Cyprus

THERE is perhaps no place which has been called by so many Various names different names as Cyprus; in ancient times we find it called of the Island. Cerastis in allusion to its numerous promontories; Sphecia, from its ancient inhabitants, the Spheces; Collinia, from its many hills; Ærosa, from its mines of copper; Macaria, from its excellent situation and rich products, and various other more or less poetic appellations.

Through its Greek population the island received the name of Kypros, a title which is believed to be derived from the Hebrew Kopher (Henna-Lawsonia alba), a plant found there in great abundance, and from which various highly prized oils and salves were produced.

This origin of the present name of the island is generally accepted, though some authorities have endeavoured to trace the word to the Roman cyprum, or cuprum, copper; to the Greek cryptos, hidden; and it has even been suggested that the island was called Cyprus from the cypress-tree; but this opinion is not supported by anything beyond the similarity in the names.

The earliest notice we have of the inhabitants of Cyprus is de- Early settlers. rived from Josephus, who clearly identifies the island with the Chittim of the Old Testament, the place in which the descendants of Kittim, son of Javan, son of Japhet, settled and founded the ancient Citium. This race appears to have held the island, or a portion of it, down to the time of Solomon. Bryant intimates that the Cuthites were also amongst the first settlers in Cyprus.

nicians.

In these early ages the Phoenicians, belonging to the rising Colonization kingdom of Tyre, were the great traders of the Mediterranean, and by the Phofrom Eratosthenes we learn that about the year B.C. 1045, this people established settlements in Cyprus. The history of the island at this period is, however, so involved in an accumulation of legends which have gathered round and obscured the original facts, that no precise information regarding the colonization by the Phoenicians can be procured. It appears that the early settlers maintained from the first a connection with the mother country, and in the time of Hiram, King of Tyre, about B.C. 1,000, we find them revolting against the tribute levied by that sovereign. This revolt was suppressed, and it appears that for a long subsequent period the island continued to be tributary to Tyre.

Equally uncertain is the history of the Greek colonies which Greek are found to have been formed after those of the Phoenicians, and colonies.

Religion.

Towns.

Kingdoms.

Ancient his

tory.

but little is accurately known of the relations between the two races, but it seems probable that the Greeks gradually established a political supremacy, whilst the Phoenicians continued to form an important part of the population, and exercised considerable influence over the manners and customs, arts, and religious rites of the inhabitants in general, and, in fact, although the languages of the two races remained distinct, it would seem that their religions became by degrees entirely amalgamated. The Phoenicians had introduced the worship of the goddess Ashtaroth, whose temple at Paphos was founded, according to tradition, in imitation of a temple of the Tyrian goddess Astarte at Ascalon; this worship was universally accepted by the Greeks in the island, and the goddess was identified by them with their own Aphrodite.

The Phoenicians settled chiefly on the south coast at the most convenient points for trade, and their chief towns were Paphos, Amathus, and Citium. Salamis was the most important of the Greek towns; Soli and Kythræa were founded by the Athenians; Lapethus, Cerinea, Nea Paphos, and Golgoi are also said to have all owed their origin to Greek colonists.

As regards the early monarchical institutions of Cyprus, it is known that both Aristotle and Theophrastus wrote on that subject, but these special writings have been lost, and only a very few facts remain. According to Strabo, the island was divided into ten petty kingdoms, which were sometimes at war with, and sometimes allied to, the neighbouring powers of Greece and Asia Minor. The kingdoms were Salamis, Soli, Chytri, Curium, Lapethus, Cerinea, Nea Paphos, Marium, Citium, and Amathus; the two latter alone appear to have been under Phoenician rule.

The first of the kings mentioned in history is Cinyras, of whose reign various events are related by Homer, but these are much mixed up with legends.

It would appear that the kings of Salamis were generally the most powerful, and at times even the whole island was subdued by them.

