Another great sunrise in Kalamaki Beach. The weather was a bit cooler, the winds a bit higher and waves on the Mediterranean more dramatic. Actually the area of the Mediterranean that we are looking over is locally know as the Libyan Sea, the North African country of Libya only 125 miles away. The morning was made even brighter when our AirBnB hostess arrived with two boxes of Greek sweet treats. This was going to be another good day.
Like Cyprus, I am inserting a Cretan timeline into our travel journal just to keep the players in order:
Minoan Civilization (circa 2700 BCE - 1200 BCE): Crete was home to the advanced Minoan civilization, known for its impressive palace complexes, sophisticated art, and maritime trade networks.
Mycenaean Greece (circa 1600 BCE - 1100 BCE, note that they overlap the Minoans): Following the decline of the Minoans, Crete came under the influence of Mycenaean Greeks from the Peloponnesian Peninsula, who settled on the island and established their own centers of power.
Dorians and Dark Ages (circa 1100 BCE - 800 BCE): The Dorians, another Greek tribe best known for their city-state Sparta, migrated to Crete during the Greek Dark Ages, contributing to the island's cultural and political landscape.
Archaic Period (circa 800 BCE - 500 BCE): Crete experienced a period of colonization and expansion by various Greek city-states, including Rhodes, Corinth, and Athens.
Classical Greece (circa 500 BCE - 330 BCE): During the Classical period, Crete was influenced by major Greek powers such as Athens and Sparta, while also retaining its own distinct cultural identity.
Hellenistic Period (circa 330 BCE - 67 BCE): Crete came under the control of the expanding Macedonian Empire, following the conquests of Alexander the Great. It later became part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.
Roman Rule (67 BCE - 330 CE): Crete was annexed by the Roman Republic in 67 BCE and later became a province of the Roman Empire. It flourished economically and culturally under Roman rule.
Byzantine Empire (330 CE - 824 CE): With the division of the Roman Empire, Crete became part of the Byzantine Empire. It experienced periods of prosperity and stability, as well as invasions by Arab and Slavic forces.
Arab Occupation (824 CE - 961 CE): Crete was conquered by Arab forces in the 9th century and became part of the Abbasid Caliphate. Arab rule brought significant changes to the island's culture and society.
Byzantine Reconquest (961 CE - 1204 CE): The Byzantine Empire recaptured Crete from Arab rule in 961 CE, reestablishing Greek Orthodox Christianity as the dominant religion.
Venetian Rule (1204 CE - 1669 CE): Crete was acquired by the Republic of Venice following the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Venetian rule brought economic prosperity and cultural flourishing to the island.
Ottoman Rule (1669 CE - 1898 CE): After a prolonged siege, Crete fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1669. It remained under Ottoman rule for over two centuries, with periods of rebellion and unrest.
Autonomous Cretan State (1898 CE - 1913 CE): Following the Cretan Revolt of 1897, Crete gained autonomy under Ottoman suzerainty, with a Christian prince appointed as governor.
Union with Greece (1913 CE - present): Crete was formally annexed by Greece in 1913, following the Balkan Wars. Since then, it has been an integral part of modern Greece.
Today we visited the Church and Tombs of the Agioi Deka (ten Saints). In the third century AD, ten Christian soldiers in the Roman Army were stationed in Crete at the Gortn. These ten soldiers, steadfast in their devotion to Christianity, refused to renounce their beliefs despite the Emperor's decree to do so. In response, Emperor Decius ordered their arrest and imprisonment. Despite enduring torture and suffering, the Ten Saints remained resolute in their faith, inspiring awe and admiration among the people of Crete. Eventually they were publicly decapitated, and upon that spot the church was built. A short walk away were the Tombs and Shrine of the Agioi Deka.
The part of the church that displays the icons
The Ten Saints, the halos indicate that they have attained martyrdom after the death, they also seemed to have retrieved their heads
Less than a mile away is the Archaeologic Site of Gortn, primarily an early Roman site but with a later ruined Byzantine church. Particularly exciting was the small amphitheater which on the back wall had the laws inscribed. Sandy spent a good deal of time looking for the family law section. Would have helped if she could read Greek.
Lastly we visited the very high tech Archaeological Museum of Messara (no pictures allowed) where as we were the only visitors the Museum director gave us a private tour of this very nice artifact packed museum. After the museum closed Sandy and I had a pleasant two hour conversation with this gentleman with whom we discussed Greek and U.S. politics, religion, and marital relationships. Once you gain the confidence of a Greek, no subjects seem to be off limits.
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