imdefs:“Around 3000 B.C., THE MINOAN CIVILIZATION emerges on the island of Crete, southernmost of th

imdefs:“Around 3000 B.C., THE MINOAN CIVILIZATION emerges on the island of Crete, southernmost of the Greek islands and home to one of the oldest civilizations in Europe. The culture that developed there during the second millennium B.C. spread throughout the entire eastern Mediterranean world. Crete’s command of the seas would allow its stunning art and architecture to deeply influence the Mycenaean Greek civilization. Many myths and legends of Crete center around King Minos, son of the god Zeus. Minos became king of Crete and was said to be advised by Zeus himself. In one popular myth, Minos demands that Athens send 14 Athenian youths to Crete to be sacrificed to the fearsome Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull, who dwelled in the labyrinth on the island. Although many Minoan structures have been given the secular term “palace,” researchers believe their role was not a royal one. It has never been firmly established whether Minoan Crete had a true royal dynasty, so these lavish palaces may have had mixed secular and religious roles. Some archaeologists interpret these palaces more as civic centers from which to control and distribute raw materials, carry out rituals, mete out justice, maintain water distribution, and also organize festivals for the populace.” -- source link

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