This book examines the textual and archaeological evidence for the history of Cyprus from 750 to 500 BC. This significant period of the island's past is examined in three parts. The first surveys what is known about the local population of Cyprus and the political and social organization of the island. The second offer a narrative account of the period within a chronological framework more detailed than any analysis currently available. It suggests that the defining feature of the Cypro-Archaic period was the way in which local kingdoms adapted to different political and economic conditions in the Near East and Egypt, and took advantage of them. It challenges the prevalent view of a succession of foreign overlords controlling the island through military means. The third part discusses the internal and external relations of Cyprus by studying specific groups of pottery, seals, and sculpture. As a whole, this book provies a more complete picture of Archaic Cyprus than ever previously attempted. Generously illustrated with plates and figures, this will be an invaluable work of reference for archaeologists and ancient historians of both the West and Near East.
The history of Cyprus is a fascinating blend of the Greek world to the west and the civilizations of the East - a legacy which still haunts the island today. This major reference work is the first to present and analyse in detail the evidence from texts and archaeology for the history of Cyprus from earliest times right down to the classical period. It is generously illustrated with plates, figures, and diagrams, and offers a wealth of exciting new interpretation on the material, much of which has hitherto been unavailable.
The history of Cyprus is a fascinating blend of the Greek world to the west and the civilizations of the East - a legacy which still haunts the island today. This major reference work is the first to present and analyse in detail the evidence from texts and archaeology for the history of Cyprus from earliest times right down to the classical period. It is generously illustrated with plates, figures, and diagrams, and offers a wealth of exciting new interpretation on the material, much of which has hitherto been unavailable.