Greece, Crete, Aptera ancient site (00:02:18)

Aptera was inhabited since Minoan times, the first reference of the city Aptera as A-pa-ta-wa is traced in Linear B tablets coming from Knossos in the 14th- 13th century B.C but it only became a significant city around the 8th century BC. Its location above the bay of Souda was also strategically important: close to its two seaports Minoa (today’s Marathi) and Kasteli (near Kalyves) Aptera could control the circulation of ships and it became a very important trading post in Crete and one of the greatest cities on the island.
Aptera was destroyed in the great earthquake of 365 AD and only sparsely inhabited afterwards but a monastery dedicated to St. John the Theologian remained amidst the ruins.