- The Ruins of Gortyn are an archeological site that lies inland, and is 28.5 miles (46 km ) south of Heraklion in the Heraklion Region of Crete.
- Gortyn was the Roman Capital of the combined Province of Cyrenaica and Crete.
History
- Inhabited since 7,000 BCE, Gortyn was active during the Minoan Period and the Dorian Period, and was mentioned by Homer and Plato.
- Gortyn was considered in Greek Mythology to be the site of an affair between Zeus and Europa.
- Gortyn was a Roman Ally during the 1st century BCE, and after the Roman Invasion of 68 BCE, Gortyn became a successful city.
- After 395 CE, Gortyn became part of the Eastern Roman Empire and was made the capital of the separate Province of Crete.
Roman Sites
- The Praetorium (2nd Century CE) which was the Residence of the Roman Governor.
- The Nymphaion (2nd Century CE where the Nymphs were worshipped.
- The Temple of Pythian Apollo
- The Odeon
- which holds the inscriptions of ‘The Laws of Gortys’ from the 6th century BCE, written in a Doric dialect. These Laws were spoken highly of by Plato.
Museums
- Gortyn Law Code
- Located on the Archeological site, the Building houses reused stones with the inscriptions of the ‘Laws of Gortyn’.
- The stones came from the Roman Odeon, that itself held reused stones from a Greek building.
- Archeological Museum of Mesara
- Located on the Archeological site, the museum holds artefacts from the Minoan, Ancient Greek and Roman periods.
Ruins of Gortyn