From post-Minoan to Roman times (900 B.C. - 330)

According to historical sources, in post-Minoan times a small town named Herakleion, which may have served as a harbour for Knossos, stood on the site of the present city. This was located in the area around and to the west of the Archaeological Museum.

The palace of Knossos proper was inhabited up to 1100 BC, and was thereafter regarded as a sanctuary, where a temple dedicated to the goddess Rhea stood. The town of Knossos continued to exist until the Arab conquest.

Building remains and other finds confirm that the small town of Herakleion was continuously inhabited and underwent gradual expansion throughout antiquity. Its boundaries lay around the area enclosed by Daedalou St, Xanthoudidou St, Meramvellou St and Aretousas St, while in the Roman era this grew to cover the land up to 25th August Street and Sofokli Venizelou Avenue on the seafront.