Editing History of Cyprus (section)

==Ancient Cyprus==
{{Main|Ancient history of Cyprus|Roman Cyprus}}The [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Assyrians]] rediscovered Cyprus in the late eighth century BCE, yet they did not establish lasting territorial control over the island. The Assyrian name for Cyprus, Iadnana, likely designated it as the "island of the Danunians," although its exact origins remain uncertain.<ref>Cannavò, Anna. “In the Middle of the Sea of the Setting Sun: The Neo-Assyrian Empire and Cyprus—Economic and Political Perspectives.” In ''Imperial Peripheries in the Neo-Assyrian Period'', edited by CRAIG W. TYSON and VIRGINIA R. HERRMANN, 240–241. University Press of Colorado, 2018.</ref> A [[stela]] found 1845 in [[Kition (ancient state)|Kition]] commemorates the victory of king [[Sargon II]] (721–705&nbsp;BC) in 709 over the seven kings in the land of Ia', in the district of Iadnana or Atnana. There are other inscriptions referring to Ia' in Sargon's palace at [[Khorsabad]]. The ten kingdoms listed by an inscription of [[Esarhaddon]] in 673/2&nbsp;BC have been identified as [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]], [[Kition]], [[Amathus]], [[Kourion]], [[Paphos]] and [[Soli, Cyprus|Soli]] on the coast and [[Tamassos]], [[Ledra]], [[Idalium]] and [[Chytri]] in the interior.[[Image:Episkopi 01-2017 img03 Kourion.jpg|thumb|250px|An ancient Greek theater in [[Kourion]].]]Cyprus gained independence for some time around 669 but was conquered by Egypt under [[Amasis II|Amasis]] (570–526/525). The island was conquered by the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persians]] around 545&nbsp;BC. A Persian palace has been excavated in the territory of [[Marion, Cyprus|Marion]] on the North coast near Soli. The inhabitants took part in the Ionian rising. At the beginning of the 4th century BC, Euagoras I, King of Salamis, took control of the whole island and tried to gain independence from Persia. Another uprising took place in 350 but was crushed by [[Artaxerxes III of Persia|Artaxerxes]] in 344.

During the siege of [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]], the Cypriot Kings went over to [[Alexander the Great]]. In 321 four Cypriot kings sided with [[Ptolemy I]] and defended the island against [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonos]]. Ptolemy [[Battle of Salamis (306 BC)|lost Cyprus]] to [[Demetrios Poliorketes]] between 306 and 295&nbsp;BC, but after that it remained under [[Ptolemaic dynasty|Ptolemaic]] rule till 58&nbsp;BC. It was ruled by a governor from Egypt and sometimes formed a minor Ptolemaic kingdom during the power-struggles of the 2nd and 1st centuries. Strong commercial relationships with [[Athens]] and [[Alexandria]], two of the most important commercial centres of antiquity, developed.

Full [[Hellenisation]] only took place under [[Ptolemaic dynasty|Ptolemaic]] rule. Phoenician traits disappeared, together with the old [[Cypriot syllabic script]]. A number of cities were founded during this time, e.g. [[Arsinoe (Southwest Cyprus)|Arsinoe]] that was founded between old and new [[Paphos]] by [[Ptolemy II]].

Cyprus became a Roman province in 58&nbsp;BC, according to [[Strabo]] because the Roman politician, [[Publius Clodius Pulcher]], held a grudge against the king of Cyprus, [[Ptolemy of Cyprus|Ptolemy]], and sent [[Cato the Younger|Marcus Cato]] to conquer the island after he had become [[tribune]]. [[Mark Antony]] gave the island to [[Cleopatra VII]] of Egypt and her sister [[Arsinoe IV of Egypt|Arsinoe IV]], but it became a Roman province again after his defeat at the [[Battle of Actium]] (31&nbsp;BC) in 30&nbsp;BC. From 22&nbsp;BC it was a [[senatorial province]].  The island suffered great losses during the [[Kitos War|Jewish uprising of 115/116&nbsp;AD]].

After the reforms of [[Diocletian]] it was placed under the control of the Consularis Oriens and governed by a [[proconsul]].<ref name="Guidebook18">{{cite book|title=A Guide to the [[Larnaca District Archaeological Museum|Larnaca District Museum]]|last=Flourentzos|first=P.|publisher=Ministry of Communications and Works - Department of Antiquities|year=1996|isbn=9789963364251|page=18}}</ref>  Several earthquakes led to the destruction of Salamis at the beginning of the 4th century, at the same time drought and famine hit the island.