Cyprus is a large island located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, east of Greece, south of Asia Minor, west of the Levant, and north of Egypt. The naming of the island is a matter of dispute amongst historians. One theory suggests that the large quantity of copper deposits on the island gave the name Cyprus, as copper has the Latin name of cuprum (the Latin symbol is Cu). Another theory is based on mythology: It proposes that the name was given by the goddess Aphrodite (also known as Kyprida) who was born on the island.
More about: Ancient CyprusDefinition
Timeline
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c. 7000 BCEFirst human settlement of Cyprus.
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7000 BCE - 2500 BCENeolithic and Chalcolithic periods on Cyprus.
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2500 BCE - 1100 BCEBronze Age in Cyprus.
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c. 1600 BCE - c. 1200 BCEUgarit has close ties with Egypt and Cyprus.
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709 BCE - 699 BCECyprus pays tribute to the Assyrian Empire.
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560 BCE - 546 BCECyprus pays tribute to the Egyptian Empire.
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546 BCEThe Persians occupy Cyprus, being invited by Cypriot leaders.
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478 BCESpartan general Pausanias is given command of a force and takes both Cyprus and Byzantium.
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450 BCEAthenian general Cimon dies on Cyprus fighting the Persians.
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323 BCEUpon the death of Alexander the Great, Cyprus becomes part of the Ptolemaic Empire.
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306 BCEDemetrius I of Macedon defeats Ptolemy's fleet at Salamis, off the coast of Cyprus.
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58 BCE - 648 CECyprus is a Roman province.
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115 CE - 117 CECyprus suffers heavily in the Second Jewish-Roman War.
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648 CE - 965 CECyprus is under Arab rule.
