ale divinity, corresponding to the traditions that the
state was founded by two individuals and was governed by two rulers. An
illustration of this is furnished by Sparta, which "was governed by two
kings, belonging to two different royal families ... the origin of this
custom is unknown ... these kings usually were at enmity with each
other...." "The population of Sparta was primarily divided into five
'phyles,' identified with five local districts. The names of the latter,
Pitane, Mesoa, Limnai, Konoura and Dyme, were identical with those of the
five Comes or group of separate communities which had constituted the
state of Sparta at the time of Thucydides." It will be perceived that this
organization corresponds to that of a capital and four provinces.
Simultaneously the population was grouped into three main classes and
twenty-seven phratries.

Considering that in ancient times the belief prevailed, and was shared by
the Spartans themselves, that Lycurgus had introduced his scheme of
organization from Crete, it is interesting to learn that "the Cretans
themselves claimed that their laws dated from a remote antiquity and had
been communicated to Minos and Rhadamanthus by Zeus himself." In one of
the most ancient portions of the Odysseus, Idomeneus is represented as
ruling in particular over cities situated in _the middle_ of the island.
In historical times the central rulership or monarchy had been abolished
and "the state was ruled by ten chiefs of tribal divisions, who bore in
common the title Cosmos and held office for the limit of one year."
Although the most ancient accounts of the maritime supremacy of Crete
under its king Minos, the "son of Zeus," are regarded as grossly
exaggerated, modern authorities agree that, on account of its geographical
position, Crete must undoubtedly have been an extremely important centre
of maritime commerce, during a prolonged period.

On this account, and because the Spartans acknowledged to have received
their scheme of organization from Crete, I draw particular attention to
the design on a coin from Cnossus, the most important capital of Crete,
which recently arrested my attention. It is preserved at the Berlin Museum
and is reproduced in Spamer's work, already cited (fig. 72, 14 and 15). On
the obverse, it exhibits the fabulous Minotaurus the monster, half man and
half bull, who is stated to have ruled the island. On the reverse, is a
geometrical figure, representing a swastika