Cyprus in Biblical History

Bible History

Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
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What is Cyprus?
CY'PRUS
, a large, fertile island of the Mediterranean Sea, triangular in form, 150 miles long, and from 50 to 60 miles broad. Venus was its chief goddess; hence her name Cypria. It contained two prominent cities, Salamis and Paphos, and 17 towns. Salamis was at the east and Paphos at the west end of the island. Acts 13:5. Barnabas was a native of Cyprus, and its people are noticed in apostolic history. Acts 4:36; Acts 13:4; Acts 15:39. Sergius Paulus, proconsul of Cyprus, was converted by Paul on his first missionary-tour, Acts 13:7 ff., and thus became the first Christian ruler on record. History.-Cyprus was colonized by the Phoenicians at a very early date. It was the Chittim, or Kittim, of the O.T. Num 24:24. Through Greek colonists it received the name of Kypros, perhaps from the plant cyprus (henna-Lawsonia alba. See Camphire). Copper-mining and the production of swords, armor, and other articles in bronze were its principal industries. There was also an extensive commerce. In literature, Cyprus boasted of very early distinction. Thothmes III Map of Cyprus. of Egypt conquered the island. At a later period Belus, king of Tyre, destroyed most of its cities. Sargon made it tributary to Assyria, b.c. 707; Apries, king of Egypt (the Pharaoh of Scripture), plundered it. Later, it was tributary to Darius. The Athenians and Lacedemonians conquered part of Cyprus from the Persians, b.c. 477. Alexander the Great was aided by 120 ships from this island in his siege of Tyre, b.c. 335. In b.c. 294 the island was a dependency of Egypt. Cato took possession of it for the Romans. Cicero was proconsul there, b.c. 52. The Byzantine emperors and the Arabs successively held sway. Cyprus was a frequent halting place of the Crusaders. Richard I, of England captured it in A.D. 1191, and sold it to the Knights Templars. Later, the Genoese and Venetians held the island. The Turks dispossessed the Venetians a.d. 1570, and have retained their mastery for more than 300 years. The control of Cyprus was secured in 1878 by the English government as a naval station and base of operation for the protection of Asiatic Turkey and the Indian government. The recent excavations and discoveries of General Cesnola have brought to light a vast number of antiquities and works of art of Phoenician, Egyptian, Greek, and specific Cypriotic characters, which are deposited in the Metropolitan Museum of New York. See Cesnola: Cyprus, its Ancient Cities, Tombs, and Temples, New York. 1878.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'cyprus' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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