Kition

Kition (Ancient Greek: Κίτιον, Phoenician: kty), also known by its Latin name Citium, was a city-kingdom on the southern coast of Cyprus (in present-day Larnaca). It was established in the 13th century BC.

It had an acropolis. The "mound gate" in the city wall, was located in the vicinity northwest of the Phaneromeni Tomb.

Name

"In an Egyptian inscription dating to the period of Pharaoh Ramses III (1198-1116 BC) found in the temple of Medinet Habu amongst the names of other Cypriot cities, that of Kathian is considered to refer to Kition", according to P. Flourentzos (author and [Cuprus'] Curator of Archaeological Museums and Surveys).

That the settlements name might once have been Khardihadast, was suggested by E. Gjerstad—and "not accepted by other scholars studying the Phoenician period, such as Masson, Sznycer and Hill".

History

The city-kingdom was originally established in the 13th century BC. "New cultural elements appearing between 1200 BC and 1000 BC (personal objects, pottery, new architectural forms and ideas) are interpreted as indications of significant political changes and the arrival of the Achaeans, the first Greek colonists of Kition."Mycenaeans first settled in the area for the purpose of the exploitation of copper, but the settlement eventually faded two centuries later as a result of constant disarray and inquietude of the time.