Crete

Greek An island southeast of Greece in the eastern Mediterranean. Crete had one of the world's earliest civilizations, and one of the most brilliant: the Minoan civilization, named after the legendary king Minos. It is believed to be the birthplace of classical Greek language and literature. In mythology, Minos was the son of the god Zeus and Europa. He married Pasiphaë, who fell in love with a bull. Pasiphae gave birth to the Minotaur, half human and half bull. In order to hide the Minotaur, Minos had Daedalus build the famous labyrinth. Young men and maidens were said to be sacrificed to the bull. In the great palace of Knossos, beautiful murals depict these young people vaulting over the back of the Minotaur. Minoan culture was at its prime between 2200 and 1450 b.c.