Cretan King Minos - myth or reality? Such a ruler really existed in antiquity. Not only archaeologists speak about this, but also the manuscripts and legends that have survived to this day are narrated. The reign of the king became legendary. It was an incredible era of heroes of ancient Greece. The gods are added by the folk epic. Not only ethnographers and archaeologists speak about Minos with great respect, but also the Greeks themselves.
The mystery of the birth of Minos
According to legend, Zeus is the patron saint of heaven, lightning and thunder - one of the main ancient Greek gods. He was very voluptuous and once kidnapped Europe, the daughter of the Phoenician king Agenor. Soon she gave birth to three children, one of whom was the future ruler of Crete.
Climbing the Cretan Throne
The mother of King Minos was very beautiful, and before leaving Crete, Zeus ordered Asterius, who was then the ruler of the island, to adopt the children of Europe and marry her. Before his death, the king decided to give the throne to Minos. And wanting to make sure his choice was correct, he asked Poseidon for approval. In response to his pleas, a beautiful bull came ashore from the depths of the sea. This was a confirmation from Poseidon of the correctness of the decision. And after the death of Asteria, Minos inherited the throne.
Board of Minos
The new lord of Crete began his rule with the establishment of certain laws. King Minos climbed Mount Ida. On it, Zeus dictated to him a set of laws by which his son should be guided. So Minos became the first Greek legislator. The new king of Crete sent his brother Radamant to establish laws on other lands. Subsequently, Zeus gave Minos a scepter and helped with advice.
Soon he subjugated a part of the lands of Lycia and became the founder of the city of Miletus. On the south side of Attica, Minos discovered large deposits of silver and, capturing the surrounding land, built the city of Lavrion. Thanks to the new ruler, the seas were cleared of pirates, and their shelters destroyed. Minos became the first owner of a powerful navy.
It was not for nothing that the ruler was called wise. The Cretan king Minos did not spend money on defenses. He decided that the best defense for the island was the navy. And on the nearby islands, strong points were built. Thanks to the navy and the extermination of pirates, the inhabitants of Crete were able to trade with other countries. And due to this, the island became prosperous and rich.
Abode of Minos
The capital of Crete was the city of Knossos. In this city a magnificent palace towered, in which King Minos lived with his wife Pasiphae. They had many children, and some of them were honored to become heroes of legends and myths. Crete was guarded by Talos, the copper-headed copper guard. It was a gift from Zeus to his son. Three times a day, Talos went around the island, throwing stones at enemy ships (if they sailed close). In addition, Crete was guarded by the navy.
Minotaur
Poseidon was waiting for the sacrifice of a beautiful bull. But Minos left the beast in his herd, and in return gave a simple horse. Poseidon was very offended and inspired Pasiphae with a passion for a beautiful bull. Master Daedalus, expelled from Athens, was in the service of Minos. And on the orders of his wife he made a wooden cow. Pasifaya climbed into it and entered into an unnatural relationship with a beautiful bull.
She became pregnant, and after the due time, the Minotaur appeared. But his mother died during childbirth. Minos, seeing a baby with a bull’s head, placed him in a maze created specifically by master Daedalus.
Sons of Minos
With Athens and their king Aegeus, Minos always maintained friendly and very close ties. Therefore, sports competitions were often held between them. Androgeus, one of the sons of Minos, became a famous athlete. Once he won the next games of all the Athenian youths. The ruler of Athens, a former fanatic of his own athletes, decided in revenge to kill the young man.
The king sent Androgya to hunt for a marathon bull. It was certain death. Minos, learning how his son died, decided to take revenge on the ruler of Athens. He went there with his navy. And he made King Aegeus acknowledge his dependence on Crete. This was expressed in constant sacrifices. The king of Athens was supposed to send seven young men and women to Knossos for nine years. They became victims of the Minotaur.
Daughters of Minos
This continued until Ariadne, daughter of King Minos and Pasiphae, fell in love with Theseus, son of Aegeus, ruler of Athens. The girl gave her lover a ball of magic thread. Thanks to them Theseus tracked down the Minotaur and killed him. Then he was able to get out of the maze in which the latter lived.
Another famous daughter of the Cretan king Minos is Fedra. She married Theseus, who promised to marry Ariadne. Fedra’s husband was highly respected due to his many deeds. Theseus had a son, Hippolytus, from his first marriage. And Fedra burned with love for him. Then the daughter of King Minos committed suicide. Perhaps in order to save the honor of her husband, but according to other sources - out of fear of her husband.
Conquest
King Minos was fair. When he decided to capture Megara, Ares's son, King Nis, ruled there. He had an amazing purple strand. She was the mascot of Nis. Minos offered the ruler’s daughter, Skilla, a beautiful golden necklace for a purple strand cut from her father’s head. And the girl brought Minos the hair of Nis. The city was taken, the inhabitants were killed. But Skilla, having received the promised necklace, and, despite the assistance provided, was executed for treason as a warning to the rest.
He dreamed of conquering Minos and the island of Keos. He arrived there in 50 ships. But on the island he found only three royal daughters. As it turned out, Zeus helped his son. He struck all the inhabitants together with the king with lightning strikes, angry at the evil glances with which people enchanted the crops. So Keos became the possession of Minos. One of the royal daughters gave birth to a son, whom he left on the island as an heir. Minos also owned a land army. She was ruled by his sons.
The hunt that brought death
Master Daedalus decided to leave the possession of Minos. And, despite his ban, he was able to escape to Sicily, to the city of Camik. Minos went to look for Daedalus. Arriving in Kamik, he decided by cunning to find out the whereabouts of the master. King Minos took the shell of the newt and promised a good reward to the one who would thread the thread through the shell. Only Daedalus could do this.
And the king of Sicily Kokal, who harbored the master, was seduced by the promised reward. He hoped that Daedalus would definitely help him. The master succeeded, but Minos made sure that he was in Sicily and demanded the extradition of an escaped subject. But the daughters of Kokal opposed this. Daedalus made amazing toys for them, the girls did not want the master’s death.
As a result, he made a pipe in the roof of the bathhouse. And poured boiling water into it while bathing Minos. A Sicilian court physician announced that Minos died of an apoplexy stroke. So ingloriously the legendary and great ruler of Crete perished. His funeral was magnificent, worthy of kings. And the burial took place in Kamik, in the temple of Aphrodite. Then the remains of Minos were transported to Crete. According to legend, after death, the legendary ruler became a judge in the dead kingdom of Hades.
Legendary Cretan king Minos. Myth or reality?
Only the English scientist Evans managed to get permission to excavate Kefal Hill. And in the very first days, archaeologists were able to find confirmation of the legends of Minos. Frescoes depicting Zeus and the Minotaur were found. As well as images of King Minos. Over time, the Knossos Palace was recreated. There was also a labyrinth of the Minotaur in the form of many winding corridors under the palace. But, in addition to myths, legends and frescoes depicting Minos, his existence of direct evidence has not yet been found. However, this does not stop the Greeks from telling tourists about their great ruler, showing the sights that are associated with his name, and having very good incomes from this.