Ancient Lato
Ancient Lato is a ruined city of the classical and Hellenistic period, spread across two hills at 380 m elevation roughly 3 km north of Kritsa in eastern Crete. Lato looks out over Mirabello Bay from that ridge. The city is the most completely preserved town of the classical and Hellenistic period in Crete, and one of the most complete anywhere in Greece.
Walking the site takes in fortifications, the market, the prytaneum, a small theatre, temples, public buildings and cisterns. The layout of a Greek city is legible here in a way it is not at most Cretan sites.
The name Lato and the city’s gods
The name Lato comes from the Dorian pronunciation of the goddess Leto, who was probably worshipped in this area. The city’s patron deity, though, was Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth. Eileithyia is the figure who appears on Lato’s coins.
Nearchus, the admiral born at Lato
Nearchus was born at Lato and lived from 360 to 312 BC, later serving as the admiral of Alexander the Great. His father, Androtimos, ruled Lato before moving to Macedonia to become an advisor to King Philip II.
Nearchus followed his father to Macedonia as a child. He grew up alongside his friend Alexander and had Aristotle as a tutor.
From Minoan settlement to Roman decline
Lato existed in the Minoan period but grew into a city only after the Dorian invasion. It stayed inhabited until the Roman era, when it began to decline.
Surviving inscriptions record agreements between Lato and other towns, which is the clearest evidence that it ranked among the strongest cities in Crete. Those treaty texts are part of what makes the site useful to archaeologists.
Kamara, the port that outgrew Lato
Lato’s port stood on the site of present-day Agios Nikolaos and was called Kamara. In the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, Kamara overtook its mother town in importance, as happened at other seaside places in Crete once maritime trade grew. The modern town that replaced it is covered on our Agios Nikolaos page, 6.0 km from the ruins.
What to see near ancient Lato
A gorge, a hill village and the beaches of the Mirabello coast all sit within a short drive of the ruins. These are the places we cover closest to Lato, nearest first.
- Kritsa Gorge lies 1.7 km away, the nearest walk to the site.
- Kritsa town lies 2.5 km away, the nearest village to the site.
- Almyros beach lies 4.9 km away, the closest shore.
- Gargadoros beach lies 5.2 km away, a pair of quiet swims at Agios Nikolaos.
- Kimzu Sea Lounge beach lies 5.4 km away, a beach bar shore.
- Ammos beach lies 5.6 km away.
- Ammoudi beach lies 5.7 km away.
- Listi Spilios beach lies 5.9 km away.
- Things to do in Agios Nikolaos covers the town 6.0 km away, on the site of Lato’s own port.
- Kitroplatia beach lies 6.1 km away.
- Ormos beach lies 6.2 km away, also called Katholiko.
- Havania beach lies 6.5 km away.
- Vathi beach lies 6.8 km away.
- Ancient Naxos at Oxa lies 8.7 km away, another ancient site in the area.
- Priniatikos Tower lies 9.0 km away.
Frequently asked questions
Where is ancient Lato in Crete?
Ancient Lato is roughly 3 km north of Kritsa, on two hills at 380 m elevation above Mirabello Bay. Agios Nikolaos lies 6.0 km from the ruins.
What can you see at ancient Lato?
Visitors can see the fortifications, the market, the prytaneum, a small theatre, temples, public buildings and cisterns. Lato is the most completely preserved classical and Hellenistic town in Crete, so more of the street plan survives here than at comparable sites.
Where does the name Lato come from?
The name comes from the Dorian pronunciation of the goddess Leto. Leto was probably worshipped in the area, but the city’s patron deity was Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, whose face appears on Lato’s coins.
Who was Nearchus of Lato?
Nearchus was the admiral of Alexander the Great, born at Lato and living from 360 to 312 BC. His father Androtimos ruled the city before moving to Macedonia as an advisor to King Philip II, and Nearchus grew up there with Alexander, taught by Aristotle.
Was Agios Nikolaos the port of Lato?
Yes. Lato’s port stood where Agios Nikolaos stands today and was called Kamara. Kamara overtook its mother town in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, in the same shift towards the coast that maritime trade produced elsewhere in Crete.
Location
Ancient Lato is located at Ancient Lato, in the Lassithi region of Crete. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
