Gortyna, located on Crete's Mesara Plain, was a major ancient city second only to Knossos. Inhabited since the Neolithic period (7000 BC), it flourished during the Bronze Age under Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. By the Archaic and Classical periods, Gortyna was a powerful city-state, sometimes allied with, sometimes rivaling, Knossos. In 67 BC, Romans conquered Crete, making Gortyna capital of the province of Crete and Cyrenaica. The city thrived under Roman rule, with new infrastructure like the Praetorium, amphitheater, and Sanctuary of the Egyptian Gods.
A key discovery is the Gortyn code, the oldest known complete ancient Greek law, offering insights into 5th century BC social, economic, and legal structures. Gortyna embraced Christianity during the Byzantine era, evidenced by the Basilica of Saint Titus. The Arab conquest in the 9th century AD led to its decline. Today, Gortyna is a major archaeological site with ongoing excavations. Key sites include the Praetorium, Odeon (housing the Gortyn code inscription), amphitheater, Pythion Theater, Sanctuary of the Egyptian Gods, Basilica of Saint Titus, and Acropolis.