Lyttos/ Lyktos (Greek: Λύττος or Λύκτος), was an important and prosperous city, situated at an altitude of over 600 meters, making it the highest Roman city in Crete. Its exceptional altitude was crucial for hydrotechnical engineers in assessing the feasibility of an aqueduct supply given the surrounding topography.
The Lyttos Aqueduct, constructed in the 2nd century AD, was a sophisticated and impressive structure featuring stone bounding courses, a stone-piped inverted siphon, brick facing, and brick buttressing. Its water source was situated on the western slope of the mountains surrounding the Nissimou plateau, specifically at a location called Pigi Kournias, a few kilometers south of Krasi.
The distance between the city and the aqueduct's water source was approximately 10 km in a straight line. The aqueduct's route followed the contours of the mountains, utilizing their elevation to facilitate the gravity-flow system. However, the karstified highlands through which the aqueduct passed posed challenges for its design and layout, resulting in a winding trajectory that extended its length to 22 km.
Although the exact cause of the aqueduct's demise is uncertain, it is speculated that it may have been destroyed during an earthquake in 365 AD. Today, only remnants of the original aqueduct can be found. Some are visible in Louloudaki, while the most prominent ones are located between Kastamonitsa and Toichos, featuring stretches of stone wall, some reaching up to 10 meters in height and used as roadways in some places. Unfortunately, no visible remains have been identified beyond this section until reaching Lyttos.
Sources:
1. Roman Aqueducts in Crete, Greece: Learning from the Past by A. N. Angelakis, Y. Christodoulakos and V.A. Tzanakakis
2. Aqueduct Lyttos
Just in case, a local cacher will provide maintenance assistance.