How is Crete different from the rest of Greece?
Jan 15, 2020 · After the Minoan civilization was devastated by the Thera eruption, Crete developed an Ancient Greece-influenced organization of city states, then successively became part of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Venetian Republic, the Ottoman Empire, autonomous state, and the modern state of Greece. Click to see full answer.
What is between Greece and Crete?
The history of Ancient and Minoan Crete, Greece: The history of Crete is long and rich and, according to archaeologists, it started in the Neolithic times. Crete had always played an important part in the history of Greece and it is worth to mention that the island had made its appearance vivid in many aspects of the Mediterranean and the Greek culture, even in the …
Is Crete an island of the Greek?
Crete, Modern Greek Kríti, Ancient Greek Crete or Krete, Latin Creta, Turkish Girit, Venetian Candia, island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea that is one of 13 administrative regions (periféreies) of Greece. Crete is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean and the largest of the islands forming part of modern Greece.
What is it like to live in Crete Greece?
Ancient Greece Crete. The island of Greek Crete Crete is located right in the center of the eastern Mediterranean at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe. It measures about 200 Km from east to west, and between 12 to 58 Km from north to south at its narrowest and widest distances thereby occupying the place as one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean sea.
When did Crete become part of Greece?
1913In 1913 Crete became part of the Greek territory, honoring the longed dream of all Cretans for the Union with Greece. During the Union of Crete, the politician Eleftherios Venizelos came into foreground, who would later become the greatest leader that ever ruled Greece.
What countries were part of ancient Greece?
They lived in mainland Greece and the Greek islands, but also in colonies scattered around the Mediterranean Sea. There were Greeks in Italy, Sicily, Turkey, North Africa, and as far west as France.
Is Crete in the Mediterranean?
Crete is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean and the largest of the islands forming part of modern Greece.
What race were the ancient Greek?
Buxton in [3] shares this general view, although he observes that brachycephals(b)were a part of the Greek population from the beginning and that the Greeks were a mix of Alpine(c)and Mediterranean people from a “comparatively early date.” The American anthropologist Coon in [4] agrees when he asserts that the Greeks ...May 30, 2019
What is the history of Crete?
Ancient Crete. The history of Ancient and Minoan Crete, Greece: The history of Crete is long and rich and, according to archaeologists, it started in the Neolithic times. Crete had always played an important part in the history of Greece and it is worth to mention that the island had made its appearance vivid in many aspects ...
Where is the Labyrinth of Crete?
The Labyrinth was probably found close to the Palace of Knossos, while others believe that it was found on the northern side of the island.
What is the capital of Heraklion?
The most important town, and capital of this civilization, is Knossos, close to modern Heraklion town. Other famous sites include the palaces of Phaistos, Kato Zakros and Malia. Findings from these excavations are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.
Who was the first person to fly?
It was from Crete that Daedalus and Icarus, kept in prison by King Minos, escaped with waxen wings and became the first people to fly.
When was Crete founded?
The history of Crete goes back to the 7th millennium BC, preceding the ancient Minoan civilization by more than four millennia. The palace based Minoan civilization was the first civilization in Europe.
Who took over Crete?
In the partition of the Byzantine empire after the capture of Constantinople by the armies of the Fourth Crusade in 1204, Crete was eventually acquired by Venice, which held it for more than four centuries (the " Kingdom of Candia ").
Why did the United Kingdom give military aid to Greece?
The priority of the United Kingdom was to prevent Crete from falling into enemy hands, because the island could be used to defend Egypt, (the Suez Canal and the route to India). British troops landed on Crete with the consent of the Greek Government from 3 November 1940, in order to make the 5th Greek Division of Crete available for the Albanian front.
What were the cities that prospered on Crete during the Mycenaean civilization?
Some of the Dorian cities that prospered on Crete during those times are Kydonia, Lato, Dreros, Gortyn and Eleutherna .
Why was Cretan literature important?
Due to the economic and intellectual growth observed in Crete during the Venetian era, Cretan literature was rich in quantity and quality and important for the subsequent course of Modern Greek literature. The peaceful living and contact with a developed intellectual and cultural people were the factors that contributed to the cultivation of education and literature and the emergence of remarkable literary production.
