Lentas

Lentas (Ancient Greek: Λεβήνη, romanized: Lebene) was one of the two harbours of Gortyn, which became the most prominent city of Crete after the fall of Knossos.

It is believed that Leben became a sanatorium where sick wealthy Romans, mainly from North Africa, received treatment.

The treatment consisted of a diet with mineral water from an ancient spring near the temple of Asklepios, which was believed to have therapeutic properties and local fruits.

The archaeological investigation of the site started after the first visit of the English captain H. Spratt, in the middle of the 19th century.

Since then no excavation had taken place in the ancient city until recent years when the investigations of the Greek Archaeological Service brought to light the Minoan settlement and graves.