Crete

The largest island in the Aegean, forming its southern boundary, and hosting one of the great early civilizations of the pre-classic world.

Includes, aside from a general survey, Aena, Allaria, Anopolis, Apollonia, Aptera, Aradaena, Arkades, Arsinoe, Axos, Dragmos, Dreros, Eleutherna, Eltyna, Elyros, Eronos, Ertaea, Gaudos, Gortys, Herronisos, Ierapytna, Istron, Itanos, Iteia, Katri, Keraea, Kissamos, Knossos, Kydonia, Lappa, Lassaea, Lato, Lisos, Lykastos, Lyktos, Malia, Malla, Matala, Miletus, Modaeoi, Olous, Orion, Panormos, Pergamos, Phaestos, Phalanna, Phalasarna, Polychna, Polyrrenia, Praesos, Priansos, Raukos, Rethymnia, Rezinea, Rytio, Sisaea, Syia, Syvritos, Tanos, Tarra, Tegea, Tylissos, Viennos, Yrtakos, Zacros.


CRETE: General SurveyA large island lying athwart the southern perimeter of the Aegean Sea, serving as something approaching a land-bridge between the Peloponnese in Europe and Lydia in Asia Minor. An early center of civilization, Crete was the home of the Minoan Empire in the middle of the first millenium BCE. The state seems to have survived the catastrophic explosion of Thera, some 75 miles north of the island, circa 1628 BCE, but came under increasing stress from mainland assaults in the next two centuries. Eventually, it crumbled, but an elevated level of culture remained, and throughout the Classical era, Crete retained an aura of mystery and legend to the Hellenic mind. By Alexandrian times, and continuing on into the Roman and Byzantine eras, the island was notorious as a host for numerous pirate bases.

CRETAN LOCAL CITY-STATES...

AENA Ancient city of Crete in the administrative division of Herakleion (Kasteli).




ALLARIA An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Rethymnon (today called: Stavromenos Mylopotamou).


ANOPOLIS An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Chania (today called Anopolis Sfakia)-complex of two cities (Anopolis-Katopolis known also as Phoenix).


APOLLONIA A town in the district of Herakleion (today called Agia Pelagia Maleviziou), homeland of Diogenes the Cynic.


APTERA An ancient town dating from Minoan times in north-west Crete, in the district of Chania, in the bay of Souda (today called Palaiokastron Apokoronou). A very important trade center. The city is mentioned in Linear-B texts with the name of APATAXA


ARADAENA An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Chania (today called Aradeana Sfakion). Important trade center throughout its history.


ARKADES A town located in central Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion (today called: Afrati Pediados). One of the cities of Crete that were appointed to give hospitality to foreigners.


ARSINOË Ancient city of Crete in the administrative division of Herakleion.


AXOS A Dorian town of ancient Crete established in the 8th cent BCE, in the district of Rethymnon (Axos Mylopotamou). Axos colonized Cyrene, in North Africa.


DRAGMOS An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Lasithi (Palaiokastron Sitea), between Praesos and Itanos One of the cities of Crete that were appointed to give hospitality to foreigners. Partially destroyed during the middle Minoan era due to the explosion of the volcano of Thera appr. 1628. Partially destroyed during the late Minoan era by a fire appr. 1500 BCE. The city had the control of Diktaeon Andron, a holy cave of Crete


DREROS A town in Crete, in the administrative division of Lasithi, colonized by the Sea people and the Dorians.


ELEUTHERNA A very important ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Rethymnon (Eleftherna Mylopotamou). Older names Satra-Aoros-Apollonia.


ELTYNA An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion (Kounavoi Pediados).


ELYROS An important ancient city of southwest Crete in the administrative division of Chania (today called Rodovani Selinou). One of the cities of Crete that were appointed to give hospitality to foreigners.


ERONOS An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Lasithi (today:Papoura)


ERTAEA Ancient city of Crete in the administrative division of Herakleion


GAUDOSAn island about 25 miles (40 km.) southwest of Crete, also called Kavnos. Inhabited from the 3rd millenium BCE.


GORTYS Second in importance to Knossos among Cretan cities, Gortys is located in the administrative division of Herakleion. According to the mythology Zeus brought Europa in Gortys. It is mentioned in Homer as being one of the seven Cretan cities to take part in the Trojan War. Gortys is the homeland of Titus, the first archbishop of Crete. Older names were  Ellotis, Larissa, Kremnia.


HERRONISOS Ancient city in north Crete in the administrative division of Chania (today called Sphinari Kissamou).


IERAPYTNA Nowadays called Ierapetra, in the administrative division of Lasithi. In ancient times called Kirva.


