Kition, Cyprus - Ancient Coin Stories

Cyprus. Citium. Pumiathon Æ Chalkous / Lion
16.37mm 2.70g 362-312 BCE
Obverse: Lion walking left, ram head above
Reverse: Horse standing left, star above, symbol before
BMC 69

Kition was a powerful city in Cyprus that was already a thousand years old when it came under the dominion of Alexander the Great. Before then it was ruled by the Persians, who still allowed a local king. As with several other cities in Cyprus, they revolted against the Persians several times. During Alexander’s time, the city rivaled Salamis in power.

After Alexander the Great’s death, King Pumiathon attempted to cozy up to Antigonos I Monophthalmos. Taking sides in the conflict proved deadly, as Ptolemy I ordered his brother Menelaos to Cyprus and Pumiathon was killed and the ancient Cypriot kingdoms abolished.

The ruins of the city are still visible today. Perhaps the chief attraction is the Temple of Aphrodite, which was built by the same people who made the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem.

1200 BCE

Initial Mycenaean settlement at Kition is destroyed.

1000 BCE

Religious part of Kition is abandoned, though the rest remains in use.

850 BCE

Much of Kition is rebuilt by settlers from Tyre.

709 BCE

Cyprus, including Salamis, Amathos, Paphos, Soloi, Lapethos, Kourion, and Kition, liberates itself from the domination of Tyre.

708 BCE

The kings of Cyprus, including Salamis, Kition, Amathos, and Paphos, pay homage to Sargon II of Assyria.

570 BCE

Kition comes under Egyptian domination.

569 BCE

Cyprus, including Kourion, Amathos, Paphos, Lapethos, Salamis, Soloi, and Kition, comes under Egyptian administration.

545 BCE

All of Cyprus, including Kourion, Amathos, Paphos, Lapethos, Salamis, Soloi, and Kition,comes under Persian control.

499 BCE-
498 BCE

Amathos remains loyal to the Persian Empire during the Ionian Revolt, a rebellion of Greek city-states in Asia Minor against Persian rule. Kition rebels.

450 BCE

An Athenian fleet under Kimon departs Kition and is attacked by a Persian fleet near Salamis. The Athenians win the encounter.

382 BCE

Orontas and Tiribazos defeat Evagoras I at Kition.

362 BCE

Pumiathon ascends the throne of Kition after the death of his father Melekiaton.

342 BCE

Pumiathon or Kition purchases the kingdom of Tamassos, rich in copper, for 50 talents. Its king then retires to Amathos.

332 BCE

Pnytagoras of Salamis is given Tamasos, previously the territory of Pumiathon of Kition, by Alexander the Great.

315 BCE

Pumiathon of Kition agrees to an alliance with Antigonos Monophthalmos.

314 BCE

Ptolemy I Soter gives Seleukos I Nikator a small fleet, which he uses to force Asandros to ally with Ptolemy. He also takes Erythrai and besieges Kition along with Menelaos.

312 BCE

Menelaus, brother to Ptolemy I, conquers the city states of Cyprus – Salamis, Kition, Kourion, Amathos, Lapethos, Paphos, and Soloi. He kills Pumiathon, king of Kition and arrests Praxippos of Lapethos, and destroys Marion with Stasioikos, then transports its citizens to Paphos.

233 BCE

A temple to Astarte is erected in Kition.

58 BCE

Cyprus, including Amathos, Soloi, Salamis, Kition, Paphos, Lapethos, and Kourion, is annexed by Rome after Publius Clodius Pulcher, a Roman tribune, convinces the Roman Senate to declare Cyprus a Roman province.

47 BCE

Cyprus, including Kourion, Amathos, Paphos, Lapethos, Salamis, Soloi, and Kition, goes to Marc Antony and Kleopatra VII.

31 BCE

All of Cyprus, including Kourion, Amathos, Paphos, Lapethos, Salamis, Soloi, and Kition, returns to Roman rule.

22 BCE

Cyprus, including Kourion, Amathos, Paphos, Lapethos, Salamis, Soloi, and Kition, is separated from Cilicia into its own province.

76 CE

Kition suffers a strong earthquake.

322 CE

Kition, Paphos, and Salamis are destroyed by an earthquake.

342 CE

Another earthquake further destroys Kition, Paphos, and Salamis.