Table of Contents
10,000 Years in One Article
One of the world's longest continuous settlement histories. Walk over Phoenician ports, Roman mosaics, Byzantine churches, and a UN buffer zone daily. 15-minute overview.
Stone Age to Antiquity
7000 BC: Choirokoitia settlement. Bronze Age: copper makes Cyprus richest island. Greek settlers found city-kingdoms. Name "Cyprus" possibly from Latin "cuprum" (copper).
This was exactly our experience: 10,000 Years in One Article One of the world's longest continuous settlement histories. Walk over Phoenician ports, Roman mosaics, Byzantine churches, and a UN buffer zone daily. 15-minute overview...
– Teacher from Bremen, in Larnaca since 2023
Romans to Ottomans
Roman prosperity and mosaics. Apostle Paul brings Christianity (45 AD). 800 years Byzantine. Crusaders 1191 (Lusignans 300 years). Venetian walls. 307 years Ottoman rule.
British Colony to Today
British 1878-1960 (left-hand traffic, Common Law). Independence 1960. Turkish invasion 1974 (island divided). EU 2004. Euro 2008. Banking crisis 2013. Today: modern EU state with unresolved division.
History of Cyprus in 15 Minutes
Costs: 2004. Euro
Topics: 10,000 Years in One Article, Stone Age to Antiquity, Romans to Ottomans
CMC Practical Tip
10,000 Years in One Article One of the world's longest continuous settlement histories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Turkish invasion 1974 after Greek military coup seeking union with Greece. Turkey controls 37% (north). No solution in sight.
Banks overleveraged. EU bailout: deposits over €100,000 at Bank of Cyprus partially confiscated (47.5%). Unprecedented in EU. Today: banks stable and regulated.
Not for daily life but helps enormously with understanding Cypriot emotions, bank trust issues, and British legacy in daily life.
Cyprus Museum Nicosia (€3): antiquity. Leventis (free): medieval to modern. Ledra Street crossing: experience the division firsthand.
How CMC Supports You
At CMC Certus Management Consultants, we are here for you – not only for tax and legal questions, but also for all practical topics of everyday life in Cyprus. Our team in Larnaca and Pafos knows the local conditions first-hand.
As your local contact, we handle: company formation and management, tax advisory and Non-Dom applications, ongoing bookkeeping and tax returns, support with authorities, and referrals to estate agents, lawyers, doctors and tradespeople.