Day 5, Locality 1

1) Kurion, west of Limassol.

Kourion is one of the most important ancient sites in the eastern Mediterranean and is well worth visiting for its remarkable buildings, mosaics and amphitheatre.  The main archaeological attractions of the site are undoubtedly the amphitheatre, with its stunning position and view, and the adjacent House of Eustolios and its mosaics. The amphitheatre is Roman, having been remodelled from a smaller Hellenistic circular theatre that existed on the same site, and has been restored recently.

The entire site comprises the ancient city and early Christian basilica to the east, the Sanctuary of Apollon Ylatis to the west, and the stadium between the two.  The city occupies a commanding position on a bluff, with steep cliffs on three sides, and was occupied from Mycenaean times between the fourteenth and twelfth centuries BC.  

It flourished during the first millennium AD and most of the remains visible today date from Roman times.  Although the city was destroyed by earthquakes in the fourth century AD, it was rebuilt early in the fifth century AD and it existed as an early Christian city until it was again destroyed in the seventh century AD, this time during the Arab raids.

These buildings  were mainly built from stone locally quarried from the Pakhna Formation. However, rocks from outside Cyprus have been used in the construction of columns in the agora and early Christian basil­ica, which are made of marble and xenolith-bearing granite, and marble flooring is present in the public baths. The granite was probably imported from western Anatolia and the different-coloured marbles may also be from Turkey. The importation of these exotic rocks, expensive to transport and hard to cut and finish, would have demonstrated the wealth and status of the city.