Salamis

　　Introduction 

　　　　Salamis is situated approximately 9.6 kilometers north of Famagusta on the eastern side of the island. In ancient times, it was an important city-state of Cyprus, founded by heroes of the Trojan War.

　　    Between 1194 and 1184 BC, the ten-year Trojan War (described in Homer’s epic *Iliad*) took place between Greece and Troy (an ancient city in northwestern Asia Minor, now Hisarlik in Turkey). Teucer, son of King Telamon of Salamis Island in Greece and a hero of that war, sailed across the sea to the eastern shore of Cyprus, where he established a city and named it after his homeland.

　　　　Over the course of roughly 2,000 years of history, Salamis played a significant role among the city-states of Cyprus. During the Roman period (58 BC – 395 AD), it was known as the “Eastern Emporium.” In the early years of Byzantine rule over Cyprus, it served as the island’s capital. The city was later destroyed by an earthquake and buried under sand and gravel.

　　    Emperor Constantine the Great’s son rebuilt Salamis, though on a smaller scale than its original size. Today, visitors can only explore the excavated ruins to imagine the grandeur of this once-thriving ancient city-state. The unearthed Roman theater is the largest of its kind not only on the island but also along the Mediterranean coast. It is semi-circular and open-air, with a stage diameter of 27.5 meters and a capacity to hold over 20,000 spectators. Additionally, the excavation site has revealed a Roman marketplace, numerous marble columns, statues, and an early water supply system.

　　 Kyrenia, Cyprus