Agii Deka (= the ten holy ones) is a not unattractive traditional little village with friendly people. It's situated on the north side of the Messara Plain, close the the ancient Roman town of Gortyn (sometimes also called "Gortys"), and about 15 kilometres east of the bigger village of Mires. You will find several small taverns and some shops along the main road, but it is not really a tourist destination.
There are stones and ornaments incorporated in some of the houses of Agii Deka, that are taken out of this former Roman capital, including a stone with text (part of "the laws of Gortyn" or a gravestone?). Also some pieces of marble and pillars that you see come from Gortyn.
Supposedly the village is built on top of the ancient cemetery of Gortyn, which explains why so many houses have ancient ornaments incorporated. There is a small local archaeological museum with finds from the area.
The village of Agii Deka is named after the ten early Christian Cretans that were martyred here on the 23rd of December 250 AD, for their opposition to the Roman emperor Decius. There are two interesting churches in the village and both are indicated by a sign from the main road leading through the village. The older of the two is on a square in the village center, the newer one can be found 150 meters further on the edge of Agii Deka. The 12th century Byzantine church of the same name was built on the spot where the ten martyrs were decapitated. In the nave of the church is an icon portraying the martyrdom of the saints and in a glass display lays the marble block on which they were beheaded. On the outskirts of the village is the newer church where you can see six of the ten tombs in which the martyrs have been buried.
