Syia is an ancient city in south-west Crete

Crete

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...

. It is located in Sougia

Sougia

Sougia is a village in Chania Prefecture on the island of Crete, Greece. It is located on the south coast of the island, 70 km south of Chania. It has 109 residents and it's within the municipality of East Selino...

 village, 70 km south of Chania

Chania

Chaniá , , also transliterated Chania, Hania, and Xania, older form Chanea and Venetian Canea, Ottoman Turkish خانيه Hanya) is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania peripheral unit...

.

History

Like Lissos

Lissos

Lissos is an ancient city in south-west Crete, in Agios Kirikos area, near the small village of Sougia, 70 km south of Chania....

, Syia was a capacious and safe harbour of Elyros

Elyros

Elyros is an ancient city, located in southwest Crete, in Kefala Hill, near the village Rodovani and is presently unexcavated. Elyros was flourishing at least as early as the Greek Classical Period, e.g. 500 to 350 BC. In the Classical Period Elyros was the most important ancient city in...

. Strabo

Strabo

Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...

 calls the town Syba. The name derives probably from the word “sys (σῦς), i.e. hog. Therefore, Syia is the “hog-city”. There might have been forests of oaks and hollies, which is the basic food of pigs.

Syia flourished in the Roman and the 1st Byzantine period. There are Roman ruins and three large Palaiochristian Basilicas.
Syia had set up monetary union with Yrtakina

Yrtakina

Yrtakina was an ancient city in south-west Crete. The city was located between the existing villages Temenia and Papadiana, on Kastri hill, where the ruins of the city are situated....

, Elyros

Elyros

Elyros is an ancient city, located in southwest Crete, in Kefala Hill, near the village Rodovani and is presently unexcavated. Elyros was flourishing at least as early as the Greek Classical Period, e.g. 500 to 350 BC. In the Classical Period Elyros was the most important ancient city in...

, Lissos

Lissos

Lissos is an ancient city in south-west Crete, in Agios Kirikos area, near the small village of Sougia, 70 km south of Chania....

, and Tarra

Tarra, Crete

Tarra or Tarrha was an ancient city of western Crete, near Samaria Gorge, at Agia Roumeli village. It is near the sea, on the hill, on the left bank of the stream bank. It was probably established in the Classical period and was very important religious centre. The city flourished in the...

. The city also participated in the Koinon

Koinon

Koinon , meaning "common" and interpreted as "commonwealth", "league" or "federation" were a number of associations of cities in ancient and early modern Greek history. The various federations termed Koinon were:...

 the Oreians.
It seems that the Saracen

Saracen

Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...

s destroyed the city.

Robert Pashley

Robert Pashley

Robert Pashley was a 19th century English traveller and economist. See Pashley was born in York and studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. Distinguished in mathematics and Classics, in 1830 he was elected a Fellow of Trinity at his first sitting...

 detected ruins of the Roman water supply and thermae

Thermae

In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...

in the north by west of Elyros. In Syia, there are also relics of ancient buildings, walls, hollowed tombs, and the foundations of Roman houses. Pashley also observed inscribed crosses on marbles.