MIGRATION AND EUROPEAN CULTURE
Timelines and History of Migration: Cyprus
Conquerors of Cyprus
Prehistoric times
- 7000–3900 BC: Neolithic
- 3900-2500 BC: Copper Age
- 2500–1050 BC: Bronze Age
- 1400 BC Merchants arrived in Cyprus and the island became Greek.
Before the Romans
- Beginning of 9th century: Phoenicians settle in Cyprus
- 673-669 BC: Assyrians
- 560-545 BC: Egyptians
- 545-332 BC: Persians
- 332 BC: Alexander the Great frees Cyprus
- 294-30 BC: Ptolemaians
The Roman Time
- 30 BC - 330 AD: Roman rule
- Saint Paul visits Salamis
- Cyprus is first country to become Christian
The Byzantine Period
- 330-1191: Cyprus is an integral part of the Byzantine Empire
- The Church of Cyprus becomes independent
- Arabs cause a lot of destruction during their raids on the island
- The Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros Phokas saves the island permanently
The Crusades and after
- 1191: Richard Lionheart, King of England, conquers Cyprus on his way to Jerusalem, but soon sells the island to the Templars
- 1192: Guy de Lusignan, a French nobleman, buys the island
- 1192-1489: Rule of the Lusignans
- Lots of castles and churches are built; heavy taxation. The Greek Orthodox Church is persecuted
- 1489-1571: Venetian Rule
- Big walls are built around Nicosia and Famagusta in defence against the Turks, but both cities finally fall after a long siege
The Ottoman Empire
- 1571-1878: Cyprus is part of the Ottoman Empire
- Heavy taxes are imposed
- Destruction of everything that is not Turkish
The British Empire
- 1878-1959: Cyprus is a colony in the British Empire
- Heavy taxation continues
- 1955-59: Greek Cypriots form an organisation that starts an armed struggle againt British colonialism
Independence
- 1960: Cyprus becomes independent
- 1963: Turkish air raid on Cyprus; troubles between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.The "Green Line" separates the two groups.
- 1974: Turkish invasion and occupation of 37 % of the island
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