Thera
Thera also called Santorin and Santorini, a volcanic island of the Cyclades group, Greece. It is in the Aegean Sea about 70 miles (110 km) north of Iráklion (Candia), Crete. Thera is a crescent-shaped island about 12 miles (19 km) long. It is the largest portion left of a larger island that was destroyed by a violent volcanic eruption sometime late in the 17th century B.C. Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the island's economy. Thíra is the chief city and the site of the island's airport.
In 1967 a team of American and Greek archeologists discovered a perfectly preserved Minoan city buried in volcanic ash on Thera. Standing intact are buildings of two and three stories, with frescoes on the walls and jars still containing wine and oil. Evidence found here indicates that the inhabitants had enough warning of the eruption to escape. The great blast caused the top of the volcano, eight miles (13 km) across, to collapse into the sea. It has been suggested that Thera may have been the legendary Atlantis.
Thera has been inhabited since about 2500 B.C. The island has been held at various times by Minoans, Phoenicians, Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Venetians, and Turks.