History of Crete Trivia Quiz

Answer: Amalthea

Zeus (Jupiter in Latin) was son of the Titan Cronus (Saturn in Latin). Cronus swallowed all his chidren after they were born. When Zeus was born, his mother, Rhea, gave Cronus a stone to swallow, instead of the baby, which she gave to the Nymphs, to be raised in Psiloritis. Amalthea, a goat-nymph, fed Zeus by her legendary horn of plenty, until he was adult and became King of the Gods on mountain Olympus.

The horn of Amalthea, the cornucopia, symbolizes a source of inexhaustible riches.

Answer: 1941, May

It was one of the most significant battles in Europe during the Second World War. German paratoopers invaded Crete, expected to face little resistance and the Germans hoped to use Crete as their center of operations in Mediterranean. The resistance they faced from the Allied troops - British and Commonwealth and Greek - caused very high casualties and forced Germany to delay the Russian campaign, which ultimately led to their defeat at Stalingrad, Kursk and elsewhere.

Answer: Minoan

The Minoan civilization, headed by King Minos, is the oldest civilization in Europe. They established the Linear A and B scripts, similar to hieroglyphics. The legendary "Phaistos Disk", written in Linear, is still disputed, making it one of the most famous mysteries of archaeology.

It is now located in the Archaeological Museum in Iraklio. The Minoan civilization was destroyed by a volcanic eruption on the island of Santorini around 1500 BC.

Answer: Knossos

The palace of king Minos is located in Knossos, now a suburb of Iraklio. Other major cities of the Minoan Civilization were Phaestos, Gortyna, Malia and Zakros.

Answer: Daedalus

The Labyrinth was a maze, where the Minotaur, a bull-headed beast, lived. Every nine years the Athenians sent seven boys and seven girls to be eaten by the Minotaur, because King Minos' son, Androgeos, had been killed in Athens by King Aegis. Theseus was the hero who, helped by Minos' daughter Ariadne, managed to find his way through the Labyrinth and kill the beast.

Answer: Handaq

Handaq (which means 'trench' in Arabic) is the modern Iraklio. During the Arabian age (824-960), it was the base of the Saracen pirates. In 960, Admiral Nicephorus Phocas, reconquered Crete for the Byzantine Empire. Nicephorus Phocas was Byzantine Emperor from 963-969. His bust in now located in Georgiadis Park, in Iraklio.

Answer: Candia

Venetians captured Crete in 1204, during the Fourth Crusade. Candia is located in modern Iraklio. A lot of buildings in the center of the modern city are of Venetian architecture. The Town Hall is in the Venetian Loggia, near the Four Lions of the famous Morosini Fountain.

Answer: Domenicos Theotocopoulos

Domenicos Theotocopoulos was born in Fodele, a village near Iraklio in 1541. He was a well known painter in Crete and Italy, before he was moved to Spain, where most of his great works were created. He lived in Toledo, where he was nicknamed "El Greco" (The Greek), and died there, in 1614. "The Burial of the Count of Orgaz" is, perhaps, his best known painting.

Answer: Nikos Kazantzakis

Nikos Kazantzakis, was born in Myrtia, a village near Iraklio in 1883, and died in Freiburg, Germany, in 1957. He was wrote many novels and poems. The most famous, apart from "Zorba the Greek", are "The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel","Captain Michalis", "Last Temptation of Christ", "Report to Greco", "The Greek Passion" and "Saint Francis".

The International Airport of Iraklion is named after him.

Answer: Eleftherios Venizelos

The most significant politician of modern Greece was born in Mournies, near Chania, in 1864, and died in exile in Paris, France, in 1936. He is now recognised as a key national leader by all Greeks. His tomb, along with his son's, Sofoklis, are located in Akrotiri, Chania. His name was given to the International Airport of Athens.