Paphos

Paphos, town, southwestern Republic of Cyprus. Paphos was also the name of two ancient cities that were the precursors of the modern town. The older ancient city (Greek: Palaipaphos) was located at modern Pírgos (Kouklia); New Paphos, which had superseded Old Paphos by Roman times, was 10 miles (16 km) farther west. New Paphos and Ktima together form modern Paphos.

Old Paphos, which was settled by Greek colonists in the Mycenaean period, contained a famous temple of Aphrodite and was the legendary site where Aphrodite was born from the sea foam. In Hellenic times Paphos was second only to Salamis in extent and influence among the states of Cyprus. The Cinyrad dynasty ruled Paphos until its final conquest by Ptolemy I of Egypt (294 bce). Old Paphos dwindled in influence after the fall of the Cinyradae, the foundation of New Paphos, and the Roman conquest of Cyprus (58 bce). It was finally deserted after the 4th century ce.

New Paphos, which had been the port town of Old Paphos, became the administrative capital of the whole island in Ptolemaic and Roman times. The city was attacked and destroyed by Muslim raiders in 960 ce. The modern town began to grow only after the British occupation in 1878. The harbour, centre of the city’s life, was improved in 1908 and 1959 but remains too small to handle large commercial traffic and thus serves only an active local fishing fleet. Despite economic difficulties arising from the settlement in Paphos of some 5,000 Greek Cypriot refugees after the Turkish occupation of 1974, by the end of the decade the city had become the focus of strong economic development, including an industrial estate and tourist hotels. The city’s manufacturing consists of small enterprises producing clothing, footwear, canned meat, beverages, and vegetable oils. Local points of interest include Orthodox churches, the Djami Kebir Mosque, Paphos Castle, and Frankish baths. Pop. (2001) city, 26,530; urban area, 47,198.