The archaeological site of Gortys ( Gortyna, Gortyn), in the valley of Messara, near Heraklio,on the island of Crete, Greece.
The archaeological site of Gortys ( Gortyna, Gortyn), in the valley of Messara, 45 km away from the modern capital Heraklion ( Heraklio ), on the Mediterranean island of Crete, Greece. During the Roman period, Gortys (Gortyna) was the capital of Crete and reached the peak of its glory reaching a population of around people. Gortys was the first city in Crete that adopted Christianity. The city was destroyed in 828 AD by Arabs. Christian Gortyna St. Titus, a fellow-worker with the Apostle Paul, preached the Christian Gospel in Crete (Titus 1:5), and the Basilica of St. Titus (Agios Titos) in Gortyna marks the traditional site of his martyrdom. The Basilica of St. Titus represents the best remaining example of an early Christian basilica in Greece. The 6th- and 7th-century basilica was destroyed by the Arabs in 824 and now lies in ruins, but some of the apse and transept remain. 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 can still be seen today. Behind the Roman theater you can see the so-called "Queen of the Inscriptions", the "Gortyn Law Code" .These inscriptions are the laws of the city of Gortys (6th- 5th century BC) and formed the basis for modern Greek legislation. The laws are inscribed, in the Dorian dialect, on large stone slabs and are still plainly visible. According to Greek legend, Zeus married Europa under the plane tree in Gortyna; thus this tree was permitted to remain forever green. Close to Gortyna, you can also see the ancient Minoan palace of Festos (or "Phaistos") and the famous beach of Matala.
Size: 4752px × 3168px
Location: Gortys, (or "Gortys"or "Gortyn") Agioi Deka, Heraklion prefecture, Crete, Greece, Europe
Photo credit: © Mieneke Andeweg-van Rijn / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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