Archaeological Site of Nea Paphos, Paphos, Cyprus
Ancient Paphos is one of three places in Cyprus designated
as a world heritage site by UNESCO. It
consists of three non-contiguous sites in and around Paphos, two of which near
town I’ve included in this entry, the third somewhat out of town we visited the
following day and are in the next entry.
The Tombs of the Kings is one of those two sites, a large seaside
expanse of tombs of affluent members of Paphos society from the 3rd
century BC through the 3rd century AD, the Hellenistic and Roman
eras in Cyprus. Despite the name, it is
not believed there were any kings or royals buried at Paphos since during
Paphos heyday it was first under the rule of the Ptolemies, successors to
Alexander the Great who ruled from Alexandria in Egypt, and then part of the
Roman Empire. The tomb complex is extensive and can be explored in depth.
Paphos main archaeological site is closer to the town center
and consists mostly of the remains of the Roman-era city. The really outstanding feature is some of the
most extensive and best preserved Roman mosaic floors found anywhere in the houses
of Dionysos, Theseus, and Aion, many depicting scenes from Ancient Greek
mythology. Many of the mosaics are still gorgeous 1,800 or more years after
they were created.
2025-05-23