Ancient Greek City – Salamis

Having a walk in the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Salamina in Famagusta, it is difficult to imagine how this Late Bronze Age city was a thriving place with flourishing society and a growing population. Despite the lack of technology and infrastructure, Salamis was built with leading-edge approach and it was an innovative city that has been surveyed by many scholars for its revolution and breakthrough in the field of architecture. (Stewar, 2014). Located near to a remarkable port –in short distance from Turkey and Syria and with the major trading routes to the Near East, the city was benefited from imports and ships arriving from all around the world. Salamis was the capital of Cyprus and founded in 1100 BC by the inhabitants of Enkomi, the ancient Greeks. According to the legendary author Homer, the city was established by Teucer, one of the Greek princes who engaged in the Trojan War. Teucer was the son of King Telamon. He came from the island of Salamis in Greece, because he was powerless to return home from the war after failing to prevent his brother’s suicide, and he founded the ancient Greek city. After the Jewish uprising in Judea in AD 66-70, the Jewish population of Salamis rose and decided to rebel against the Romans. This revolt had as consequences the slaughter of 250.000 Greek, the destruction of the city and the Jews’ isolation from the island. (Burkert, 1995). The city was entirely reconstructed by the Christian emperor Constantius II (ruled AD 337–361) and given the name Constantia. Under Christian rule, Salamis was the metropolitan city of the island. However, this historic city was dominated by the Assyrians, Venetians, Egyptians, Persians, and Romans and their intermixed influence on the building arrangement is obvious. For example, the Romans had an obsession about baths, and in the Great Hall buildings the Sudatorium (hot baths), the Caldarium (steam bath) and Frigidarium (cold baths) are distinguishable. Before the Christian period, Salamis was colourful city, where the marble columns were covered with coloured stucco and numerous polychrome mosaics. (Dreghorn, 1985).

Located alongside the sea-shore, Salamis covers an area over one kilometre long. Some of the i striking and notable sights to be seen at Salamis are the gymnasium constructed for the preparation of athletes, the theatre and the basilicas.

The thick layer of sand that buried the Salamis for many years, was the layer which protects the inspiring monument from the devastation and the damage (Karageorghis, 1969).

The theatre of Salamis. The auditorium originally consisted of 50 rows of seats and held over 15,000 spectators.

The Gymnasium, built over the remains of an earlier Hellenistic gymnasium in the 2nd century AD after Salamis had been completely sacked during Jewish revolt.

Salamis Roman gymnasium built in the time of Roman Emperor Augustus.

The Roman Baths. They were structures of majesty, with a complex of marble-lined pools, fountains and hot and cold rooms.

Basilica ruins in Salamis, Cyprus.

Bibliography

Burkert, W. (1995). The Orientalizing Revolution: Near Eastern Influence on Greek Culture in the Early Archaic Age. Harvard University Press.

Dreghorn, W. (1985), Famagusta and Salamis Guide Book. Rustem & Bro., London.

Karageorghis, V. (1969). Salamis in Cyprus: Homeric, Hellenistic and Roman. Thames and Hudson. London.

Stewar, C. A. (2014). Architectural Innovation in Early Byzantine Cyprus. Architectural History. SAHGB Publications Limited. Retrieved 20th of February from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/43489744