Gortys

Gortyn was first inhabited at the end of the Neolithic period (3000 B.C.) and flourished much later, in the Late Minoan period (1600-1100 B.C.), when the villa with the shrine was founded at the site of Kannia, near Metropolis. Remains of the Archaic habitation (7th century B.C.) were located in the area of the Acropolis, while the large inscription, the Gortyn Law Code, dated to the 5th century B.C., attests the prosperity of the city, which continued until the Hellenistic period (3rd-2nd century B.C.). Gortyn became an ally of Rome and during the Roman period (1st-5th centuries A.D.) reached the peak of its prosperity as the capital of the province of Crete and Cyrene. Here, Apostle Titus preached Christianity and in A.D. 250 the Ten Saints martyred. In A.D. 824 the city, which had become the seat of an Archbishop, was destroyed by the Arabs. The first investigations on the site were conducted in 1884 by the Italian archaeologist F. Halbherr. Since then, excavations have been carried out by the Italian Archaeological School and the 23rd Ephorate. Some of the uncovered buildings were consolidated during the excavations. Only the famous Code of Gortyn was incorporated and sheltered within a small building in the north circular wall of the Odeion. The most important monuments of the site are: Odeion. It is a typical Roman theatre of the 1st century A.D. with two entrances on the north side and an almost semicircular orchestra. The north wall of the formerly raised skene (stage) had four niches for statues. Only three rows of benches are preserved of the cavea. The Gortyn Law Code. The inscription with the Code is to be seen in the north round wall of the Odeion, sheltered in a small structure. It is a complete code of law, based on Minoan tradition, despite the city's Doric origin. Dated to 450 B.C. Church of St. Titus. Large, stone-built cruciform church with three semicircular conches, threesided outside, and two small apses on the north and south arm of the cross. The church has many successive architectural phases (the one seen dates from the 6th century A.D.) and was destroyed by the Arabs in A.D. 824. Isieion. The sanctuary of the Egyptian Divinities (1st-2nd centuries A.D.) is a rectangular area dedicated to the cult of many gods, such as Isis, Serapis-Zeus and Anubis- Hermes. It had an underground cistern. The cult statues of the gods stood on an oblong podium with crepis. Temple of Apollo Pythios. It was built in the Archaic period (7th century B.C.) and originally was a rectangular house with a treasury. In the following, Hellenistic and Roman periods (4th century B.C.-2nd century A.D.) several additions were made to the building, including the prodomos, the colonnades, and a conch which sheltered the statue of Pythios Apollo. The Praetorium was the seat and residence of the proconsul of Crete. It is divided into two parts: the administrative section, in which the central building is the basilica, and the more "private" sector. The preserved ruins are dated to the 2nd century A.D. and seem to have been repaired in the 4th century A.D. Northeast cistern and Nymphaeum. They lie immediately to the north of the Praetorium. The first cistern was a rectangular, open-air structure with conches on all sides, where the statues of Nymphs were placed. It was converted into a vaulted cistern in the 7th century A.D. The Acropolis on the hill of Aghios Ioannes. Large sections are preserved of a polygonal fortification wall with towers at the corners (10th- 6th centuries B.C.). Within the enclosed area there was an Archaic temple, on the ruins of which an Early Christian basilica was later erected.

Byzantine Gortys

Gortys (Gortyna) was an extremely important city during the early christrian period till the Arab conquest. According to tradition, Gortyna was the first city of Crete to accept Christianity. It was the see of the Apostle Titus, first bishop of Crete, whose name bears the basilica. There are many important early Christian monuments inside the archaeological site of Gortyna, which covers a rather large area. In 1884 the Italian archaeologists Halbherr and Fabricius started the excavations in this site. The Italian Archaeological School continues up to this day the excavatory research under the supervision of the Greek Archaeological Service. During these years, the excavatory research has brought to light a monumental early christian basilica near the archaeological site. The excavations of the 13th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities uncover an early christian tetraconch Baptistery. The most important monuments of the archaeological site are: St Titus' s church. It is a cross - shaped three - aisled Basilica with cupola; the northern and the southern arm of the cross end up in conchs. The church was built with rectangular hewn stones and is dated in the 7th century A.D. The church was restored after the recapture of Crete the 10th century. Triconch church founded probably over the tomb of the Ten Cretan Martyrs. The church' s narthex communicates through a tribelon with the central rectangular part of the church. The mosaic floor and the remaining capitals are exquisite. The church is dated in the 5th century.

Source : Hellenic Ministry of Culture