Aradena (Araden, Aradaina, Heraden) Sfakion. Aradena is located in the western area of the gorge, at Sfakia.
The gorge separates the plateau of Aradena with that of Anopolis, in the west of Agia Roumeli and near Agios Ioannis. Stefanos Byzantios confuses Aradena with Anopolis. The ruins of ancient Araden or Heraden are preserved at Passopetra location, near the village Aradena. It was independent city and it was one of the thirty cities of the often-cited decree. The ancient necropolis is at Xenotafi location. Phoenix was the port of Aradena.
It is believed that Phoenician colonisers established it and they link the name of the city with the Phoenician word Aruad, which means shelter. In Phoenicia, there was a city with the same name. Aradena was flourishing until the last centuries of Venetian dominion and the first century of the Turkish dominion. Its citizens were working on sailing and trading. In the Revolution of Daskalogiannis against the Turks of the Ottoman Empire, the village was utterly ruined.
To Aradaina, we can go via Chora Sfakion and Anopolis. Araden is city of Crete, which is also called Anopolis, because it is in high location.
The citizen from the genitive form of the word, was called Aradenios, like Araphenos, Araphenios Stef. Byzantios.
Aradaina on Map
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