HERAKLION OR "HANDAKAS"
During the Minoan period the centre of the region was Knossos. Heraklion was inhabited from the beginning of the first millennium BC. Quoted by Plinio as being a small city. Throughout the Minoan period it was one of the harbours for Knossos (Heraklia). The Venetians built the settlement and called it Kastro (castle). The Arabs selected Heraklion to be the capital of Crete as it had a well fortified harbour which they used as an operations base for their raids in the Aegean. It was to remain the capital until 1851 and then again from 1971. The Arabs called her fortress Tafrou (trench/moat) in Arabic Hantiak which is were the name for the town Handakas originated and it kept this name until the 19th century.