The island of Crete is located southeast of the mainland of Greece and is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Due to the island’s mountainous terrain, the southern coast is relatively inaccessible. The northern coast, however, has many good harbors.

Homer’s The Odyssey contains one of the earliest historical references to Crete. The ancient civilization of Crete was contemporary to that of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations. Occupation began sometime in the Neolithic Age, approximately 6000 BC. Crete is mainly known for the Bronze Age civilization of the Minoans (3000-1200 BC).

The Minoan Civilization reached its height in the second century BC. There were ninety independent cities and the population was diverse. Knossos, the home of Minos, was the greatest of these. The Minoans built great palaces which were the center of the political and economic life. They traded extensively with the Egyptians and Cyprus, and even settled on other islands, such as Thera.

Around 1450 BC, the Minoans were taken over by the Mycenaeans from mainland Greece. In 67 BC, the island was conquered by the Romans. Crete then became a part of the Byzantine Empire in 395 AD and was then overtaken by the Arabs in 826.

With such a rich and varied history, Crete continues to fascinate us all.