The Minoan civilization on the island of Crete.
Minoan civilization gets its name from the Greek myth of King Minos, first king of Crete, said to be a son of the god Zeus and a human mother named Europa. Archaeologist Arthur Evans is the one who named the era from around 2600 BC to around 1100 BC the period of "Minoan civilization."
Knossos was indeed a rich and famous place, even after the ancient Minoan era. In the periods of Greek and Roman governing of Crete, Knossos remained a prominent city. The legends of King Minos told all sorts of grand tales about the ancient palace there, which included a vast maze known as the Labyrinth, and the Minotaur--half man, half bull--which was kept in the Labyrinth.
