Minos

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According to myth, Minos was a king of Crete and the son of Zeus and Europa. He is believed to be the king of the first European civilization, the Minoans. Little is known about the Minoans—their name was popularized by British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans, who derived it from the name of their king. Minos first appeared in literature in Homer’s Illiad and Odyssey. From his capital in Knossos, Crete, Minos reigned over Crete and the islands of the Aegean Sea. King Minos is also famous for his half-bull, half-human offspring, the Minotaur, and the Labyrinth he built to keep him.

Synonyms:
king minos
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