Hyrtacina or Hyrtakina ( grc, Ὑρτακίνα), also written as Hyrsacina or Hyrsakina (Ὑρσακίνα),''

Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax The ''Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax'' is an ancient Greek periplus (περίπλους ''períplous'', 'circumnavigation') describing the sea route around the Mediterranean and Black Sea. It probably dates from the mid-4th century BC, specifically t ...

'' p. 18. or Artacina or Artakina (Ἀρτάκινα), was a city of

ancient Crete The history of Crete goes back to the 7th millennium BC, preceding the ancient Minoan civilization by more than four millennia. The palace-based Minoan civilization was the first civilization in Europe. After the Minoan civilization was devastat ...

, which, little as we learn of its position from

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...

and

Stephanus of Byzantium Stephanus or Stephan of Byzantium ( la, Stephanus Byzantinus; grc-gre, Στέφανος Βυζάντιος, ''Stéphanos Byzántios''; centuryAD), was a Byzantine grammarian and the author of an important geographical dictionary entitled ''Ethni ...

, yet we may safely infer from the former's words that it was situated to the southeast of

Polyrrhenia Polyrrhenia or Polyrrenia ( grc, Πολυρρηνία; modern el, Πολυρρηνία, Polyrrinia), Polyrrhen or Polyrren (Πολύρρην) or Polyren (Πολύρην), or Pollyrrhenia or Pollyrrenia (Πολλύρρηνα),''Periplus of Pseudo- ...

, and to the west of Lappa. The ''

'' teaches us more respecting its site; it places it on the south of the island, and to the south of the Dictynnean temple of

Artemis In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...

and the Pergamian district. These indications agree well with the situation of the ruins discovered by

Robert Pashley Robert Pashley (4 September 1805 – 29 May 1859) was a 19th-century English traveller, lawyer and economist. Pashley was born in York and he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. Distinguished in mathematics and Classics, in 1830 he was elected ...

on Kastri hill between the existing villages Temenia and Papadiana.

, ''Travels'' vol. ii. p. 111.

History

Its history is related to the proximate settlement of

Lissus Lissus or Lissos ( el, Λίσσος) could be: * Lissus (Crete), an ancient Greek city in Crete * Lissos (Illyria), an ancient city in Illyria, the present day city of Lezhë in Albania * Lissus, a river in Thrace Thrace (; el, Θράκη ...

, which is also situated in the

Agia Eirini Gorge Agia Eirini Gorge (Greek ''Φαράγγι Αγίας Ειρήνης''), sometimes called St. Irene Gorge, is located in the south-west of the island of Crete, Greece, in Lefka Ori. The gorge starts near the village of Agia Eirini and it ends nea ...

. It has characteristics of other Archaic Period hilltop forts such as

Lato Lato ( grc, Λατώ, Latṓ) was an ancient city of Crete, the ruins of which are located approximately 3 km from the village of Kritsa. History The Dorian city-state was built in a defensible position overlooking Mirabello Bay betwee ...

, where the founding was based upon achieving a site of safety or refuge.C.Michael Hogan, ''Lato Fieldnotes'', The Modern Antiquarian, Jan 10, 2008
/ref> The city was autonomous; it issued its own coins, one displaying the images of a Cretan wild goat and a bee named Tarra. Another coin depicted a dolphin and an eight-ray star.

Elyrus Elyrus or Elyros ( grc, Ἔλυρος) was a town of ancient Crete, which the ''Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax'' places between Cydonia and Lissus. It had a harbour, Syia (Συΐα), situated on the south coast of the island, 60 stadia west of Poecilas ...

, Lissus,

Tarrha Tarrha or Tarra ( grc, Τάρρα), also Tarrhus or Tarros (Τάρρος), was a ''polis'' (city-state) in the southwestern part of ancient Crete, near the Samaria Gorge, at the village of Agia Roumeli. It is situated near the sea, on the hill. H ...

, and Hyrtacina had an established monetary union when they joined the Cretan League in the 3rd century BCE. Hyrtacina was one of the Cretan cities that allied with

Eumenes II Eumenes II Soter (; grc-gre, Εὐμένης Σωτήρ; ruled 197–159 BC) was a ruler of Pergamon, and a son of Attalus I Soter and queen Apollonis and a member of the Attalid dynasty of Pergamon. Biography The eldest son of king Attalus I a ...

Archaeology

The area of the city was in Vlithia Valley towards the sea. In the 19th century, Pashley remarked that numerous vestiges of polygonal masonry on the north and west sides, and measuring little more than half a mile (0.8 km) in length, are still existing. On the other sides the city was precipitous. It is curious to observe the care taken by the inhabitants in defending the gateways of their city. Not only do walls project without the gate, but flanking walls are executed within, forming passages through which the enemy would have to pass before he could set foot within the city. There were two cyclopic walls, parts of which can be seen today. They were integral to a city-castle, where watch and defense soldiers lived with their families. At the acropolis there was found a headless marble statue of Pan; it has legs and feet of a goat, and wears mantle. The statue belongs to the Roman period. In 1939, Theophanidis excavated the Temple of Pan.

References

Populated places in ancient Crete Former populated places in Greece Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Crete Cities in ancient Greece Cretan city-states Pan cult sites {{AncientCrete-geo-stub