Ionian Bank up its banking licence. The Greek operation, renamed "Ionian Popular Bank", was absorbed into Alpha Bank in 2000. A "decree of the Eminent Senate of the Commonwealth of Ionian Islands" established the Ionian State Bank in 1839, to finance trade between the Ionian Islands (a British protectorate), and Great Britain. This made the bank the oldest in Greece. The bank received a 20-year grant of the exclusive privilege of issuing and circulating banknotes for the Ionian Islands. The bank soon changed its name to Ionian Bank (IB), and initially only operated in the Ionian Islands, opening branches in Corfu, Aante
2018 Ionian Sea earthquake suffered major damage from a 1953 earthquake. The event was felt in eight different countries, including in the Balkans, Italy, Malta as well as coasts of Africa and Turkey. The main shock was followed by multiple aftershocks in the following days, including undersea aftershocks of magnitude 4.4 and 5 over a week after the initial earthquake. The largest reported aftershock was of magnitude 5.6 the day of the initial earthquake. 2018 Ionian Sea earthquake A strong earthquake measuring magnitude occurred in the Ionian Sea near the coasts of Greece during the night between 25 and 26 October 2018 at 22:54:51