THE PAST

   Tragic and sorely tried is the face of Crete; something ancient, holy, bitter and pride is in this face, like the faces of mothers whose proud sons have been torn away by death. For centuries pirates and conquerors, such as the Dorians, Saracens, Romans, Venetians and the Turks took Crete by storm until finally, in 1913, Crete was united with the motherland of Greece.

• Early Stone Age Period 6500 - 3100 BC: First inhabitants probably from Asia Minor.

• Knossos Palace maquette

  Pre-palace Period ca. 3100 - 2100 BC: New wave of immigrants from the Levant bringing the first copper.
• Late Palace Period ca. 2100 - 1700 BC: Cultural peak - destroyed by a massive earthquake.
• Early Palace Period ca. 1700 - 1400 BC: Revival of the Minoan culture, the palaces are larger and more splendid than before.
• Post Palace Period 1400 - 1100 BC: Occupation of the island by Mycenaean settlers
• Greek era 1100 - 67 BC: Take over of power by immigrant Dorians.
• Roman Period 67 BC - 395 AD: After conquer by the Romans, the autonomy of city/states was dissolved and Gortyna proclaimed as capital of the new province.
• First Byzantine Period 395 - 824: Crete falls to East Rome at the division of the Roman Empire. The first major churches are built.
• Invasion by the Arabs 824 - 961: Looting of the island by Saracen pirates
• Second Byzantine Period 961 - 1204: East Rome re-conquers the island. Settlement by inhabitants from the mainland. New trading impetus.
• Venetian Rule 1204 - 1669: Crete wasn't fought for but was sold to the Venetians.
• Ottoman Rule 1669 - 1898: Fall of the stronghold Candia. With the exception of 3 strongholds, Crete is now Turkish. However, under the pressure of the allies, the Turks have to leave the island.
• Crete's Autonomy 1898 - 1913: The Cretan National Assembly proclaims unification with Greece and which is officially recognised in 1913.

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