Cyprus

Cyprus is one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, situated between Cilicia and Syria. Known for its fertile land and strategic location, Cyprus has been a significant cultural and economic hub throughout history. The island is renowned for its production of wine, oil, grain, and minerals, as well as its historical cities and natural beauty. Cyprus has been influenced by various civilizations, including the Greeks, Persians, Romans, and Turks, each leaving a lasting impact on its culture and governance.

Etymology and other names

Cyprus derives its name either from Cyprus, the daughter of Cynica, or from the cypress tree, which is native to the island. The island has also been referred to by other names throughout history, reflecting its diverse cultural heritage.

History

Cyprus has a rich and complex history shaped by successive waves of colonization and conquest:

• Ancient Period: The island was governed by nine kings under Persian rule, as noted by Diodorus Siculus. It was also home to Greek tyrants.
• Roman Era: Cyprus became a Roman province, with cities like Paphos and Salamis flourishing.
• Medieval Period: The island was a target for various powers, including the Saracens and later the Genoese and Venetians.

Geography

Cyprus is located in the eastern Mediterranean, with the Syrian Sea to the east, the Pamphylian Sea to the west, the Egyptian Sea to the south, and Cilicia to the north. The island's geography is characterized by the following features:

Cities and Towns

• Paphos (Bapho): A historic city associated with the mythological birthplace of Venus.
• Salamis (Famagusta): A major port city on the eastern coast, known for its strategic location and trade.
• Nicosia: The capital, located in the center of the island, known for its round shape and fertile surroundings.
• Salines: A city with rich salt pits.
• Amathus, Cerines, Trepano, Connelia, Cithera, Episcopio, Arsinoe (Lescare), Tamassus, Idalium: Other notable cities and towns.

Rivers

• Lycus: Flows southward from Mount Olympus.
• Lapithes: Flows northward from Mount Olympus.
• Other streams are often dry and referred to as torrents.

Mountains

• Mount Olympus (Trohodon): The highest peak, covered with forests and home to monasteries inhabited by Calojerians.

Natural Resources

• Minerals: Brass, iron, alum, emeralds, crystal, and vitriol.
• Agricultural Products: Wheat, barley, wine, oil, sugar, honey, cotton, saffron, and citrus fruits.
• Other Resources: Salt, turpentine, and chamlot (a fabric made from goat hair).

Demographics

The population of Cyprus is diverse, with influences from Greek, Roman, and other ancient cultures. The inhabitants are primarily engaged in agriculture, trade, and craftsmanship. The island's cities are home to a mix of locals and foreign traders, particularly from Venice and England.

Economy

Cyprus has a robust economy based on agriculture, mining, and trade:

• Agricultural Products: Wheat, barley, wine, oil, sugar, honey, and citrus fruits.
• Mining: Brass, iron, alum, and vitriol.
• Trade: Exports include cotton, wool, salt, and minerals. The island serves as a key trading hub between Europe and the Levant.
• Currency: The coinage system is the same, as in Constantinople.

Trade and Commerce

• English Trade: The English maintained a factory on the island for cotton trade, with a consul overseeing operations.
• Weights and Measures: The rotolo and cantar are standard units of weight, with variations between cities like Famagusta and Aleppo.

Culture

• Mythology: Cyprus is associated with the goddess Venus, who is said to have emerged from the sea near Paphos.

Government

Cyprus was governed by a system of local administrators and military officials during the periods described in the texts. The island was divided into districts, each managed by a local ruler or governor.

Military

Cyprus has a strategic military position in the Mediterranean. Various powers maintained naval forces to protect trade routes and secure the island.

Transportation

Cyprus has several important ports and harbors:

• Famagusta: A major port with a well-defended harbor.
• Paphos, Salines, Trepano: Other significant trading hubs.
• Mount Olympus: Serves as a natural landmark and spiritual center.

