The Minotaur's Island: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

The glorious rise -- and mysterious fall -- of Europe's first civilization Best known for the myth of the Minotaur -- a monstrous half-man, half-bull imprisoned in Daedalus's labyrinth -- Crete gave birth to Europe's first civilization nearly 5,000 years ago, more than two millennia before Homer composed The Iliad. Then it collapsed in fire and violence. Join historian Bettany Hughes as she follows the footsteps of Arthur Evans, Harriet Boyd, and other famed archaeologists to find startling new insights into Minoan culture. How did this ancient people live, worship, and prosper? Why did they build such magnificent palaces, complete with hinged doors, flush toilets, and elaborate warrens of rooms? What role did the daring, acrobatic bull-leapers play in society? And did the civilization finally succumb to natural disasters, foreign invaders, or religious strife? Fresh evidence excavated from sites all over Crete offers tantalizing clues to the everyday life -- and tragic destiny -- of the accomplished artisans and architects who lived at the crossroads of the ancient world.

Series details

• Title: The Minotaur's Island
• Format: Documentary
• Language: English
• Premiere date: 2005-05-07
• Final broadcast date listed: 2005-05-15
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Web channel listed by TVmaze: Acorn TV
• Typical episode runtime: 50 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 68912
• IMDb ID: tt12565320
• TVDB ID: 246441

Cast and credited roles

• Bettany Hughes — Bettany Hughes

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2005-05-07; final listed air date 2005-05-15.

Source and licence

Adapted from The Minotaur's Island on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.