The initial conflict erupted around the late 4th century BCE and persisted until 290 BCE. Subsequently, a peace treaty was etched on a stone slab, which was later excavated and is now preserved in the Kisamos museum in Crete, which you might visit en route to Falassarna. The subsequent clash involved Sidonia, commencing around 184 BCE and lasting roughly two years. Roman commissioner Appius Claudius concluded this warfare by mandating a ceasefire and negotiation talks in a different region of Crete.
Falassarna, once notorious as a hub of piracy around 300 BC, drew the ire of the Romans due to frequent maritime raids. In 69−67 BC, the Romans launched a full assault to subdue the city. They succeeded, blocking the harbor and leaving only a narrow passage, while also inflicting destruction upon parts of the city and killing some inhabitants. However, specific historical details are scarce. Any remaining structures were ultimately destroyed by a tsunami in the early AD, as previously mentioned.
After the 365 AD earthquake, there were no records of Falassarna until 1859. Rediscovered then, the first to inspect were Robert Pashley and Royal Navy Captain T. A. Spratt. Spratt determined that the site, a hundred meters inland, was swiftly submerged by a tsunami, a fact corroborated in the 20th century.
In 1966, extensive excavations at Falassarna were initiated by Dr. Yannis Tzedakis and Vanna Niniou-Kindeli of the Ephorate of Antiquities. Their efforts unearthed numerous ancient tombs, with some artifacts now preserved in the museums of Kissamos and Chania. The duo’s research also shed light on the city’s fortifications, towers, roads, baths, water storage systems, a sacrificial altar, and even a vineyard. Intriguingly, Falassarna’s harbor, nearly a hectare in size, was for a long time the only enclosed port on Crete’s western flank.
Two decades later, a new round of excavations was initiated. This phase shed light on the port’s layout, the municipal cemetery, and the acropolis. The latter was fortified with walls featuring towers and bastions. Information was also uncovered about an intricately carved seat, dedicated either to Poseidon or used as a platform for public speakers. Additionally, everyday objects discovered at the site indicate that Falassarna was a bustling community well before the 4th century BCE.
The quasi-mixed reality simulation, developed by Gunnar Listest and Elpida Hadjidaki from 2010 to 2015, offers the most precise visualization of the ancient city-state, located about a kilometer from a village sharing its name.
For beachgoers headed to nearby Falassarna, public buses are available from Chania. However, if you’re driving, take the E75 and E65 towards Kissamos. On foot, it’s roughly a 30-minute walk from modern Falassarna to the archaeological site.
