DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9184#0185
Chap. VI.]
Ancient Cyprus.
Persian policy and the Persian arms, in which all the
Greeks saw the most dreaded foes of their nascent civilisa-
tion and their ancient liberties. When the Milesians and
their allies raised the standard of revolt against Darius,
Onesilus, brother of Gorgus, king of Salamis, finding his
brother inclined to temporise, had himself proclaimed king
in his place. He became master of all Cyprus, except the
old Phoenician stronghold of Amathus, and, receiving a
contingent of Ionic ships, hoped to hold his own against
all Asia. But his success soon came to an end. A Per-
sian army came from the coast of Cilicia; and when the
two hosts were drawn up for battle, there was, of course,
a traitor in the Greek camp. Stasanor, king of the Greek
colony of Curium, went over to the enemy, the brave
Onesilus lost his life, his army was dispersed, and Cyprus
had again to submit to the Persian yoke; even to furnish
contingents to the fleet which blockaded Miletus, and
to that which was afterwards gloriously destroyed by
Themistocles in the battle on the coast of Salamis.
After the invasion of Xerxes had been rolled back, the
gallant Cimon with his Athenians sailed to the coasts of
Asia Minor, restoring liberty to. the Greek cities. As the
great cities of Cyprus, Salamis and Soli, were connected
with Athens by ties of blood, he would naturally seek
their enfranchisement. And as a matter of fact he did
so, and even won a splendid victory on the east coast of
Cyprus, but was not finally successful. And now we
reach the period most splendid in the ancient history of
our island, when the arrival of a great man for a few years,
if we may trust the rhetoric of Isocrates, makes Cyprus
great. It was the period of the peace of Antalcidas,
when Persia won back by gold and art much of the
territory and supremacy which she had lost to the
conquerors of Marathon and Plataea. About the year
B.C. 410, the throne of Salamis was occupied by a Phoe-
M 2
Ancient Cyprus.
Persian policy and the Persian arms, in which all the
Greeks saw the most dreaded foes of their nascent civilisa-
tion and their ancient liberties. When the Milesians and
their allies raised the standard of revolt against Darius,
Onesilus, brother of Gorgus, king of Salamis, finding his
brother inclined to temporise, had himself proclaimed king
in his place. He became master of all Cyprus, except the
old Phoenician stronghold of Amathus, and, receiving a
contingent of Ionic ships, hoped to hold his own against
all Asia. But his success soon came to an end. A Per-
sian army came from the coast of Cilicia; and when the
two hosts were drawn up for battle, there was, of course,
a traitor in the Greek camp. Stasanor, king of the Greek
colony of Curium, went over to the enemy, the brave
Onesilus lost his life, his army was dispersed, and Cyprus
had again to submit to the Persian yoke; even to furnish
contingents to the fleet which blockaded Miletus, and
to that which was afterwards gloriously destroyed by
Themistocles in the battle on the coast of Salamis.
After the invasion of Xerxes had been rolled back, the
gallant Cimon with his Athenians sailed to the coasts of
Asia Minor, restoring liberty to. the Greek cities. As the
great cities of Cyprus, Salamis and Soli, were connected
with Athens by ties of blood, he would naturally seek
their enfranchisement. And as a matter of fact he did
so, and even won a splendid victory on the east coast of
Cyprus, but was not finally successful. And now we
reach the period most splendid in the ancient history of
our island, when the arrival of a great man for a few years,
if we may trust the rhetoric of Isocrates, makes Cyprus
great. It was the period of the peace of Antalcidas,
when Persia won back by gold and art much of the
territory and supremacy which she had lost to the
conquerors of Marathon and Plataea. About the year
B.C. 410, the throne of Salamis was occupied by a Phoe-
M 2