Ten city-kingdoms of Cyprus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ten city-kingdoms of Cyprus Δέκα πόλεις-βασίλεια της Κύπρου (Greek)
Ethnic groups	Greeks, Phoenicians, other Cypriot populations
Today part of	Cyprus

Imagine a time long, long ago, around 2,700 years ago! On the beautiful island of Cyprus, there were ten special places called city-kingdoms. Think of them as small, independent cities that acted like their own tiny countries, each with its own ruler. We know about these ten kingdoms because their names were written down in an ancient message, carved into stone or clay, by a powerful king named Esarhaddon. He was the ruler of a huge empire called the Neo-Assyrian Empire. These kingdoms had different backgrounds: some were mainly Greek, some had a mix of Greek and Phoenician cultures, and others were Greek with influences from the original people of Cyprus, called Eteocypriots.

Discovering Ancient Cyprus's City-Kingdoms

What Were These City-Kingdoms?

Long ago, before countries as we know them existed, many cities were powerful enough to rule themselves. These were called city-kingdoms. Each one had its own king, its own laws, and its own army. They often traded with other kingdoms and sometimes even went to war. The island of Cyprus, located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, was a very important place for trade routes. This made it a perfect spot for these independent city-kingdoms to grow and thrive.

We learned about these specific ten kingdoms from an ancient text. It was an inscription, which is like a very old document carved into stone or clay. This particular inscription was made by King Esarhaddon, who ruled the mighty Neo-Assyrian Empire. His empire was one of the biggest and most powerful in the world at that time, stretching across a large part of the Middle East. The inscription lists the kings of Cyprus who paid tribute (a kind of tax or payment) to him, showing his influence over the island.

The Ten Important Kingdoms

The ten city-kingdoms of Cyprus were unique because they had different cultural backgrounds. This mix of cultures made ancient Cyprus a very interesting place! Here are the kingdoms, grouped by their main cultural influence:

Greek-Speaking Kingdoms

Most of the city-kingdoms on Cyprus had strong ties to Ancient Greece. People in these kingdoms spoke Greek and shared many traditions with the Greeks. These kingdoms included:

• Paphos, known for its beautiful temples.
• Salamis, a very important and wealthy city.
• Soloi, located on the northwest coast.
• Kourion, famous for its ancient theater.
• Chytroi, an inland kingdom.
• Idalion, another important inland city.
• Ledrai, which is where the modern capital, Nicosia, is located.
• Tamassos, known for its copper mines.
• Kyrenia, a coastal city with a natural harbor.
• Marion, located on the west coast.
• Lapethos, which was mostly Greek but had some Phoenician influence for a short time.

Kingdoms with Phoenician Ties

One kingdom had a strong connection to the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians were famous sailors and traders from what is now Lebanon. They established trading posts all over the Mediterranean.

• Kition, located on the southeast coast, was a major Phoenician center in Cyprus. It was a busy port where goods and ideas were exchanged.

The Unique Eteocypriot Kingdom

One kingdom was a mix of Greek and Eteocypriot cultures. The Eteocypriots were the original inhabitants of Cyprus before the Greeks arrived. They had their own unique language and traditions.

• Amathus, located on the southern coast, was a kingdom where the Eteocypriot culture remained strong, even as Greek influence grew.

See also

• Timeline of Cypriot history