
History
There is evidence of human occupation in Gortyn as far
back as the Neolithic era (7000 BC). Many artifacts have been found from the
Minoan period, as well as some from the Dorian (circa 1100 BC). Although it's
disputed whether the city was in development during the Minoan period, it is
true that the city was in existence during the heroic times, because it is
referenced by Homer, among the cities of Crete with particular flowering and was
mentioned as well fortified. The city has also been complimented by Plato and
many others. The city of Gortyn surpassed the prominence of Phaistos during the
first millennium BC, Phaistos having been the most significant city on Crete
during Minoan times. The period of its great prosperity, however, coincided with
the Hellenistic ear. Gortyn exceeded in force and prosperity the other cities of
Crete and took the hegemony of the island, dominating the entire valley from
Messara to Levina, and later in the 2nd century after the destruction of
Phaistos extended its power to Matala.
Gortyn had excellent relations
with Ptolemy IV of Egypt, and experienced a new period of prosperity during the
Roman period. As it had allied with the Romans, it avoided the disaster that
happened to many other Cretan cities, when invaded by Quintus Caecilius Metellus
Creticus in 68 BC.
Gortyn continued to rise under Roman rule, and became the
capital of the joint province of Creta et Cyrenaica. From the 4th century it was
the capital of a separate province of Crete. The city was destroyed in ca. AD
828 by invading Arabs, who established their own state on the island. One of the
first Christian temples was built here and the remains of an important Christian
cathedral of Crete can still be seen today. This cathedral, dedicated to St.
Titus the first Bishop of Crete, was erected in the 6th century AD. Built with
large isodomic stones, this cathedral keeps its intended height only in the
areas of the Holy Bema and in pastophora. The church structure is a cruciform
with a dome which is based on four pillars.
Archaeology
Excavations of Gortyn were begun in 1884 by the Italian School of Archaeology at
Athens. The excavations showed that Gortyn was inhabited from the Neolithic age.
Ruins of a settlement on the citadel of Gortyn, were discovered and dated back
to 1050 BC, their collapse dating to the seventh century BC. Later the area was
fortified with a wall. At the top of the hill in the citadel a temple was found
dating to the 7th century BC. In this area two embossed plates were found, along
with several other sculptures and paintings. Daedalic plastic and many other
clay figurines, black and red figure paintings and plenty of pottery, especially
the type called kernos, were found in the temple. Graves dating to the geometric
age were found on the south side of the citadel. Regarding the lower town, the
excavation uncovered the position of the Agora (market) and the temple of
Pythian Apollo, which is 600 meters from the Agora. At the foot of Prophet Elias
are traces of a sanctuary of Demeter.
Monuments in Gortyn
The
heart of Roman Gortyn is the Praetorium, the seat of the Roman Governor of
Crete. The Praetorium was built in the 1st century AD, but it was altered
significantly over the next eight centuries. In the same area, between the Agora
and the temple of Apollo are the ruins of the Roman baths (thermae), as well as
the temple of Apollo, an honorary arch, and the temple of the Egyptian deities
with the worship statues of Isis, Serapis and Anubis. Parts of the Roman
settlement, such as the theater (2nd century AD), have been unearthed during
excavations. The theater has two entrances and a half-circular orchestra, the
outline of which may still be seen today. Behind the Roman Theater are what has
been called the "Queen of the Inscriptions". These inscriptions are the laws of
the city of Gortyn, which are inscribed in the Dorian dialect on large stone
slabs and are still plainly visible.
The law code of Gortyn

Among archaeologists, ancient historians, and classicists Gortyn is known today
primarily because of the 1884 discovery of the Gortyn Code which is both the
oldest and most complete known example of a code of ancient Greek law. The code
was discovered on the site of a structure built by the Roman emperor Trajan, the
Odeon, which for the second time, reused stones from an inscription-bearing wall
that also had been incorporated into the foundation of an earlier Hellenistic
structure. Although portions of the inscriptions have been placed in museums
such as the Louvre in Paris, a modern structure at the site of the mostly ruined
Odeon now houses many of the stones bearing the famous law code.
The myth
of Europa and Zeus
Classical Greek mythology has it that Gortyn was the
site of one of Zeus' many affairs. This myth features the princess Europa, whose
name has been applied to the continent, Europe. Disguised as a bull, Zeus
abducted Europa from Lebanon and they had an affair under a plane tree
(platanus), a tree that may be seen today in Gortys. Following this affair three
children were born, Minos, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon, who became the kings of
the three Minoan Palaces in Crete. The identification of Europa in this myth
gives weight to the claim that the civilization of the European continent was
born on the island of Crete. Many coins were found with Europa representations
on the back, showing that the people honored Europa as a great goddess.
Gortyn and The Odyssey
According to Book III of Homer's The Odyssey,
Menelaus and his fleet of ships, returning home from the Trojan War, were blown
off course to the Gortyn coastline. Homer describes stormy seas that pushed the
ships against a sharp reef, ultimately destroying many of the vessels but
sparing the crew.