What happened in the 4th century BC?
In the late 4th century BC, the aristocratic order began to collapse due to endemic infighting among the elite, and Crete's economy was weakened by prolonged wars between city states. During the 3rd century BC, Gortyn, Kydonia ( Chania ), Lyttos and Polyrrhenia challenged the primacy of ancient Knossos.
What was the Greek War of Independence?
The Greek War of Independence began in 1821, with extensive Cretan participation. An uprising by Christians met with a fierce response from the Ottoman authorities and the execution of several bishops, regarded as ringleaders. Between 1821 and 1828, the island was the scene of repeated hostilities. The Muslims were driven into the large fortified towns on the north coast and it would appear that as many as 60% of them died from plague or famine while there. The Cretan Christians also suffered severely, losing around 21% of their population in the 1830s.
Where is Creta located?
Crete, Modern Greek Kríti, Ancient Greek Crete or Krete, Latin Creta, Turkish Kirid, Venetian Candia, island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea that is one of 13 administrative regions ( periféreies) of Greece. Crete, Greece.
How long is Crete?
It is relatively long and narrow, stretching for 160 miles (260 km) on its east-west axis and varying in width from 7.5 to 37 miles (12 to 60 km).
What are the mountains in Crete?
Crete is dominated by harsh mountains rising out of the sea. The island’s east-west mountainous range consists of four main groups that rise to the island’s highest point, Ídi mountain, 8,058 feet (2,456 metres) in elevation. To the west the Lefká (“White”) Mountains reach 8,045 feet (2,452 metres), and to the east the Díkti Mountains extend to 7,047 feet (2,148 metres) in elevation. Those mountains rise above the high upland plains of Nída, Omalós, and Lasíthi and are marked by several gorges, the best known of which is the Samariá Gorge. The gradually sloping northern coast provides several natural harbours and coastal plains, where such major towns as Chaniá (Khaniá; historically Canea), Réthymno (Réthimnon; historically Rhithymna), and Irákleio are located. The Mesara (Messára) Plain extends along the south-central part of the island for about 18 miles (29 km) and is Crete’s major expanse of flatlands. Sandy and pebble-strewn beaches dot the coastline. Crete has six small rivers as well as springs, seasonal watercourses and ponds, one natural freshwater lake (Lake Kournás), and several artificial lakes.
What are the beaches in Crete?
Sandy and pebble-strewn beaches dot the coastline. Crete has six small rivers as well as springs, seasonal watercourses and ponds, one natural freshwater lake (Lake Kournás), and several artificial lakes. Crete, Greece: Ídiean cave. Entrance to the Ídiean cave in Ídi mountain, Crete, Greece. Henry Hartley.
What is the climate of Crete?
Crete’s climate varies between temperate and subtropical, with an annual average precipitation of about 25 inches (640 mm) and hot dry summers. Winter temperatures are relatively mild. The air in the mountains is temperate and cool.
What is the landscape of Cretan?
The Cretan landscape is dominated by characteristic Mediterranean scrub ( maquis or garigue). Palm trees are intermittent along the coasts, and cedars can be found in the east. An array of plant species (notably flowers) thrive in the moderate climate, many of them native to the island.
What language do Cretans speak?
The population consists almost entirely of Cretans who speak Greek and belong to the Greek Orthodox Church. English, German, or French are also spoken by many of the younger and urban Cretans. Since the 1970s the population has been shifting from rural areas to the three main cities—Irákleio, Chaniá, and Réthymno—where nearly half of the island’s population now resides (with nearly one-fourth in the Greater Irákleio area alone). Cretans are known for their hospitality and vitality, and much emphasis is placed on bonds between family members.
What were the major settlements in ancient Crete?
Prepalatial Minoan Greek Crete (2600-1900 BC) During the Neolithic life in ancient Crete major settlements consisted of Myrtos and Mochlos. During this period the Minoans had contact with Egypt, Asia Minor, and Syria with whom they traded for copper, tin, ivory, and gold.
Where is Greece located?
