Located at the crossroads of the Levant and the wider Mediterranean world, Cyprus is a small island with a vast history spanning thousands of years and myriads of major civilizations.

A little over 12,000 years ago, at the start of the Neolithic period, Cyprus was idyllic, having lush woodlands stretching from the peak of the Troodos mountains to the seas below, and a gentle subtropical climate. It hosted no large predators, leading to the evolution of intriguing fauna such as pygmy elephants and hippopotamuses measuring only a meter in height. Rivers flowed throughout the island towards the sea, nourishing the land in their path.

The peaceful nature of the island was in part due to not having encountered major groups of hominids, though recent evidence points to potentially small bands having made their way to the island.

By the end of the Paleolithic, the Levant and Mediterranean had been explored by numerous hunter-gatherer cultures, with some even showing early signs of agricultural development. In perfect conditions, Cyprus would have been visible from what is now Lebanon, as well as neighboring regions. Several ancient pre-pottery neolithic sites dating to around 10,500 BC have been found inland and near the current coast of Cyprus.

Ancient seafarers made the treacherous journey to the island, bringing not only their people but introducing cattle as well as wildlife including deer and foxes.

The stories that follow are full of beauty, destruction and curiosities. The history of Cyprus is fascinating, as its inhabitants dealt with extreme natural disasters and a dynamic political landscape that saw the rise and fall of empires.

The story of Cyprus has been chronologically split into the following eras, each of which gets its own story and page on this website.