Page 273 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

Ruins at Gortys, in
ancient times the most
important city on Crete

a "
Gortys
Γόρτυς
⌂ 52 km (32 miles) S
of Iráklio § 28920 31144
@ # Apr–Oct: 8am–8pm
daily; Nov–Mar: 8am–3pm
daily ¢ Main public hols
The ancient city­state of
Gortys began to flourish
under Dorian rule during the
6th century BC. Following its
defeat of Phaistos in the 2nd of the island. Behind the into a Christian basilica in the
century BC, Gortys became basilica is thought to be a 2nd century AD, it was super­
the main city on Crete. Its pre­ Greek agora, or marketplace. seded by the basilica of Ágios
eminence was sealed after the Beyond this stand the semi­ Títos in AD 600.
Roman in vasion of 65 BC, circular tiered benches of the In the village of Ágii Déka,
when Gortys was appointed Roman odeion (theatre), now east of Gortys, a 13th­century
capital of the newly created home to the famous stone Byzantine church stands on the
Roman province of Crete and slabs inscribed with the Law spot where ten early Christian
Cyrene (modern­day Libya). Code of Gortys. Cretans were martyred for
The city continued to flourish A path leads up to the their opposition to the Roman
under Byzantine rule, but in acropolis hill, where a post­ Emperor Decius in AD 250. An
the late 7th century AD it was Minoan settlement was built icon in the nave portrays the
destroyed by Arab inva ders. around 1000 BC. On the east ten martyrs.
The remains of the 6th­ slope of the hill are the founda­ In the mountains north of
century basilica of Ágios Títos, tions of the 7th­century­BC Górtys, the village of Zarós is
whose floor plan is still clearly Temple of Athena. famous for its spring water.
visible, are immediately To the south of the main From here, a trail leads north
beyond the entrance to the road, an extensive area of through Rouvás Gorge.
site. In its heyday it was the Roman Gortys remains only
premier Christian church of partially excavated. Standing
Crete, traditionally held to be in a grove of olive trees is the THE LAW CODE
the burial place of St Titus, 7th­century­BC Temple of OF GORTYS
first bishop and patron saint Pythian Apollo. Converted The most extensive
set of early written
laws in the Greek world
was found at ancient
Gortys and dates from
around 500 BC. Each
stone slab of the law
code contains 12 col­
umns of inscriptions in
a Doric Cretan dialect.

There is a total of 600
lines. The laws were
on display to the public
and related to domes tic
matters such as mar­
riage, divorce, adoption,
the obliga tions and
rights of slaves, and
the sale and division
of property.

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