Crete

For thousands of years, Crete has been of paramount strategic importance, thanks to its location close to the junction of three continents and the heart of the eastern Mediterranean. It’s perhaps not surprising, therefore, that when they ruled Crete, the Greeks called it “Megalónisos” or the “Great Island.” Yet the island has been ruled for much of its history by foreign invaders—including Mycenaeans, Dorians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Venetians, Ottoman Turks, and, briefly, the Third Reich. In A History of Crete, Chris Moorey explores the history of the Great Island from mythological Crete until today and sheds light on how the Cretans themselves have interacted with their conquerors. A History of Crete portrays the Cretans as fierce lovers of freedom who worked around and with the influence of foreign rule on their culture. In an engaging and lively style, Moorey emphasizes and contrasts two periods at either end of these three thousand years of domination: the dazzling apogee of the Minoan civilization from the Bronze Age, representing the first advanced civilization in Europe, and the brief period of autonomy before union with Greece at the beginning of the twentieth century. A History of Crete shows how the history of the contested island affected its people and made them to the Cretans of today.

Acclaimed historian and best-selling author Antony Beevor vividly brings to life the epic struggles that took place in Second World War Crete - reissued with a new introduction. 'The best book we have got on Crete' Observer The Germans expected their airborne attack on Crete in 1941 - a unique event in the history of warfare - to be a textbook victory based on tactical surprise. They had no idea that the British, using Ultra intercepts, knew their plans and had laid a carefully-planned trap. It should have been the first German defeat of the war, but a fatal misunderstanding turned the battle round. Nor did the conflict end there. Ferocious Cretan freedom fighters mounted a heroic resistance, aided by a dramatic cast of British officers from Special Operations Executive.

Renowned British novelist Unsworth documents his fascinating travels in Crete, largest of the Greek isles and home to the Minoan civilization of 1500 B.C.--one of the most glittering and sophisticated cultures the world has ever seen.

Here is a fresh, wholly personal, frank yet affectionate account of six years living on Crete, travelling all over the island, meeting all kinds of people and everywhere encountering the homeric island hospitality.

The last several decades have seen a dramatic increase in interest in the Roman period on the island of Crete. Ongoing and some long-standing excavations and investigations of Roman sites and buildings, intensive archaeological survey of Roman areas, and intensive research on artifacts, history, and inscriptions of the island now provide abundant data for assessing Crete alongside other Roman provinces. New research has also meant a reevaluation of old data in light of new discoveries, and the history and archaeology of Crete is now being rewritten. The breadth of topics addressed by the papers in this volume is an indication of Crete’s vast archaeological potential for contributing to current academic issues such as Romanization/acculturation, climate and landscape studies, regional production and distribution, iconographic trends, domestic housing, economy and trade, and the transition to the late-Antique era. These papers confirm Crete’s place as a fully realized participant in the Roman world over the course of many centuries but also position it as a newly discovered source of academic inquiry.

A desire to recreate Minoan palaces, villas, and houses of the Late Bronze Age inspired the author of this book to undertake an eight year research program that has radically modified our conception of the appearance of Cretan dwellings. He not only interprets the use of the rooms that partially survive but reconstructs the guest suites and banquet halls of the vanished upper storeys. Written both as a preparation for a visit to Crete and as an actual guide to the sites," the book is prefaced with an account of the island's geography, history, and culture in antiquity, and packed with illustrations including photographs, plans, reconstructions, and a map of the island showing the sites. Originally published in 1987. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. Originally published in 1962. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Freely provides detailed maps and itineraries for extended excursions. Sized to fit with ease into a backpack or a glove box, this useful compendium is suitable for all travelers to that part of the world--Booklist

The secret of Crete is Wunderlich's attempt to resolve the paradoxes that have obsessed the archaeological world ever since Evan's spectacular find at the beginning of this century.

The Moon Over Crete -- Novel for ages 8-12. Listed in Great Books for Girls. Lily, 11, goes back 3,500 years to ancient Crete, where women and men were equal. "Paints a picture of a society where equality is a possibility, a possibility children need to grasp." -- Women in Libraries Newsletter, ALA.