The island of Greek Crete Crete is located right in the center of the eastern Mediterranean at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe. It measures about 200 Km from east to west, and between 12 to 58 Km from north to south at its narrowest and widest distances thereby occupying the place as one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean sea.
Why did the Minoans have a decentralized culture?
The inhabitants of ancient Greek Crete well known as the Minoans produced somewhat of a decentralized culture because of the abundance of the land’s natural resources coupled with intense commercial activity. In the ancient time, timber was one of the natural resources that were commercially exploited and exported to nearby Egypt, Syria, Cyprus, the Aegean Islands as well as the Greek mainland.
What was the Minoan civilization?
Sub-Minoan Crete (1150-1100 BC) – Around 1150 BC, the Dorians destroyed the Mycenaean civilization and by 1100 BC arrive at Crete. This period marked the assimilation of all remaining Minoan elements of Crete into the new Hellenic culture. This new culture eventually changed into the Classical Greek civilization which had its hub in Athens.
When were the Neopalatial Minoan buildings built?
Neopalatial Minoan Crete (1700-1400 BC) – The destroyed palaces were speedily rebuilt to form even more magnificent structures. This was the time when Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, and Zakros were built, along with many smaller palaces which stretched along the Cretan landscape.
When was Knossos first discovered?
Archaeological excavations have testified to the island’s habitation since the 7th Millennium BC After the 5th millennium BC , the first evidence of hand-made ceramic pottery which marked the beginning of the civilization Evans, the famed archaeologist who excavated Knossos, named “Minoan” after the legendary king Minos can be found.
Where are the most important monuments in Crete?
The biggest monument of Crete are the remains of the ancient Palace of Knossos where several parts such as the Throne room, Theatral area, Grand staircase and Queen's Megaron have partially survived, as well as the most preserved and restored Northern entrance with bull frescos and some parts of the wall. Another landmark can be found on the western end of the southern costal ridge where the remains of a settlement of Hagia Triada lie. The most preserved monument is the limestone Sarcophagus from the late bronze age and it is where the most tablets with linear A writing were excavated. 1.9km North-East from there, lies an anicent Minoan tholos tomb that was built in the same style as found in Mycenae. Nearby, there is also an ancient village of Gortys which was the Roman capital of Crete and is fairly preserved to this day. To the East along the northern coast, ruins of the Gournia, once a Minoan palace, can be found. Another such site is a palace of Malia that lies to North-West of Gournia and a palace of Phaestos, the second most important Minoan city, which lies in the Southern part of the island. There are also other archeological sites such as ruins of Zakros and Palekastro that were important Minoan commercial settlements.
When did the Minoan civilization start?
Ancient Crete was a center of Minoan civilization which was believed to had arisen as early as in 4th millennium BC. It spread across Aegean and Medditerranean islands and flourished for the next three thousand years.
What did the Minoans do?
The early Minoans used hieroglyphs similar to Egyptians as their writing system which was later used as a basis for the later developed Linear A and Linear B writing systems. The main city of Crete and Minoan culture in general was Knossos and, as the evidence shows, the Minoans practiced sports like bull jumping and boxing.
Who was the inventor of the Labyrinth?
Therefore, Minos instructed Daedalus, a famous inventor, to construct the labyrinth and entrap this abomination of a creature. Later, Theseus came to kill it and rescue his people that were set to be sacrificed to Minotaur.
What is the mainland of Greece?
Advertisement. Mainland Greece is a large peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea (branching into the Ionian Sea in the west and the Aegean Sea in the east) which also comprises the islands known as the Cyclades and the Dodecanese (including Rhodes ), the Ionian islands (including Corcyra ), the isle of Crete, ...
What is the history of Ancient Greece?
Ancient Greek history is most easily understood by dividing it into time periods. The region was already settled, and agriculture initiated, during the Paleolithic era as evidenced by finds at Petralona and Franchthi caves ( two of the oldest human habitations in the world ).
What is the birthplace of Western philosophy?
Ancient Greece is the birthplace of Western philosophy ( Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle ), literature ( Homer and Hesiod ), mathematics ( Pythagoras and Euclid ), history ( Herodotus ), drama ( Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes ), the Olympic Games, and democracy. The concept of an atomic universe was first posited in Greece through ...