ISTRON Ancient city of Crete in the administrative division of Lasithi


ITANOS Ancient city in east Crete, in the administrative division of Lasithi. One of the cities of Crete that were appointed to give hospitality to foreigners


ITEIA Ancient city of Crete in the administrative division of Lasithi, homeland of th philosopher Myron.


KATRI An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Chania (today called Krapi).


KERAEA An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Chania (in Kissamos)-Older name Rokka


KISSAMOS An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Chania


KNOSSOS The most important ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of, older name Kaeratos (5 kms from Herakleion) Colonized by the Myceneans. Homeland of Hersiphron and Metagenes who built the temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the seven ancient wonders.


KYDONIA The 3rd largest ancient city-state of Creta in the administrative division of Chania-older name Apollonia


LAPPA Ancient city in western Crete, near Rethymno (today called Argyroupolis Rethymnon).


LASSAEA A city state of ancient Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion. Autonomous during the Roman era. It was one of Gortyn’s harbours, then it became autonomous and it was called Alassa.


LATO Ancient town of Crete, in the administrative division of Lasithi, there are two cities: Lato-Etera and Lato Kamara. Ancient Lato is the birthplace of Nearchos, who wrote the history of Alexander the Great.


LISOS Ancient town of Crete in the administrative division of Chania (today called Ai Kyrkos Selinou).


LYKASTOS Ancient town of Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion (today called: Vitsilia Temenous).


LYKTOS Ancient town of Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion -older names Rukito, Karnessepolis. The city state of Lyktos possessed the islands Minoa and Strogyli and also the towns Milatos and Lyktia Arsinoe. According to Hesiod Rhea gave birth to Zeus hereabouts.


MALIA Ancient town of Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion. Older name (Linear B: Se-to-i-ja).


MALLA Ancient town of Crete, in the administrative division of Lasithi.


MATALA Ancient town of Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion.


MILETUS Ancient town of Crete, in the administrative division of Lasithi (Miletos Mirambellou). Colonists from this city built Miletus, in Asia Minor.


MODAEOI Ancient town of Crete in the administrative division of Chania, between Kissamos and Kydonia.


OLOUS Ancient city in north Crete, in the administrative division of Lasithi (today:Elounda). One of the cities of Crete that were appointed to give hospitality to foreigners.


ORION Ancient town of Crete, in the administrative division of Chania-Selinos


PANORMOS Inhabited during the Minoan era. Ancient town of Crete. Its life lasted from 1st cent BCE-9th cent AD


PERGAMOS Ancient town in Creta, near Gortys.


PHAESTOS The second ancient city in Crete (after Knossos) in importance, known also from the disc of Phaestos. located in the administrative division of Herakleion. The city had a life of 4000 years and is homeland of Epimenides. Founded during the Neolithic period, the palace was built appr. 1950 and destroyed due to the explosion of Thera’s volcano in 1628. Very important during the 1st half of the 2nd mill.


PHALANNA Ancient city of Crete


PHALASARNA Ancient city in western Crete in the administrative division of Chania (today Koutri Kissamou).


POLYCHNA Ancient town in northwestern Crete, in the administrative division of Chania, near Kydonia


POLYRRENIA Ancient city of west Crete, in the administrative division of Chania (today called Polyrrenia Kissamou).


PRAESOS Ancient city of east Crete, in the administrative division of Lasithi -Centre of the tribe of Eteokrites


PRIANSOS Ancient town in central Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion


RAUKOS An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion (Agios Myron Maleviziou)- near Gortys and Knossos.


RETHYMNIA Ancient town of Crete, near Rethymno.


REZINEA Ancient town of Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion (Prinias Maleviziou) near Knossos and Gortys


RYTIO Ancient city of central Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion (Rotasi Monofatsiou) in the archaic and Hellenistic era. One of the seven Cretan city-states that took part in the Trojan war.


SISAEA Ancient city of Crete in the administrative division of Rethymnon (today: Sises Mylopotamou).


SYIA (Syva, or Sougia) Ancient city of Crete in the administrative division of Chania


SYVRITOS Ancient town of Crete, near Rethymnon and Eleutherna


TANOS An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Chania, near Kydonia


TARRA Ancient city of western Crete, in the administrative division of Chania (today called gia Roumeli Sfakion). Established during the Classical era, some believe that the Italian Taranto is its colony, another colony is Tarra in the Caucasus.


TEGEA An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Chania, near Polyrrenia - a city of considerable power during Hellenistic and Roman times.


TYLISSOS An ancient city, established in the 2nd millenium BCE. Located in northern Crete, in the administrative division of Herakleion.


VIENNOS An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Chania.


YRTAKOS An ancient city of Crete, in the administrative division of Chania (today called Temenia Selinou), near Eliros.


ZACROS An ancient city of Crete, on the extreme eastern end of the island, in the administrative division of Lassithi.
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