Editing Knossos (section)

=== Classical and Roman period ===
{{Primary sources section|date=January 2024}}
[[File:Monnaie - Drachme, Argent, Cnossos, Crète - btv1b8570697m (2 of 2).jpg|thumb|A coin of Knossos, depicting a [[Labyrinth]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wroth |first=Warwick |author-link=Warwick Wroth |url=https://archive.org/details/cataloguegreekc00wrotgoog |title=Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Crete and the Aegean Islands |publisher=Order of the Trustees |year=1886 |pages=xxxiv}}</ref>]]
After the Bronze Age, the town of Knossos continued to be occupied. By 1000 BC, it had reemerged as one of the most important centres of Crete. The city had two ports, one at [[Amnisos]] and another at [[Heraklion]].

According to the ancient geographer [[Strabo]] the Knossians colonized the city of [[Brindisi|Brundisium]] in Italy.<ref>[[Strabo]], 6,3,6.</ref> In 343 BC, Knossos was allied with [[Philip II of Macedon]]. The city employed a [[Phocis|Phocian]] mercenary named [[Phalaikos]] against their enemy, the city of [[Lyttus]]. The Lyttians appealed to the [[Sparta]]ns who sent their king [[Archidamus III]] against the Knossians.<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], XVI 61,3–4.</ref> In Hellenistic times Knossos came under [[Ptolemaic Egypt|Egyptian]] influence, but despite considerable military efforts during the [[Chremonidean War]] (267–261 BC), the [[Ptolemaic dynasty|Ptolemies]] were not able to unify the warring city states. In the third century BC Knossos expanded its power to dominate almost the entire island, but during the [[Lyttian War]] in 220 BC it was checked by a coalition led by the [[Polyrrhenia]]ns and the [[Macedon]]ian king [[Philip V of Macedon|Philip V]].<ref>[[Polybius]], ''Histories'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0234%3Abook%3D4%3Achapter%3D53 IV 53–55].</ref>

Twenty years later, during the [[Cretan War (205–200 BC)]], the Knossians were once more among Philip's opponents and, through [[Roman Republic|Roman]] and [[Rhodes|Rhodian]] aid, this time they managed to liberate Crete from the Macedonian influence.<ref>Theocharis Detorakis, ''A History of Crete'', Heraklion, 1994.</ref> With Roman aid, Knossos became once more the first city of Crete, but, in 67 BC, the Roman Senate chose [[Gortys]] as the capital of the newly created province [[Crete and Cyrenaica|Creta et Cyrene]].<ref name="unrv2">{{cite web | url = http://www.unrv.com/provinces/crete.php | title = Crete | access-date = 2016-11-24 | publisher = UNRV.com}}</ref> In 36 BC, Knossos became a [[Colonia (Rome)|Roman colony]] named ''Colonia Iulia Nobilis''.<ref name=Sweetman2011>{{cite journal|last1=Sweetman|first1=Rebecca J.|title=Roman Knossos: Discovering the City through the Evidence of Rescue Excavations|journal=The Annual of the British School at Athens|date=10 June 2011|volume=105|pages=339–379|doi=10.1017/S0068245400000459|s2cid=191885145}}</ref> The colony, which was built using [[Ancient Roman architecture|Roman-style architecture]],<ref name=Sweetman2011/> was situated within the vicinity of the palace, but only a small part of it has been excavated.

The identification of Knossos with the Bronze Age site is supported by the Roman coins that were scattered over the fields surrounding the pre-excavation site, then a large mound named [[Kephala|Kephala Hill]], elevation {{convert|85|m|ft|abbr=on}} from current sea level. Many of them were inscribed with Knosion or Knos on the obverse and an image of a Minotaur or Labyrinth on the reverse.<ref>{{harvnb|Gere|2009|p=25}}.</ref> The coins came from the Roman settlement of ''Colonia Julia Nobilis Cnossus'', a Roman colony placed just to the north of, and politically including, Kephala. The Romans believed they were the first to colonize Knossos.<ref>{{cite book|title=From Minoan farmers to Roman traders: sidelights on the economy of ancient Crete|last=Chaniotis|first=Angelos|publisher=Steiner|year=1999|location=Stuttgart|pages=280–282}}</ref>