1000 BC – 1000 AD
The colonisation of Crete began in the 9th century BC, especially its western parts, by the Dorians who came down from mainland Greece (Spárti – Árgos). The regime set up on the island was distinctly Spartan (“Politiká” by Aristotélis). That is to say, every town was governed by ten “kósmoi” (they were also generals in the army) who were voted in by aristocratic families for a term of one year. The towns were protected by walls and citadels. Strávon described how freedom was legally established and became the most important commodity. He continued saying the basis of Cretan legislation was that “harmony strengthens and supports the state, unlike discord. Almost all battles between countries or people take place because of an overwhelming desire to procure wealth or because of a propensity towards luxury” (such truth from millenniums before!). Crete did not take part in the Persian wars (5th century BC) because of advice given by the Manteío at Delphoí, which was interpreted as being against their participation. The island of Crete was not then a state from one end to the other, but had independent and autonomous cities, which entered into alliances with other towns in mainland Greece and Ionía or made affiliations between themselves or even fought amongst themselves. Only in the case of outside danger did they join and organise a common government with seat in KNOSSÓS.
The Romans tried on two occasions to conquer Crete and managed on their second attempt in 69 BC, after a 3 year battle. As the Roman historian Annaeus boasted they subdued “the famous birthplace of Zeus”. Crete prospered throughout the duration of Pax Romana and the island progressed. GÓTRYS became its capital. The island accepted Christianity around 66 BC with the teachings of Paul the Apostle. With the dispersal of the Roman Empire (mid 4th century AD), Crete prospered as it did in the Minoan Age and regained its importance as key to the Aegean and station between East and West.
In 824 the Saracens, fleeing from Spain, assailed the island and conquered it. Immediately afterwards they occupied themselves in unprecedented atrocities against the population, violent islamisation and massacres. This domination of the island was to last for 1.5 centuries. The terrifying Saracen pirates built the impregnable stronghold of Chándaka (Irákleio) and became the terror of the whole of the Mediterranean. The Byzantine forces tried on nine occasions to liberate the island but failed in each attempt. As if this were not enough, after each Byzantine failure the Saracens took it out on the population, with massacres, as reprisal for the help offered to the Greeks. The population consequently reached dangerously low levels. Finally in 961, General Nikifóros Fokás, who later became Byzantine Emperor, completely wiped the Saracens out. The Arabian historian Noivaris writes that the dead and slaughtered Arabs numbered 200,000. The Saracen pirates certainly disappeared from the Mediterranean after the victory. Actually, in his comments about the victory of Nikifóros Fokás, the French historian-archaeologist Schlumberger (late 19th century) wrote “The service that the Byzantine provided with its victory was massive for all civilised mankind”.
