Cyprus

Quick Facts: Who was Cyprus?

Subject:

Cyprus

Known for:

Island nation in the Mediterranean Sea with a complex history of empires and division.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Cyprus, officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, located off the coast of the Levant mainland in West Asia. The island of Cyprus, which is the third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean, is divided along the United Nations Buffer Zone between the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognised only by Turkey. The south of the island also hosts the British sovereign military bases of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The capital and largest city of Cyprus is Nicosia. Cyprus was first settled by hunter-gatherers around 13,000 years ago, with farming communities emerging by 8500 BC.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The late Bronze Age saw the emergence of Alashiya, an urbanised society closely connected to the wider Mediterranean world. Cyprus experienced waves of settlement by Mycenaean Greeks at the end of the 2nd millennium BC. Owing to its rich natural resources (particularly copper) and strategic position at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia, the island was subsequently contested and occupied by several empires, including the Assyrians, Egyptians, and Persians, from whom it was seized in 333 BC by Alexander the Great. Successive rule by the Ptolemaic Empire, the Classical and Eastern Roman Empire, Arab caliphates, the French Lusignans, and the Venetians was followed by over three centuries of Ottoman dominion (1571–1878). Cyprus was placed under British administration in 1878 pursuant to the Cyprus Convention and formally annexed by the United Kingdom in 1914.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The island's future became contested by its Greek and Turkish communities. Greek Cypriots sought enosis, or union with Greece, which became a Greek national policy in the 1950s. Turkish Cypriots initially advocated for continued British rule, then demanded the annexation of the island to Turkey, with which they established the policy of taksim: partitioning Cyprus and creating a Turkish polity in the north. Following nationalist violence in the 1950s, Cyprus was granted independence in 1960. The crisis of 1963–64 brought further intercommunal violence between the two communities, displaced more than 25,000 Turkish Cypriots into enclaves, and ended Turkish Cypriot political representation.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1571: 1571 Milestone — Successive rule by the Ptolemaic Empire, the Classical and Eastern Roman Empire, Arab caliphates, the French Lusignans, and the Venetians was followed by over three centuries of Ottoman dominion (1571–1878).
2. 1878: 1878 Milestone — Cyprus was placed under British administration in 1878 pursuant to the Cyprus Convention and formally annexed by the United Kingdom in 1914.
3. 1960: 1960 Milestone — Following nationalist violence in the 1950s, Cyprus was granted independence in 1960.
4. 1963: 1963 Milestone — The crisis of 1963–64 brought further intercommunal violence between the two communities, displaced more than 25,000 Turkish Cypriots into enclaves, and ended Turkish Cypriot political representation.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Cyprus

True or False: “The name 'Cyprus' is definitively traced back to an Eteocypriot word meaning 'copper'.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the island gave its name to the Latin word for copper (aes Cyprium), the etymology of the name itself remains unknown.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abbas the Great — Historical peer (Born in 1571) (1571): Fifth Safavid Shah of Iran, considered one of the greatest rulers in Iranian history.
• Benvenuto Cellini — Historical peer (Died in 1571) (1571): Master Italian goldsmith, sculptor, and author of a celebrated autobiography.
• Ahn Chang Ho — Historical peer (Born in 1878) (1878): Pioneering Korean independence activist and leader of the Korean-American community.
• Alfred Döblin — Historical peer (Born in 1878) (1878): Pioneering German modernist novelist, essayist, and doctor, famed for Berlin Alexanderplatz.
• Abdul-Karim Qasim — Historical peer (Born in 1914) (1914): Iraqi military officer who led the country as Prime Minister from 1958 to 1963.
• Adolph Green — Historical peer (Born in 1914) (1914): American lyricist and playwright known for his long-running, witty partnership with Betty Comden.
• Abdel Fattah al-Burhan — Historical peer (Born in 1960) (1960): Sudanese military officer and leader who assumed control of Sudan in 2019.
• Adam Clayton — Historical peer (Born in 1960) (1960): Irish-English bassist and founding member of the globally renowned rock band U2.
• Abd el-Krim — Historical peer (Died in 1963) (1963): Moroccan revolutionary leader who spearheaded the revolt against French and Spanish Protectorates.
• Abdul Ghani Baradar — Historical peer (Born in 1963) (1963): Afghan politician and religious leader; co-founder of the Taliban.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cyprus