Where did the Latin alphabet come from?
The Latin alphabet also comes from ancient Greece, having been introduced to the region during the Phoenician colonization in the 8th century BCE, and early work in physics and engineering was pioneered by Archimedes, of the Greek colony of Syracuse, among others. Remove Ads. Advertisement.
Who coined the term "Minoan"?
The term 'Minoan' was coined by the archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans, who uncovered the Minoan palace of Knossos in 1900 CE and named the culture for the ancient Cretan king Minos. The name by which the people knew themselves is not known.
When did the Classical Period begin?
This, then, set the stage for the flourishing of the Classical Period of ancient Greece given as 500-400 BCE or, more precisely, as 480-323 BCE, from the Greek victory at the Battle of Salamis to the death of Alexander the Great.
What percentage of Greece is covered by mountains?
Mountains cover 80 percent of Greece and only small rivers run through a rocky landscape which, for the most part, provides little encouragement for agriculture. Consequently, the early ancient Greeks colonized neighboring islands and founded settlements along the coast of Anatolia (also known as Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey ).
Ancient sources
Jewish communities on Crete are first referenced in 4th century BCE epitaph inscriptions from Kassanoi and Kissamos where, in the city of Kissamos, a “Sophia of Gortyna, an elder and leader of the synagogue” attests to the leading role of women in diaspora communities.
Into and outside the Ghetto
In 1204, after the sacking of Constantinople as part of the 4th Crusade, which led to the temporary dissolution of the Byzantine Empire, Crete became a Venetian colony called the “Kingdom of Kandia” with Heraklion (Kandia) as the island’s capital.
German occupation
The German occupation of Greece began in April 1941 and lasted until 1945. Following the failed Italian invasion of Greece in October 1940, Germany assisted its Italian and Bulgarian allies in their expansionist aspirations and invaded the country.
Reviving Etz Hayyim and the Cretan Jewish tradition
Almost 50 years after the end of WWII, the fortunes of the Etz Hayyim Synagogue were to change thanks to Nikos, who managed to garner significant interest and funding to fully restore the synagogue in just a few short years.
Etz Hayyim today
Since 2010, the Etz Hayyim Synagogue has been operated by a non-profit organization in cooperation with the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KISE).
Remembering Nikos
Nikos Stavroulakis, founding director of the new Etz Hayyim Synagogue and legendary figure in Greek Jewish life, passed away in 2017. The Etz Hayyim staff is currently cataloguing Nikos’ private collection of artifacts, books, documents and other items.
Overview
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. Crete rests approximately 160 km (99 mi) south of the Greek mainland. It has an area of 8,336 km (3,219 sq mi) and a coastline of 1,046 km (650 mi). It bounds the southern border of the Aegean Sea, with the Sea …
Name
The earliest references to the island of Crete come from texts from the Syrian city of Mari dating from the 18th century BC, where the island is referred to as Kaptara. This is repeated later in Neo-Assyrian records and the Bible (Caphtor). It was known in ancient Egyptian as Keftiu or kftı͗w, strongly suggesting a similar Minoan name for the island.
The current name Crete is first attested in the 15th century BC in Mycenaean Greek texts, written in
Physical geography
Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea separating the Aegean from the Libyan Sea.
The island has an elongated shape: it spans 260 km (160 mi) from east to west, is 60 km (37 mi) at its widest point, and narrows to as little as 12 km (7.5 mi) (…
Geography
Crete is the most populous island in Greece with a population of more than 600,000 people. Approximately 42% live in Crete's main cities and towns whilst 45% live in rural areas.
Crete with its nearby islands form the Crete Region (Greek: Περιφέρεια Κρήτης, Periféria Krítis, [periˈferia ˈkritis]), one of the 13 regions of Greecewhich were es…
History
Hominids settled in Crete at least 130,000 years ago. In the later Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, under the Minoans, Crete had a highly developed, literate civilization. It has been ruled by various ancient Greek entities, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Emirate of Crete, the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire. After a brief period of independence (1897–1913) under a pr…
Tourism
Crete is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Greece. 15% of all arrivals in Greece come through the city of Heraklion (port and airport), while charter journeys to Heraklion make up about 20% of all charter flights in Greece. The number of hotel beds on the island increased by 53% in the period between 1986 and 1991.
