Chapter 01 - Cyprus in Antiquity

The strategic location of Cyprus in the north-eastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea has always
played a significant role in its history. At the crossroads between East and West, and facing the fertile
valley of the Nile, the island in antiquity was in close proximity to the great civilizations of the Syro-
Palestinian coast, while it was also linked to areas of the Aegean and Asia, through intense interactions
and exchanges. As a consequence, Cyprus attracted the attention of several great Empires of the
antiquity such as the Assyrians, the Persians, the Macedonians and the Romans. The control of the
island – the third largest island in the Mediterranean basin after Sicily and Sardinia – was of a crucial
importance for the political, economic and strategic interests of these major Empires.
Cyprus was exalted for its important geographical position, but mainly for its legendary wealth,
already in antiquity. The Greek geographer Strabo (63BC – AD21) wrote in 23 BC:
« In fertility Cyprus is not inferior to any one of the islands, for it produces both good wine and good
oil, and also a sufficient supply of grain for its own use. And at Tamassus there are abundant mines
of copper, in which is found chalcanthite and also the rust of copper, which latter is useful for its
medicinal properties. Eratosthenes says that in ancient times the plains were thickly overgrown with
forests, and therefore were covered with woods and not cultivated; that the mines helped a little
against this, since the people would cut down the trees to burn the copper and the silver, and that the
building of the fleets further helped, since the sea was now being navigated safely, that is, with naval
forces, but that, because they could not thus prevail over the growth of the timber, they permitted
anyone who wished, or was able, to cut out the timber and to keep the land thus cleared as his own
property and exempt from taxes ».
Rich, fertile meadows, abundant fresh water, dense forests that covered the mountains of Troodos
and the Kyrenia mountain range, olives, vines, fruit and nuts, figs, almonds and pistachios, carobs,
pomegranates, palms and lotus, wild animals like moufflon, wild pig, fox, also domesticated animals
like, pigs, goats, sheep, dogs and cats composed the Cypriot environment of the ancient times.
The ancient Cypriot environment was composed by rich, fertile meadows, abundant fresh water, and
dense forests that covered the mountains of Troodos and the Kyrenia mountain range. The flora of
the island was rich with products, such as olives, vines, fruit, figs, almonds and pistachios, carobs,
pomegranates, palms and lotus. The fauna consisted of wild animals, such as the moufflon, wild pig,
and the fox, while domesticated animals included pigs goats, sheep, and cats.
Ancient Cyprus was particularly famous for its copper resources. Due to the discovery and mining of
copper ores the island became infamous for the production and trading of raw material and metal
objects. The principal copper ores are on the north and northeast slopes of the Troodos mountains.