In these ancient days a great portion of the commerce between the east and the west centred in Cyprus; the island then possessed good seaports with convenient harbours, forests of trees suitable for ship-building, mines which were productive of great wealth, and an extremely fertile soil; consequently riches poured in, and the inhabitants became notorious for luxury and pleasure.

To follow the history of Cyprus during these times would be a difficult task, for there are but few positive facts to guide us, and for a long period little can be related but a series of unconnected events. At one time the island was conquered by Thothmes III, and became subject to Egypt: afterwards most of its cities were destroyed by Belus, King of Troy in B.C. 707 we read that seven of the Cypriote monarchs sent presents, or tribute, to Sargon, King of Assyria, thus implying subjection. This tribute is said to have consisted of gold, silver, vases, logs of ebony, and various manufactures of the island. The envoys received, and carried back, an evident token of subjection in an effigy of Sargon, which was set up at Idalium, where it was discovered, and is now in the Berlin

Museum. This setting up of the image of a king was then always a sign that he had conquered the country, neverthelesss, in B.C. 685, it is believed that the kings assisted the Cilicians in their struggle against Sennacherib, fearing lest the occupation of Cilicia by the Assyrians might endanger their own island.

Again, we read that about B.C. 675, the King of Cyprus furnished Esarhaddon, King of Assyria, with materials --great beams of wood, statues, and various works in metal-for the construction of his palace at Nineveh.

In B.C. 594, Apries, or Uaphris, King of Egypt (the Pharaoh Hophra of Scripture) defeated several Cypriote monarchs near Citium, and returned to his country laden with spoil.

In B.C. 559, Cyrus subdued the island, but left the kings in their respective dominions, on condition that they should pay tribute to him. A few years later, however (about B.C. 550), it appears that Amasis, King of Egypt, again brought the island under the Egyptian rule, but during the reign of Psammeticus, his son and successor, this yoke was thrown off, and in B.C. 525 the island Surrender to surrendered to Persia, joining heartily with King Cambyses in the Persia. war against Egypt, and becoming thenceforth a tributary province

of the Persian Empire.

When Darius became King of Persia, and founded the satrapies, Cyprus was included with Phoenicia and Palestine in the fifth

tions.

province. Peace was, however, never thoroughly established; in Frequent wars the time of Aristagoras of Miletus, a rebellion broke out, which and insurrectook the Persians a year to suppress; again, during the Ionian revolt, B.C. 499-500, the whole island, except Amathus, rose in arms, and led by Onesilus, brother of Gorgus, King of Salamis, besieged Amathus; after several attacks, in one of which both Onesilus, and Aristocyprus, King of Soli, were slain, this rebellion was crushed.

In B.C. 477, the Athenians and Lacedemonians under Pausanias conquered part of Cyprus, and some years later Cimon arrived with a large fleet to capture the remainder of the island, but he died whilst besieging Citium, and all the conquests were then abandoned.

During the subsequent wars of the fifth century before our era, Cyprus was frequently the scene of hostilities between the Persians and Greeks; attempts to secure a lasting peace were frequently made but always failed, until at last the peace of Antalcidas was Peace of concluded in B.C. 387, and Cyprus was thereby formally relinquished Antalcidas. to Persia; the actual possession of the island was, however, not easily to be obtained; Evagoras, King of Salamis, had for some time been in a state of revolt; he was assisted by the Athenians, by Achoris, independent King of Egypt, and by Hecatomnus, vassal King of Caria; notwithstanding the peace, Evagoras continued hostilities, and at last Artaxerxes, wishing to crush this troublesome rebellion, sent no less than 300 vessels, bearing a large army under command of Tiribazas, to Cyprus. Evagoras ventured to attack this fleet, but was utterly defeated, and his tribunes were dispersed. A struggle was still continued in order to obtain good terms of peace, and it was not until about B.C. 379 that Evagoras was finally subdued. He was, strange to say, even then allowed to

« Предыдущая Продолжить »

Книги