The Fortification
The plateau of the Paliokastro hill on which the nucleus of the city stood was protected by a wall 3,480 m long. The plateau, 231 m above sea level, is a strategically located natural stronghold with steep slopes and few access points. The fortifications are dated before the middle of the 4th century BC, as evidenced by their construction and the pottery found in the test trenches dug in the foundation layer of the west side. Following and exploiting the terrain, which imposed a different approach to each section to ensure better defences and to avoid wasting resources, the fortifications are not built to a unified architectural design. The ground plan features ridges that were very useful for defence. The weak points were protected by towers (six have been found so far).
The construction and width of the wall vary, as do the shape and spacing of the towers. The masonry also exploits the terrain. The rocks on the south and southeast sides provided natural defences. The fortifications on the north and northeast sides, where the hillside is steep, are constructed of large stones of uneven size. On the east side, where the terrain is more rugged, a mixed polygonal system is used, with rectangular ashlars interspersed with more irregular blocks. On the west and southwest sides, where the main gate was located, the masonry is more elaborate, with rectangular ashlars with rough, curved faces and deep joints in the pseudo-isodomic system. This side also features even more carefully built sections of pseudo-isodomic masonry, consisting of smooth-faced ashlars.
On the western, more accessible side of the fortifications are three gates, two on the southwest and one on the northwest. One of these is the more elaborate main gate. Accessed by a paved road, it is protected by a rectangular tower on the west. Another gate on the northeast side, with well- preserved monolithic door jambs, is known as the “Iron Gate” (Sideroporti). From there, a paved road led down to the harbour at Kissamos, the peripheral towns and villages of the valley (today’s Kalami and Kyani Akti), and other cities to the east. There were sally ports at intervals, as we see from the west wall.
The fortifications of Aptera are of the advanced type of the 4th century BC, extensively adopted across Crete during this period, and incorporating defences intended to withstand the new siege engines. They feature sally ports, cross-walls and multi-storey square towers for placing war machines. Extensive traces of a siege in Hellenistic times (catapult shot, sling bullets and moulds, spearheads and arrowheads) were found in the excavations on the west side of the wall, particularly near the tower. We know that the city was besieged by Polyrrhenia and its allies, Philip V of Macedon and the Achaeans, during the great Cretan War of 220 BC (Polybius ΙV, 55,4).
Similar meticulously constructed ashlar masonry is also found in other Cretan fortifications of the period, at Eleutherna, Phaistos, Phalassarna, Matala, Kastri in Keratokambos and Viannos. Polygonal masonry is also seen at Hyrtakina.
The construction and width of the wall vary, as do the shape and spacing of the towers. The masonry also exploits the terrain. The rocks on the south and southeast sides provided natural defences. The fortifications on the north and northeast sides, where the hillside is steep, are constructed of large stones of uneven size. On the east side, where the terrain is more rugged, a mixed polygonal system is used, with rectangular ashlars interspersed with more irregular blocks. On the west and southwest sides, where the main gate was located, the masonry is more elaborate, with rectangular ashlars with rough, curved faces and deep joints in the pseudo-isodomic system. This side also features even more carefully built sections of pseudo-isodomic masonry, consisting of smooth-faced ashlars.
On the western, more accessible side of the fortifications are three gates, two on the southwest and one on the northwest. One of these is the more elaborate main gate. Accessed by a paved road, it is protected by a rectangular tower on the west. Another gate on the northeast side, with well- preserved monolithic door jambs, is known as the “Iron Gate” (Sideroporti). From there, a paved road led down to the harbour at Kissamos, the peripheral towns and villages of the valley (today’s Kalami and Kyani Akti), and other cities to the east. There were sally ports at intervals, as we see from the west wall.
The fortifications of Aptera are of the advanced type of the 4th century BC, extensively adopted across Crete during this period, and incorporating defences intended to withstand the new siege engines. They feature sally ports, cross-walls and multi-storey square towers for placing war machines. Extensive traces of a siege in Hellenistic times (catapult shot, sling bullets and moulds, spearheads and arrowheads) were found in the excavations on the west side of the wall, particularly near the tower. We know that the city was besieged by Polyrrhenia and its allies, Philip V of Macedon and the Achaeans, during the great Cretan War of 220 BC (Polybius ΙV, 55,4).
Similar meticulously constructed ashlar masonry is also found in other Cretan fortifications of the period, at Eleutherna, Phaistos, Phalassarna, Matala, Kastri in Keratokambos and Viannos. Polygonal masonry is also seen at Hyrtakina.