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

CYPRUS is one of the greater Ilands of the Mediterranean Sea, which was so called either from Cyprus the Daughter of Cynica, or from the Cyprus tree, which is proper to this Iland. It lyeth in the middle of the Issican Bay betweene Silicia and Syria: on the East it hath the Syrian Sea, and the Issican Bay, which is commonly called Golfo de Lajazzo, on the West the Pamphilian Sea: on the South the Aegyptian Sea: on the North it looketh toward Cylicia, which is now called Turcomannia, according to others Caramania. The compasse of it is 427. miles, the length of it 200. as Bordonius witnesseth. It hath for the most part an unpleasant, and unwholesome ayre, in regard of the exhalations and uprores which arise from the Lakes. Yet the whole Iland is very fruitfull. For it produceth all things necessary both for necessity and delicacies: as Wheate, Barley, and other kindes of Graine: also excellent Wine that may compare with Crete Wine: also Oyle, Sugar, Honey, Salt, Oranges, Citrions, Lemmons, Dates, and other excellent fruit. Also Gold, Cotton, Wooll, Saffron, Coriander seed, Silke, and what not? also Emralds, Chrystall, Iron, and Allome: and especially such great store of Brasse, which it is thought was first found there, so that it was called Brazen Cyprus. There is also a kinde of stuffe made of Goates haire, which is called Chamlot. Diodorus Siculus. Lib. 16. writeth that 9. Kings did governe this Iland, which were all subject to the King of Persia. It had also Greeke Tyrants. We read that heretofore it had 15. famous Citties, which are now for the most part decayd and ruinated. The chiefest of them were Paphos, now called Bapho: also Palae Paphos, where the Inhabitants doe affirme that Venus came first out of the Sea: there is also Sali•i•• which is seated in a pleasant Bay of the East shore, from whence there is a convenient passage to Syria. It was afterward called Constinople and Epiphanius was Bishop thereof. There were also the Citties Amathus and Ceraun•a. But now the chiefest are Nicotia and Famag•••. But out of the Mountaine Olympus, there doe runne two great Rive•s Ly•us and L•pethus, the former runneth Southward, the latter Northward. The other streames may be rather called Torrents than Rivers, because they are sometimes dry, and then the Inhabitants doe want water extremely. There are divers Mountaines in this Iland, but the highest of them all is Olympus, which they call Trohodon▪ which is beautified with all kinde of trees, and hath many Monasteries on it, in which the Calojerians dwell. The compasse of it is 54. miles.

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of CIPRUS Iland, and the trade thereof.

THe Iland of Ciprus is accounted also belonging to Asia, and scituated in the Syrian Sea; in length 200 miles, in bredth 65; and is 60 miles distant from the shoare of Cilicia, and 100 from the maine land of Syria.

This Iland is said to afford materialls to build a Ship from the keele to the topsaile, and fitted for the Sea, either •…s a Merchants vessell for transportation of goods, or as a Princes •…or warfare.

It affordeth also these commodities, as wine, oyle, corne, sugars, cot•…ns, honey, wool, turpentine, allum, verdigrace, salt, grograms, and o•…her commodities.

The chiefe Cities of this Iland are Paphos, Famagusta, Nicosia, Lescara, Salines, and some others; in which Iland the English have a factorie, for the onely trade of cottons here in use; and the English consull resident in Aleppo carryeth the title of consull of Syria and of Ciprus, in which place hee hath a vice consull to supply his occasions for the preservation and maintenance of the English trading hither; which are onely the Company of Merchants called the levant or Turkey Company, as included within their priviledges.

The moneys of this Iland currant I need not mention, nor yet their accounts, as being the coines of the Grand Signiors, and their accounts kept after the same denomination as in Constantinople.

The weight in use through this Iland is the dram, 750 whereof is the Rotolo, and 100 whereof makes a cantar, which is accounted 4 per cent. greater than the common cantar of Aleppo; and is by calculation of such as have resided there 80 ounces haberdepois, or 5 li. the Aleppo rotolo yeelding by this computation 4 li. 13 ounces, or 77 ounces: and the quintall or Cantar of Ciprus by this account should be 500 li. sotile; but I find some observations made, that upon some commodities that the 100 Rotolos of Ciprus have made in London 510 and 512 li. The Rotolo of Ciprus containes 750 drams: and the Rotolo of Aleppo is accounted 720 drams, and 62½ drams makes 1 ounce, & 6½ ounces make here an Oake: but note that the cantar of Famagusta, is 4 per cent. greater then this generall cantar of the Iland, which is above 1½ ounces per Rotolo.

This common cantar of Cyprus, I find thus to respond with the Citie of Venice and other places.

