Archeologists working in a remote part of Crete have discovered an ancient Roman odeon that they think would have been used for events such as lectures, musical contests and city council meetings.
The ruins of Lissos, an ancient settlement, are tucked away in a mountain-ringed cove in south-west Crete and can only be reached by water or a strenuous climb, and due to the city’s isolation has not allowed for much exploration over the last several decades.
New work at Lissos has uncovered an odeon, similar to a modern auditorium and indicative of the prosperity of the town.
Research surrounding this remote site shows that it was inhabited long before it became known in the fourth century B.C.
Lissos is assumed to have been an important stop on Mediterranean trade routes because of its proximity to Cyrene, a significant ancient Greek city in modern-day Libya, across the Mediterranean Sea.
Structures from different time periods that have been found at Lissos have been particularly well maintained, including a unique temple to Asclepius, the ancient Greek god of medicine.
Archaeologists have now added an odeon to this list of structures following the first excavation at Lissos in more than half a century.
Source: Live Science
