal lord.

[63] In addition, since 1566 when the Ottoman rule had consolidated, Filotians were no longer villeins and because of Turkish occupation they could migrate for work anywhere in Turkey (as in Smyrna, Vourla and Constantinople).

[64] This created a shortage of workers and forced the feudal lords to grant greater benefits to have their estates cultivated, reaching the point of selling or giving up part of them.

[63] In addition, around 1690, the locals began to bring money from abroad and acquire their own properties, which reached up to Kalandos, Marathos, Archatos and Kampos.

After the liberation from the Ottoman domination, in 1833 Fragiskos Barrozzi donated space, opposite the church, to build the first elementary school of the village.

Of these, stands out the arsenico kefalotyri (in Greek: αρσενικό κεφαλοτύρι), that is made exclusively from sheep and goat milk and is usually collected in the sheepfolds or mitatos.