Mikro Valaneio

The small Roman Bath is at the northern part of the archaeological site of Sector I of ancient Eleftherna (position Katsivelos). It includes at least two building stages from the 2nd to the 6th/7th century A.D. Its construction must have started after the middle of the 2nd century A.D., that is, after the destruction and abandonment of the neighbouring public building of the Hellenistic/Roman times.

On its west side two identical chambers were discovered that were used as hypocausts. Their floors are not preserved. The two chambers were connected with each other with an air pipe. They both belong to the first stage of the building. They were abandoned in the late 4th century and were used as garbage depositories in the early Byzantine period, mainly in the 6th and 7th centuries A.D.

Next to the western vaulted side of the two hypocaust - chambers there are three rooms of unknown use that were constructed at a later stage. Next to the northern side of the Valaneio a complex of six rooms was discovered. Three of the rooms belonged to a house and the remaining three ones belonged to the Valaneion. The second use of the Valaneion was interrupted in the time of Constantine II.

The most important centre of the Minoan Civilization, Knossos, extends on the Kefala hill, among olive trees, vineyards and cypresses, 5 km southeast of Heraklion. The river Keratos (today Katsambas) flows next to it.

(Authors: V. Niniou- Kindeli, El. Mathioudaki, Archeologists)