The first document. The island was first mentioned by 6th century lexicographer Stephen from Byzantium who called it Ladesta and Ladeston. His source was Theopompus, a 4th century BC Greek historian. 

Beginning. The first traces of human presence on the island were found in the Rača cave where continuous evidence of habitation reaches as far as the late Neolithic Age.

Illirians and Greeks. In prehistoric times the island was inhabited by the Illyrians. However finds of Greek ceramics show that the island was on one of the Greek trade routes on the Adriatic and probably a part of the state of Issa.^[2]

Romans. When the Romans conquered the province of Dalmatia they too settled Lastovo. Impressed by Lastovo's beauty and agricultural potential the Romans named the island Emperors Island (Augusta Insula). The Romans left very clear traces of their long rule on the island, the so called"villae rusticae" (residential farming units) or the water catchment areas known as the "lokve" are amongst other monuments that remain. The Romans established a settlement on location of today's village Ubli that flourished during first centuries AD, only to become completely desolate in later centuries.^[2]

Middle Ages

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lastovo 

Slavs. With the arrival of the Slavs to Adriatic in the 7th century, Croats eventually settled most of Dalmatia which included Lastovo. 

Around 950, the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos mentions Lastovo in his De Administrando Imperio by its Slavic name Lastobon.^[14] 

Ominous 998. In 998 the Venetian Doge Pietro Orseolo II launched large military operations against Croatian and Neretvian pirates along the Adriatic and its islands, which culminated with the destruction of the town of Lastovo. After this Lastovci decided to build a city on the internal hill away from the coast which made the city more defendable.

Agriculture and autonomy. During the next two centuries, inhabitants dedicated themselves more to agriculture and neglected their earlier naval tradition.^[10] 

Scarcity of accurate historical documents and an almost complete silence covering the events on the island in the early Middle Ages are trustworthy signs of a great autonomy of Lastovo in that period.

Rulers. Lastovo may have at times come briefly under various rulers from the 7th–13th centuries, whether Byzantine, Dukljan or Neretvian, however, it is accepted that Lastovo generally recognised the Croatian kings as its nominal and natural rulers.^[2][10] In 1185 the Hvar diocese is formed of which Lastovo is mentioned as having been part. A church synod held in Split that same year decreed that the diocese of Hvar should fall under the authority of the Archbishop of Split.

 Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik)

Republic and autonomy. Later in the 13th century the people of Lastovo voluntarily joined the Republic of Ragusa in 1252 after the republic promised that it would honour Lastovo's internal autonomy . This agreement was codified in the Ragusa Statute written in 1272.^[15] 

The Statute of Lastovo. In 1310 Lastovo got its first written legislation, the Statute of Lastovo, which had all the characteristics of law. The supreme authority on the island had a council consisting of 20 members who held office for life.^[16] In 1486 authorities of the Council were passed in Parliament of the Republic and the island lost much of its autonomy.

Rebellion and fights for autonomy. Continuous limitation of the island's autonomy and higher taxes led to a short lived rebellion in 1602. On the appeal of islanders, Venice occupied the island the following year and held it until 1606, when it was returned to Ragusa. The next attempt at rebellion was in 1652, which resulted in the loss of the island's autonomy.^[10]

Ottomans and pirates. During the Ottoman conquests, Lastovo was very often a target of pirates from Ulcinj, leading to the introduction of mandatory guard service. Guard service was abolished in the 18th century when pirates from Ulcinj became merchant sailors.

Outbreak of vampirism. The last reported outbreak of vampirism in Croatia was 'recorded' on Lastovo. The trial in Ragusa in 1737 took testimony from visitors to the island during an outbreak of severe diarrhoea which killed many locals. The islanders blamed this epidemic on vampires. This case included from Lastovo the defendants who formed a band or group of vigilante style vampire hunters. Such cases were reported throughout all of Croatia and indeed Europe in the Middle Ages.

19th century

Economic crisis. In the 1840s, the municipality fell into a deep economic crisis that resulted in its selling most of its forests to foreigners.^[10]

20th century

World War I. During World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Army established a military garrison on Glavica consisted mostly of Hungarian troops. The authorities ordered blackouts and forbade the ringing of church bells during the war.

French-Italian fightings. At the end of 1917 four French planes bombed Lastovo. Some French troops landed on the island to reconnoiter it. Italian forces soon followed and clashed with the garrison. Some members of the Austro-Hungarian garrison escaped. The Italians took those they caught to Italy as prisoners of war. A French plane dropping leaflets on the island on 4 November brought the news that the war was finally over.

Italian occupation. On 11 November 1918 Italian troops took possession of the island based on the 1915 Secret Treaty of London, which allocated much of Dalmatia to Italy upon Italy entering the war on the side of the Triple Alliance. The Italians based their claim upon the presence of ethnic Italians in all parts of maritime Dalmatia. However, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, who was a supporter of the nationality principle, blocked the allocation.

World War II. In 1941 the Axis Powers attacked Yugoslavia, which collapsed in few days. Italy annexed part of Dalmatia; the remainder became part of the new Independent State of Croatia.

Liberation Army. Croatian citizens started organised fight against fascism on June 22, 1941 by organizing the first National Liberation Army unit - Sisak Brigade.  Next 5 years were devastating. A cruel (ethnic and political) internal war combined with a war of resistance against the Axis Powers to devastate the former Yugoslavia.

Peopls Republic of Croatia and exodus. On September 8, 1943, after the declaration of the Armistice with Italy, the Italian Army collapsed and Josip Broz Tito's Partisans took over the island, incorporating it into Yugoslavia. The partisans executed Martin Tomasin, a friend of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, whom he had appointed governor. Lastovo became a part of the People's Republic of Croatia in 1945—one of the six Republics of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. Latter the name was converted into the Socialist Republic of Croatia — one of the republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1953.^[10] At this time almost all  Italian citizens left the island. Simultaneously, significant amount of Croatians fled the country. Nowadays Lastovo has population of 750 people and over 3000 Croatians with Lastovo roots leave abroad: mainly in Australia, UK and Italy. 

Protected military island. After World War II, Lastovo experienced the same fate as the neighbouring island Vis. The island became a military region barred to foreign nationals. The barring of foreign nationals led to economic stagnation and the depopulation of the island. Simultaneously, that protected historical and natural beauty of the island. In 1988 the ban was lifted and foreign tourists were again allowed to visit the island.

Independence. Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, but the Yugoslav People's Army only left its bases on Lastovo, one of its last footholds in Croatia, in July 1992.

Peace. The war in Croatia ended in 1995. Lastovo was fortunate to have escaped much of the devastation that swept across some parts of Croatia and most of neighbouring Bosnia. Despite that depopulation of Lastvoto continue from 1205 inhabitants on 1991,  to 835 inhabitants on 2001 and finally 816 inhabitants on 2011. 

Protected Status - Nature Park. In 2006 the Croatian Government made the island and its archipelago a nature park -- and therefore committed the Republic of Croatia, all Croatian citizens and all visitors to special care of this region.