Rotolos 100 of Cyprus, makes sotile U•… 780 li. and of gross 480 li. which by this computation should bee about 522 li. English: but I imagine this is accompted the c•…tar of Famagusta, which is 8 per cent. greater then that of Aleppo, which deducted, being 42 li. there resteth 480 li. haberdepois, the weight rendred of Aleppo; so that Rotolo 21 in circa, makes 100 li. gross, and Rotolo 13½ doe make 100 li. sotile; and Rotolo 1 is 7½ sotile or 4 li. 8 ounces gross of Uenice weight.

Againe, I find these observations made on the weights of Cyprus, for cottons, viz. 100 Rotolos of Cyprus cottons, hath made in Venice 750 li. which is 30 li. lesse then the aforesaid notes which are meant of Famagusta, and hath made in

Naples	671 li.
Bollonia	627 li.
Montpelier	678 li.
Barcelona	564 li.
Sivill	589 li.
Paris	448 li.
Marselia	567 li.
Genoa	710 li.
Florence	656 li.
Milan	678 li.
Avignon	570 li.
Bridges	555 li.
Rome	631 li.
London	506 li.

The truth whereof, I referre to the triall of the experienced.

Measures of length are heere two sorts: first, the pico, by which is sold all woolen cloth, and silke accounted 26½ ynches, and the brace, by which is sold linnen, being 〈◊〉 longer then the pico abovesaid.

The 100 picos rendring in Venice 125 woolen braces and 116 of silke braces.

Wine is sold here by the Cusse, 7 cusses makes 6 fetches of Venetia, which is a candie barrell, so that a cusse and a halfe, and a Zant jarre, are of one and the same bignesse.

Oyle is sold by the Rotolo, which weighs 2½ oakes which is accompted for 1000 drams.

Graine is sold by a measure called the moose, which weigheth 40 oakes, and 2½ mooses, or 100 oakes makes one staio in Venetia.

Salt is sold by the Moose; 1000 mooses heere of salt, makes 14 Mooses in the accompt of Uenetia.

Also some graine is sold by the coffino, 100 whereof making 24 in 25 steras of Venetia, which is () bushels English.

In this part of Asia (following the opinion of Authors) is the Iland of RHODES seated, formerly the habitation of the Knights of S•…. IOHN, now a Beylque of the Turkes, and where for the commodiousnesse of the Port, there is maintained a squadron of his Galleys yearely imployed, to cleare and protect those Seas: matter of trade presenting heere, I have heere willingly omitted, and placed the same amongst the Ilands of the Archipelago; to which place I referre the Reader, and who desires to see further thereof.

1676. A most exact and accurate map of the whole world by Donald Lupton.

Cyprus

550 miles round on the Cilician and Syrian Seas, from each main Land above 60 miles, having 10 Promontories, and having had 10 names, as famous for Cypresses as Rhodes is for Roses, under the 4^th Climate, hot, abounding with Wine, Oyl, Corn, Sugar, Cotton, Honey, Wool, Turpentine, Allom, Verdegreese, all sorts of Mettals, store of Salt, Grograins; besides Lycus and Lapithes small Torrents, and some springs running from Olympus, which is here 54 Italian miles round, loaded with Trees and Fruits of all sorts, where is

1. ruined Paphos, now called new Paphos and Baffo, on the Sea side.
2. Arsino.
3. Trepano, a well seated, and traded port.
4. Connelia rich in Sugar, and Cotton Wool.
5. Cithera.
6. Amathus.
7. Episcopio a considerable place neer the Promontory Curias.
8. Salines and its rich Salt-pits.
9. Strong Nicosia, in the midst of the Isle, both pleasantly and fruitfully scituated, and exactly round.
10. Wholesome Cerines neer the Sea;
11. Famagusta raised out of the Ruines of Salamis in the E. end of the Island in a plain and low ground, between two Promontories, Cape St. Andrew, and Capo de Griego 4 square, 2 miles about, with a haven (opposite to Tripolis in Syria) opening towards the South-East, defended from the injury of the Sea by twogreat Rocks, betwixt which the Sea cometh in at a narrow passage, not above 40 paces broad, but after opening wider and wider, to a conveniency of safety and capacity assured both by the difficult Entrance, and a Chain crossed over it.
12. Arsinoe, now called Lescare.
13. Tamassus, eminent for brasse mines, and a great quantity of Verdegreese, and Vitriol found neer it.
14. Idalium, the yearly custome upon Salt is here 500000 Crowns.