Praesus

{{Short description|Ancient city in Crete}} [[File:Praisos 1. Akropolis 25.jpg|thumb|First Acropolis of Praesus]] [[File:Earliest Eteocretan inscription from Praisos.png|thumb|Eteocretan inscriptions from Praesus]] '''Praesus''' or '''Praisos''' ({{langx|grc|Πραῖσος}}),<ref>Böckh, ''Inscr.'' vol. ii. p. 1102,</ref> also '''Prasus''' or '''Prasos''' (Πρᾶσος),<ref name=Strabo>{{Cite Strabo|x. pp. 475, 478}}</ref> was a [[ancient Greek|Greek]] city in [[ancient Crete]]. [[Strabo]] reports that it belonged to the [[Eteocretes]], and contained the temple of the [[Zeus|Dictaean Zeus]], for [[Mount Dicte]] was in the territory of Praesus.<ref name=Strabo/> Strabo reports Praesus as lying between the promontories [[Samonium (Crete)|Samonium]] and [[Chersonesus (Crete)|Chersonesus]], at a distance of 60 [[stadion (unit)|stadia]] from the sea, and close to [[Mount Dicte]].<ref name=Strabo/> However, Strabo confuses Praesus with [[Priansus]], when he says it bordered upon the territory of [[Leben (Crete)|Leben]], and was distant 70 stadia from the sea, and 180 from [[Gortyn]].<ref name=Strabo/>

The site was populated in [[Neolithic]] times, and remnants of [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]] and [[Mycenaean Greece|Mycenaean]] settlements have also been found. The inhabitants of Praesus believed that the [[Kouretes]] were children of [[Athena]] and [[Helios]]. The city was razed by the inhabitants of [[Hierapytna]] in 140 BCE, in a war that pitted Gortyn and Hierapytna against [[Knossos]] and its allies.<ref>{{Cite Strabo|10.3.19, 10.4.6; 10.4.12}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Estrabón, ''Geografía'' libros VIII-X|page= 485, n. 460|author=Juan José Torres Esbarranch|language=Spanish|place=Madrid|publisher=Gredos|year=2001|isbn= 84-249-2298-0}}</ref> Praesus was mentioned by [[Theophrastus]] in ''On Love'': Leucocomas, the beloved of Euxinthetus, gives his lover the task of bringing his dog back from Praesus to Gortyn. The territory of Praesus extended across the island to either sea.<ref>''[[Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax]]'', p. 18, Huds.</ref> It is said to have been the only place in Crete, with the exception of [[Polichna (Crete)|Polichna]], that did not take part in the expedition against [[Camicus]] in [[Sicily]], in order to avenge the death of [[Minos]].<ref>{{Cite Herodotus|7.170}}</ref> [[Agathocles (writers)|Agathocles the Babylonian]], related that the Praesii were accustomed to sacrifice swine before marriage.<ref>Athen. 9.376.</ref>

The site of Praesus is located north of the modern village of [[Nea Praisos]] (formerly Vaveli),<ref name=Barrington>{{Barrington Atlas|page=60}}</ref><ref>{{Cite DARE|25169}}</ref> which is located in the east of the island on the peninsula of [[Sitia]]. The remains of the city are distributed over three hills and include a partially preserved wall.

== References == {{Reflist}} {{DGRG|title=Praesus}} {{Authority control}}

{{Coord|35.124577|N|26.089225|E|display=title|format=dms|source:http://dare.ht.lu.se/places/25169}}

[[Category:Populated places in ancient Crete]] [[Category:Former populated places in Greece]] [[Category:Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Crete]]