History

Archaeological findings at Idaion Androu Cave (Mt Psiloritis), Geraniou Cave (west of Rethymno) and Elenon Cave (Amari) attest to human presence in the prefecture since the Neolithic period (6000-2600 BC). Archaeological data bearing on the Minoan period (2600-1100) are by far richer, since human activity is evidenced by cave findings and by a series of residential installaitons spreading along the entire prefecture and dating to all phases of the Minoan civilization. Thus, the Sendoni Cave in the area of Zoniana Mylopotamou, the sites in Hamalevri Rethymnou, Apodoulou Amariou and Pyrgi of Elefthernas Mylopotamou date to the Early Minoan Period (2600-2000 BC). The palace installation of Monastirakiou Amariou, the settlement in Pera Galinous Mylopotamou, the settlement of Stavromenou Rethymnou and the Melidoniou and Patsou Caves date to the Middle Minoan period (2000-1600 BC). Finally, the Armenon cemetery, the settlement in Zominthos Anogeion, and the worship site in Fandaxospiliara Prinou date to the Late Minoan period (1600-1100 BC). During the Geometric and Deadalic period (1100-620 BC) important towns such as Eleftherna and Axos (Oaxos) witnessed great properity, while a contemporary settlement developed in the area of Vrysina on the Onythe plateau. These areas’ growth continued into the Archaic period (620-500 BC), yielding works of enormous artistic value.

3500 BC Late Neolithic period. Statuette from Geranou Cave 2800 BC Minoan period. Ithmopyxis from Pangalochori 1000 BC Geometric Archaic, Classcial, hellenistic Period. Helmet from Axos. 67 BC Roman period. Roman sculptural complex of Dionysus- Satyr. AD 400 Byzantine period. Mosaic from Eleftherna. AD 1200 Venetian occupation, AD 1669 Detail from a building’s door frame on Kleidi street.

The ancient town of Rithimna, sited where present-day Rethymno stands, must have flourished during the Classical (500-330 BC) and Hellenistic periods (330-67 BC) as later sources indicate, while other large towns found throughout the prefecture such as Eleftherna, Axos, Lappa and Sivrytos continued to exist both during the Hellenistic and the Greek-Roman period (67 BC - AD 323).

During the Early Byzantine period (330-824), following the transfer of the Roman Empire’s capital to Byzantium and the founding of Constantinople in AD 330, Crete came under the control of the Eastern Roman Empire and constituted a separate eparchy under the command of a Byzantine general. Thereafter, Christianity started to spread on the island and in the 8th century AD the episcopate of Crete came under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople. During the late Christian and Early Byzantine period, many churches were built on the island, brought to light by archaeologists.

Over the period AD 824 – 961, the island remained under the Arab rule; historical evidence from that period in Rethymno is scanty, such as certain Arabic coins unearhted in the village of Giannoudi.

The first fortification of Rethymno was built in the second Byzantine period (961-1210). In 1211 the island entered a long, yet, interesting period of Venetian rule which left a clear mark on the town to this day. The Pirate Barabarosa raided Apokoronas, the outskirts of Chania, Rethymno and Siteia, and this led to the construction of a fort on the hill of Paleokastro wherein the town’s houses were built. Thus, in the third quarter of the 16th century the town begun to assume a Renaissance character according to Venetian standards. During the same period, a series of opulent public and private buildings were erected; just like the city of Venice, the town acquired a central square (piazza), a Noblemen’s Club (Loggia), many fountains, such as the Rimondi fountain, a large sun dial, a central street with small by-passes leading to churches, monasteries, stately homes, and common dwellings. Most of these magnificent buildings notable for their beautiful door frames, either simple or of an elaborate, monumental style, have survived into the present bearing witness to this glorious period in the history of Rethymno.

In 1645 the first Ottoman troops landed on the island and immediately the siege of Chania begun. The town ultimately surrendered after putting up a two-month resistance. Rethymno’s Fortezza surrendered to the Ottomans on November 13, 1646.

From 1866 to 1869, the Cretans led uprisings (the Great Cretan Revolution) against the Ottoman rule which culminated in the holocaust at the Arcadi Monastery . Even after this enormously shocking event and despite the many courageous struggles of the Cretan people for freedom, the island remained under the Turkish rule just as before, a fact that led to a new revolution in 1878 which eventually ensured for the people several religious and political privileges, the most significant one being that a Cretan was allowed to rise to the rank of General Commander of Crete.

1897 was the last year of Turkish occupation on Crete. In 1898, Russian troops disembarked and settled on the island and on December 9 Prince George arrived in Chania to serve as High Comissioner. In the same year, the organization of Crete into an autonomous state with its own Constitution and government begun and was completed by December 1, 1913, day on which Crete was unified with the rest of Greece.

World War II was probably the principal cause of the island’s decline at all levels. The attack by German paratroopers and the bombarding of Rethymno in May 1941 trigerred a number of multi-fatality battles. The unbearable living conditions and the invader’s oppresion from 1941 until 1944 led the people of Rethymno to create a resistance front which took forceful action against the Germans throughout the entire prefecture.

Mythology

The worship of Helios (Sun) and Selene (Moon) was widespread on Crete and gave rise to a number of myths, such as the myth of Minos and Pasiphae, Zeus and Europa, Talos, Daedalus, Minotaur, the Labyrinth, Ariadne and Dicte or Britomartis. Moreover, the growing power and influence of the Minoan world in the Cyclades and the coasts of Eastern Mediterannean spawned myths, such as the myth of Rhadamanthus, Sarpedon, Deucalion, Idomeneus, Miletus and other descendants of Minos. In the Prefecture of Rethymno, there are two areas associated with Cretan mythology: Idaion Andron on Mt Psiloritis and the Talea Mountains, present-day Mt Kouloukounas rising in the northeastern part of the prefecture.

Zeus, the king of gods, was born and reared in the sacred Ida Cave, which was bound to become one of the major cult centers in the ancient world. According to myth, the Titan Cronus, who fathered Zeus, used to devour his children because he was warned by an oracle that one of them would become more powerful and overthrow him. Inconsolable, his wife Rhea who had already lost 5 children in this way, decided to trick her husband and save the life of her last child, Zeus. After giving birth to him secretly, she wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes and handed it to Cronus who swallowed it, thinking it was the child. She then kept the infant hidden in a cave on Mt Ida, while a company of Kouretes (armored male dancers, the mythical Demons of Crete) shouted, danced and calshed their bronze shields to make enough noise to mask the baby's cries from Cronus. Zeus’ milk was provided by Amalthea, a she-goat who suckled him while the cave was being vigilantly watched by a golden dog. Once Zeus had grown up, he became king after overpowering his father Cronus, and in fact forcing him to disgroge his first five children.