Fauna and flora
Crete is isolated from mainland Europe, Asia, and Africa, and this is reflected in the diversity of the fauna and flora. As a result, the fauna and flora of Crete have many clues to the evolution of species. There are no animals that are dangerous to humans on the island of Crete in contrast to other parts of Greece. Indeed, the ancient Greeks attributed the lack of large mammals such as bears, wolve…
Mythology
Crete has a strong association with ancient Greek gods but is also connected with the Minoan civilization.
According to Greek mythology, the Diktaean Cave at Mount Dikti was the birthplace of the god Zeus. The Paximadia islands were the birthplace of the goddess Artemis and the god Apollo. Their mother, the goddess Leto, was worshipped at
Overview
The history of Crete goes back to the 7th millennium BC, preceding the ancient Minoan civilization by more than four millennia. The palace-based Minoan civilization was the first civilization in Europe.
After the Minoan civilization was devastated by the Thera eruption, Crete developed an Ancient Greece-influenced organization of city-states, then succe…
Prehistoric Crete
In 2002, the paleontologist Gerard Gierlinski discovered what he claimed were fossil footprints left by ancient human relatives 5,600,000 years ago, but the claim is controversial.
Excavations in South Crete in 2008–2009 revealed stone tools at least 130,000 years old. This was a sensational discovery, as the previously accepted earlies…
Minoan civilization and Mycenaean Period
Crete was the centre of Europe's most ancient civilization, the Minoans. Tablets inscribed in Linear A have been found in numerous sites in Crete, and a few in the Aegean islands. The Minoans established themselves in many islands besides Ancient Crete: secure identifications of Minoan off-island sites include Kea, Kythera, Milos, Rhodes, and above all, Thera (Santorini).
Because of a lack of written records, estimates of the Minoan chronologyare based on well-esta…
Iron Age and Archaic Crete
The collapse of the Mycenaean civilization was followed by the appearance of the first Greek city-states in the 9th century BC and the epics of Homer in the 8th century BC. Some of the Dorian cities that prospered on Crete during those times are Kydonia, Lato, Dreros, Gortyn and Eleutherna.
Classical and Hellenistic Crete
In the Classical and Hellenistic period Crete fell into a pattern of combative city-states, harboring pirates. In the late 4th century BC, the aristocratic order began to collapse due to endemic infighting among the elite, and Crete's economy was weakened by prolonged wars between city states. During the 3rd century BC, Gortyn, Kydonia (Chania), Lyttos and Polyrrhenia challenged the primacy of ancient Knossos.
Roman, Byzantine and Arab Crete
In 88 BC Mithridates VI of Pontus on the Black Sea, went to war to halt the advance of Roman hegemony in the Aegean. On the pretext that Knossos was backing Mithradates, Marcus Antonius Creticus attacked Crete in 71 BC and was repelled. Rome sent Quintus Caecilius Metellus with three legions to the island. After a ferocious three-year campaign Crete was conquered for Rome in 69 BC, earning this Metellus the agnomen"Creticus." At the archaeological sites, there seems to be li…
Venetian Crete (1205–1669)
In the partition of the Byzantine empire after the capture of Constantinople by the armies of the Fourth Crusade in 1204, Crete was eventually acquired by Venice, which held it for more than four centuries (the "Kingdom of Candia").
The most important of the many rebellions that broke out during that period was the one known as the revolt of St. Titus. It occurred in 1363, when indigenous …
Ottoman Crete (1669–1898)
During the Cretan War (1645–1669), Venice was pushed out of Crete by the Ottoman Empire, with most of the island lost after the siege of Candia (1648–1669), possibly the longest siege in history. The last Venetian outpost on the island, Spinalonga, fell in 1718, and Crete was a part of the Ottoman Empire for the next two centuries. There were significant rebellions against Ottoman r…