Kition Phoenician City
Kition was a city on the southeast coast of Cyprus, where modern Larnaca is today. It was founded in the late 13th century BC during the Late Bronze Age and remained inhabited until the Ptolemaic period. The city had many names: Kittim in the Bible, Kitiya in Phoenician, and Citium in Latin. Kition was an important port, connecting Cyprus with the Aegean, the Levant, and Egypt. The city spread over a large area under modern Larnaca, but only some parts have been dug up. The main archaeological areas are Kathari (Area II), about 500 meters north of Bamboula hill, and Bamboula, about 50 meters north of the Larnaca Archaeological Museum. Excavations here have uncovered temples, city walls, houses, and a 5th-century BC naval harbor with sheds for triremes (ancient warships). Kition’s importance was so well-known in ancient times that in Hebrew, Kittim came to mean all western peoples. The modern name Larnaca comes from the Greek word larnax, meaning sarcophagus, because many ancient tombs were found in the area. Historical Background Around 1300 BC, Mycenaean Greeks founded Kition to take advantage of local copper deposits during the Late Cypro II period. The early city had mudbrick walls for protection and typical Late Bronze Age buildings. Around 1200 BC, a wave of destruction swept through many cities at the end of…
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