Another valuable and populous city, Gortina, was developed in the fertile plain of Messara. Although it was first inhabited by the late Neolithic period (3000 BC),it enjoyed its greatest prosperity in the times of Roman domination. The hostile attitude of Knossos towards Romans made them turn to Gortina, which didn’t resist. The Romans designated Gortina the capital of Crete. They even endowed the city with temples, theaters, statues, baths and other buildings. It was destroyed by the Saracins in 824 AD and thus the capital was then moved to Xandaka.
