Roman Cyprus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Provincia Cyprus Ἐπαρχία Κύπρου Eparchía Kýprou
Province of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire
58 BC–688
Capital	Paphos
Historical era	Classical Antiquity · Late Antiquity
• Annexed by Rome after a conflict with King Ptolemy of Cyprus	58 BC
• Battle of Actium	31 BC
• Brief conquest by Arab forces	c. 649–650
• Agreement to share control between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Caliphate	688
Preceded by Succeeded by Ptolemaic Kingdom Cyprus in the Middle Ages
Today part of	Cyprus

Roman Cyprus was the name for the island of Cyprus when it was a province of the Roman Empire. A province was like a state or territory controlled by Rome. Even though it was a small province, Cyprus was very important. It had famous religious sites and was a major center for trade in the Eastern Mediterranean. It was especially known for its copper mines.

The island of Cyprus is in a key location for trade routes. Before the Romans, it was ruled by many other powers, including the Egyptians and Persians. The Romans took control of Cyprus in 58 BC. After a period of political change in Rome, Cyprus officially became a peaceful senatorial province in 22 BC. This meant it was governed by the Roman Senate and did not have a large army stationed there.

The Romans controlled Cyprus for hundreds of years, until the 7th century AD. In 293 AD, the Roman Empire was split into two parts, and Cyprus became part of the Eastern Roman Empire. Under Roman rule, the capital city was Paphos, until it was moved to Salamis (which was renamed Constantia) in 346 AD.

A map of Cyprus showing the cities that existed during the Roman period.

Key Events in Roman Cyprus

• 58 BC: The Roman politician Cato the Younger makes Cyprus part of the Roman province of Cilicia.
• 47 BC: Julius Caesar gives Cyprus back to Cleopatra VII of Egypt.
• 31 BC: After the Battle of Actium, Cyprus returns to Roman rule under the first emperor, Augustus.
• 22 BC: Cyprus becomes its own senatorial province, with Paphos as its capital.
• 15 BC: A powerful earthquake destroys much of Paphos. The emperor Augustus helps to rebuild it.
• 45 AD: The Christian apostles Paul and Barnabas travel across the island.
• 66 AD: The city of Paphos is given the honorary title "Claudian" by the emperor.
• 77 AD: Major rebuilding happens across the island after destructive earthquakes.
• 116 AD: A large uprising occurs in the city of Salamis.
• 293 AD: The Roman Empire is reorganized, and Cyprus becomes part of the Eastern Roman Empire.
• 346 AD: Salamis is rebuilt after an earthquake and renamed Constantia. It becomes the new capital of Cyprus.
• 365 AD: A massive earthquake and tsunami destroy the city of Kourion and damage other coastal areas.

How Cyprus Became Roman

Before the Romans arrived, Cyprus was part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. In 58 BC, a powerful Roman politician named Publius Clodius Pulcher accused the king of Cyprus of being allied with pirates. This gave Rome a reason to take over the island.

The famous Roman statesman Cato the Younger was sent to make Cyprus a Roman province. The king of Cyprus, Ptolemy, died shortly after the Romans arrived. Cato sold the king's property and sent a large amount of money back to Rome. For a while, some Roman governors used their power in Cyprus to become very wealthy.

Later, the famous Roman general Julius Caesar gave Cyprus back to Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt. But after Cleopatra and her ally Marc Antony were defeated by Octavian (later Emperor Augustus) at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, Cyprus became part of the Roman world for good. In 22 BC, Augustus made Cyprus a senatorial province, which meant it was stable and peaceful enough not to need a large army.

Government and Army

The Roman government system on Cyprus was quite simple. The most important official was the proconsul, who represented the emperor and the Roman Senate. The proconsul was in charge of the justice system, public building projects like roads and aqueducts, and the island's security.

The island was very peaceful, so there was no need for a large Roman army. The proconsul had a small number of guards. However, men from Cyprus were required to join the Roman army as auxiliary soldiers (non-citizen soldiers) and serve in other parts of the empire.

Each city had its own local council, led by officials called archons. These councils managed the daily affairs of their cities. Taxes were collected by a Roman official called a quaestor, who was helped by local Cypriots.

Economy and Trade

The Roman period was a very prosperous time for Cyprus. The island's economy grew thanks to the Pax Romana, or "Roman Peace," which made trade across the Mediterranean Sea safe.

Resources and Goods

Cyprus was rich in natural resources. The most important was copper. The island's name even comes from the Greek word for copper. Other valuable goods included:

• Wine
• Olive oil
• Grain
• Timber for building ships
• Glass

Coastal cities like Paphos, Amathus, and Salamis became wealthy trading hubs. Goods from Cyprus were sold in markets as far away as Syria and Palestine.

