Gortyn

Inheritance regulations, fragment of the 11th column of the Law Code of Gortyn, Louvre.

"Gortyna" redirects here. For the Arcadian city, see Gortyna, Arcadia. For the noctuid moth genus, see Gortyna (moth).

Gortyn or Gortyna (Greek: Γόρτυνα, Γόρτυς, or Γόρτυν) is an archaeological site on the Mediterranean island of Crete, 45 km away from the modern capital Heraklion. Gortyn, the Roman capital of Crete, was first inhabited around 3200 BC, and was a flourishing Minoan town between 1600-1100 BC. Placed in the valley of Messara in the north of the Psiloritis mountain in the current position of the settlements of Metropolis and Ten Saints (Hagioi Deka), and near the Libyan Sea.

1 History of Gortyn
2 Archaeology
3 Monuments in Gortyn
4 The law code of Gortyn
5 The myth of Europa and Zeus
6 Gortyn and The Odyssey
7 References
8 External links

History of Gortyn

There is evidence of human occupation as far back as the Neolithic (7000 BC). Many artifacts have been found from the Minoan period, as well as some from the Dorian (circa 1100 BC). Although is 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,^[1] between the cities of Crete with particular flowering and was mentioned as well fortified. The city is also reported with favorable comments from Plato,^[2] and many others. The city of Gortyn surpassed the prominence of Phaistos during the first millennium BC,^[3] Phaistos having been the most significant city on Crete during Minoan times. The period of its great prosperity, however, coincided with the Hellenistic era. Gortyn exceeded in force and prosperity the other cities of Crete and took the hegemony of island, dominating in the entire valley of Messara until Levina, and later in the 2nd century after the destruction of Phaistos extended its power until Matala. Gortyn had excellent relations with Ptolemy IV of Egypt, and had a new flourish on the Roman period, allied with the Romans, so avoided the disaster that happened to other Cretan cities, when invaded to Crete Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus (68 BC). Gortyn continued to rise under Roman rule, and became the largest city and the capital of Crete and Northern Africa. The city was destroyed in AD 828 by invading Arabs. 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, is dedicated to St. Titus the first Bishop of Crete, was erected in the 6th century AD.^[4] Built with large isodomic stones, keeps its fully height only in the areas of the Holy Bema and in pastophoria. The church is cruciform with a dome which is based on four pillars.

Archaeology

The excavations began in 1894 by the Italian School of Archaeology at Athens. The excavation findings showed that Gortyn was inhabited from the Neolithic age. On the citadel of Gortyn created a settlement around 1050 BC, which lasted until the 7th century BC. Later the area was fortified with a wall. At the top of the hill established a temple in the 7th century BC. In this area found two embossed plates, from the most remarkable examples of the Daedalic plastic and many other clay figurines, black and red figure paintings and plenty of pottery, especially the type called kernos. On the south side of the citadel were found graves of the geometric age. From the lower town, we know the position of the Agora (market) and the temple of Pythian Apollo at a distance of 600 meters from the Agora. At the foot of Prophet Elias found 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. 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, they 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.^[5] ^[6] 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 (platanos),^[7] 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.^{[citation needed]} Many coins found with Europa representation on the back of the bull. It seems 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.

References

^ Homer Iliad, B 646, Odyssey, C 294
^ Plato Laws, A 708
^ C.Michael Hogan, Phaistos fieldnotes, The Modern Antiquarian, 2007
^ Alban Butler, The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints, published by J. Duffy (1866)J. Duffy
^ Ι.Α. Typaldos - Interpretation of the Gortyn inscription discovered at 1884 (Athens 1887)
^ Marg. Guarducci, Gortyniarum legum titulus maximus (page 123, 4th book - Inscriptiones creticae)
^ Yves Bonnefoy, Greek and Egyptian Mythologies (1992) University of Chicago Press