DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9184#0187
Chap. VI.]
Ancient Cyprus.
165
years later, and stirred up a revolt against the Persians in
Syria and Cilicia. But Artaxerxes was now thoroughly
aroused, and, straining every resource, landed upon Cyprus
a force amounting, according to Diodorus, to 300,000 men,
at a cost, says Isocrates, of 50,000 talents, and supported
by a fleet of three hundred sail. Even against these forces,
for a time, Evagoras held his own. . He defeated Persian
troops in several small engagements. Then he seems to
have formed the plan of suddenly attacking and destroying
the hostile fleet, hoping that without its aid the army must
starve. Falling upon a portion of that fleet, he crushed
it at the first onset; but the reserves came up. The Persian
admiral Gaos fought with desperation, and at last Evagoras
was overpowered by superior numbers. After this mis-
adventure Salamis was blockaded by sea and land ; but
even after suffering the hardships of a long siege, Evagoras
would not consent to accept a peace offered him on con-
dition that " he would submit himself to the will and the
command of the Persian king, as a servant to his lord ;"
and, finally, the Persian pride was compelled to accept the
terms he offered, and to allow him to retain Salamis on
paying an annual tribute and submitting himself "as a
king to a king." But, notwithstanding, Evagoras' high
hopes were shattered, and Cyprus lost for sixteen hundred
years the chance of playing a part in history.
Cyprus fell easily into the hands of Alexander the
Great, and after his death belonged to the Ptolemies of
Egypt. The number of Ptolemaic inscriptions discovered
in the island, shows how closely at this time it was con-
nected with Egypt. It is probable that during the Ptole-
maic dominion and that of the Romans, who succeeded,
the island maintained a great pitch of wealth and material
prosperity. The enormous quantities of silver coin issued
by the Egyptian kings at Cyprian mints show that they
knew well how to develop the material resources of the
Ancient Cyprus.
165
years later, and stirred up a revolt against the Persians in
Syria and Cilicia. But Artaxerxes was now thoroughly
aroused, and, straining every resource, landed upon Cyprus
a force amounting, according to Diodorus, to 300,000 men,
at a cost, says Isocrates, of 50,000 talents, and supported
by a fleet of three hundred sail. Even against these forces,
for a time, Evagoras held his own. . He defeated Persian
troops in several small engagements. Then he seems to
have formed the plan of suddenly attacking and destroying
the hostile fleet, hoping that without its aid the army must
starve. Falling upon a portion of that fleet, he crushed
it at the first onset; but the reserves came up. The Persian
admiral Gaos fought with desperation, and at last Evagoras
was overpowered by superior numbers. After this mis-
adventure Salamis was blockaded by sea and land ; but
even after suffering the hardships of a long siege, Evagoras
would not consent to accept a peace offered him on con-
dition that " he would submit himself to the will and the
command of the Persian king, as a servant to his lord ;"
and, finally, the Persian pride was compelled to accept the
terms he offered, and to allow him to retain Salamis on
paying an annual tribute and submitting himself "as a
king to a king." But, notwithstanding, Evagoras' high
hopes were shattered, and Cyprus lost for sixteen hundred
years the chance of playing a part in history.
Cyprus fell easily into the hands of Alexander the
Great, and after his death belonged to the Ptolemies of
Egypt. The number of Ptolemaic inscriptions discovered
in the island, shows how closely at this time it was con-
nected with Egypt. It is probable that during the Ptole-
maic dominion and that of the Romans, who succeeded,
the island maintained a great pitch of wealth and material
prosperity. The enormous quantities of silver coin issued
by the Egyptian kings at Cyprian mints show that they
knew well how to develop the material resources of the