Historical Landmarks

c.10,000 BC First evidence of human occupation.

c.8000 BC First permanent settlements on Cyprus.

c.3500 BC Copper mines in Troödos foothills establish early wealth.

1200 BC Mycenaean Greeks settle on the island.

333 BC Alexander the Great expels Persians.

294 BC Cyprus subject to Hellenistic Egypt under the Ptolemy dynasty.

58 BC Romans annexe Cyprus to their empire.

4th century AD Christianity takes hold; many churches built.

649–53 Arabs invade and settle on the island.

963–1184 Middle Byzantine period. Cyprus flourishes.

1191–92 England’s Richard the Lionheart defeats Isaac Komnenos and sells Cyprus to Guy de Lusignan, who founds a 300-year dynasty.

1489 Venetians depose the last Lusignan ruler, Caterina Cornaro.

1571 Fall of Famagusta to the Turks ends Venetian rule.

1571–1878 Period of Ottoman rule.

1878 Cyprus occupied by Britain, with Ottoman agreement.

1914 Ottomans side with Central Powers in World War I; Britain formally annexes Cyprus.

1955 EOKA begins campaign of violence in pursuit of enosis.

1959–60 Independence negotiated and granted.

1963–64 Intercommunal strife endangers young republic; UN intervenes.

1974 Coup by Greek military junta gives Turkey pretext to invade, occupying 38 percent of island.

1980s The South develops mass tourism.

1983 The ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ is declared by the North, but recognised only by Turkey.

2003 De facto border between South and North opened to free transit.

2004 The Republic of Cyprus joins the EU without Northern Cyprus.

2008 The euro is introduced in the South.

2013 Economic crisis overtakes the South; EU ‘aid’ package sees €5.8 billion confiscated from high-value bank accounts.

2015 Talks on Cyprus reunification resume, raising hopes for resolving the 40-year-old Cypriot conflict.