Roads and Coins

To help trade, the Romans built a network of roads across the island. At first, the emperors paid for these roads. Later, Cyprus was so wealthy that it could pay for its own road construction. Milestones, which were like ancient road signs, were placed along the roads. They showed the distance to the nearest city and often had the name of the emperor who helped build the road.

The Romans also introduced their own coins to the island. Finding Roman coins from all over the empire in Cyprus shows how connected the island was through trade.

Religion in Roman Cyprus

When the Romans took over, they brought their own religious customs, but they also allowed the Cypriots to continue worshipping their own gods.

The Koinon and the Imperial Cult

The cities of Cyprus had a special council called the Koinon. It organized religious festivals and represented the island in dealings with Rome. The Koinon was also in charge of the Imperial Cult. This was the practice of worshipping the Roman emperor as a god. It was a way for provinces to show their loyalty to Rome. Temples and statues were built to honor the emperors.

Local Gods and Goddesses

The most important local deity was Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. According to myth, she was born from the sea foam off the coast of Cyprus. Her temple at Palaiaphos (Old Paphos) was one of the most famous religious sites in the ancient world. People, including Roman emperors like Titus, traveled from all over the Mediterranean to visit it.

Other gods like Zeus, Apollo, and Asclepius were also worshipped in different cities across the island.

Judaism and Christianity

There was a significant Jewish community on Cyprus for many years. In 116 AD, a major uprising took place in Salamis. The conflict caused a great deal of destruction. The revolt was stopped by the Roman General Lusius Quietus. Afterwards, Jewish people were not allowed to live on the island for some time, though they later returned.

Christianity was brought to Cyprus in 45 AD by the apostles Paul and Barnabas. According to the Bible, they traveled across the island and converted the Roman proconsul, Sergius Paulus, in Paphos. This made him the first Roman governor to become a Christian. Over time, Christianity spread, and by the end of the Roman period, many large churches, called basilicas, had been built.

Art and Culture

Sculpture and Mosaics

Roman art styles became popular in Cyprus, especially in wealthy cities like Paphos. The Romans imported marble to create statues of emperors and important citizens. However, local artists also continued to use the native limestone, sometimes creating sculptures that blended Roman styles with Cypriot traditions.

Paphos is famous for its beautiful and detailed mosaics. These are pictures made from tiny pieces of colored stone. The floors of large Roman houses were often decorated with mosaics showing scenes from Greek mythology, such as the stories of Dionysus, the god of wine, or the hero Theseus.

Glass Making

After the invention of glass blowing, glass became much more common and affordable. Cyprus became a center for glass production. Archaeologists have found evidence of glass workshops in cities like Tamassos and Salamis. Cypriot glassmakers produced everyday items like jars, beakers, and flasks for perfume and oil.

Major Roman Cities in Cyprus

Paphos

Nea Paphos (New Paphos) was the capital of Roman Cyprus for most of the period. It was a rich and beautiful city with a harbor, a theatre, and an agora (marketplace). The houses of wealthy citizens, like the House of Dionysus and the House of Theseus, were decorated with stunning floor mosaics that can still be seen today.

The nearby site of Palaiaphos (Old Paphos) was home to the famous Sanctuary of Aphrodite, which remained an important religious center throughout the Roman era.

Salamis

Located on the east coast, Salamis was a major industrial and commercial city. It had a large gymnasium (a place for exercise and education), a theatre that could hold 15,000 people, and a temple to Zeus. Under the Emperor Nero, an aqueduct was built to bring fresh water to the city from a spring 24 miles away. After a major earthquake in the 4th century AD, Salamis was rebuilt and renamed Constantia, becoming the new capital of the island.

Kourion

Kourion was a city on the southern coast. It is known for its magnificent theatre, which offered a view of the sea. The city also had a stadium for chariot races and athletic contests. Just outside the city was the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, an important religious site dedicated to Apollo as the god of the woodlands.

Kourion was completely destroyed by a massive earthquake in 365 AD. Archaeologists have excavated homes that were buried in the earthquake, giving us a snapshot of life in the city just before the disaster.

Other Important Towns

• Amathus: An ancient city on the south coast with another important temple to Aphrodite.
• Kition: A port city, now under the modern city of Larnaca, that was a center for trade.
• Soli: A city in the northwest that was important for its copper mines and agriculture.
• Lapethos: A harbor town on the north coast known for processing copper and making pottery.

Earthquakes

Cyprus is in a region where earthquakes are common. During the Roman period, several major earthquakes caused widespread destruction.

• In 15 BC, an earthquake destroyed Paphos, which was then rebuilt with help from Emperor Augustus.
• In 76 AD, a very powerful earthquake and tsunami hit the island, ruining Salamis and Paphos.
• In 365 AD, a massive earthquake, one of the most powerful in ancient history, devastated the southern coast. The city of Kourion was completely destroyed. This event is often seen by historians as a turning point, marking the end of the classical Roman era in Cyprus and the beginning of the Christian Byzantine period.