The ancient city of Phalasarna-One of the most powerful naval cities of Crete

The ancient city of Phalasarna is located in the middle of the west coast of Cerete, at Koutri cape. Finds from the surrounding area prove that the city was already inhabited in the Minoan period and in the Archaic and Classical years. 

The city was at its peak between the middle of 4^th c B.C and 67 B.C when it was destroyed by the Romans, most probably because  it turned to piracy and its harbor went out of use. There are however, traces of reuse of the site and indications of habitation in Roman  times exist on the opposite side of the bay. 

Earthquakes in 66 A.D and mainly in 365 A.D. destroyed the city, raised the land approximately 6,6 meters higher and turned the harbor into dry land , buried  under tons of landfill. 

Rescue excavations first took place in 1966 and the systematic archeological research began in 1986. The ancient harbor, the city and the necropolis are gradually unveiled.

 Phalasarna was one of the most powerful naval cities of Crete in the Hellenistic period.

Minting began there  in the second half of the 4^th century B.C. with a female head (Diktyna or the nymph Phalasarna). 

Phalasarna was a fortified citadel with a southwest orientation. 

Ruins of temples, probably consecrated to the goddess Artemis-Diktyna, exist on the top  of the ridge. 550 meters of the city walls are still intact doubled in some places and date to the second half of the 4^th century B.C.