The History of Cyprus Podcast

My guest this month is renowned archaeologist, Eric Cline. You might be familiar with Dr. Cline from his seminal work, "1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed," which was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize in 2014, in addition to "Three Stones Make a Wall" and "Digging up Armageddon." Eric, in collaboration with renowned illustrator, Glynnis Fawkes*, is releasing 1177 BC as a graphic novel this month to coincide with its 10 year anniversary since its initial release, along with a much anticipated sequel to 1177 called, "After 1177BC: The Survival of Civilizations."** Today, Eric is discussing both 1177 and its sequel -- and Cyprus' pivotal role during the Bronze and Iron ages!* In case you missed my interview with Glynnis, check out Primary Source XXV: 1177 BC: An Interview with Glynnis Fawkes, published on March 15th, 2024.** You can purchase the Graphic Novel, 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed" from major bookstores or order it from amazon.com by clicking here! And "After 1177 B.C.: The Survival of Civilizations" here! 

The following dramatization are from the correspondences between the kings of Ugarit and Alashiya (ancient Cyprus). These exchanges are preserved in the Ugaritica, the published corpus of cuneiform tablets excavated at the ancient city of Ugarit (modern Ras Shamra, Syria). Discovered beginning in 1928, these archives comprise thousands of administrative, literary, diplomatic, and economic texts dating primarily to the 14th and 13th centuries BCE. Among them are letters exchanged between rulers across the eastern Mediterranean, offering an extraordinarily intimate glimpse into the political world immediately preceding the Bronze Age Collapse.The particular correspondence dramatized here* belongs to the final decades of the 13th century BCE, when the great palace kingdoms of the eastern Mediterranean were under increasing pressure. Trade networks were breaking down, kingdoms were falling, and the groups later known collectively as the "Sea Peoples" were beginning to appear in the historical record. These letters capture that world at the very moment it was beginning to unravel.I chose these exchanges because they reveal something important about the international standing of Alashiya. One of the most striking features is the diplomatic language employed by the king of Ugarit. He repeatedly addresses the king of Alashiya as "my father." This is not merely a polite turn of phrase. In the carefully calibrated language of Late Bronze Age diplomacy, such terms reflected perceived status and hierarchy. Contrast this with the famous correspondence between the kings of Alashiya and the Egyptian pharaohs, in which both rulers consistently address one another as "my brother." That title denoted equality among the so-called "Great Kings" of the Late Bronze Age. The differing forms of address suggest that, at least from Ugarit's perspective, the king of Alashiya occupied a position of exceptional prestige.That prestige was no accident. Cyprus possessed the eastern Mediterranean's richest copper resources, and copper was one of the indispensable commodities of the Bronze Age. Combined with tin, it produced bronze--the metal upon which armies, agriculture, tools, trade, and prestige depended. To command Cyprus was to command one of the ancient world's most strategically important resources, making Alashiya a kingdom whose influence extended far beyond the island itself. A brief note on the production: I've taken a few creative liberties to help bring these ancient letters to life. For example, the scratching sound you'll hear isn't entirely authentic. A more accurate soundscape would have been the impression of a stylus pressed into wet clay rather than the scratching of pen on paper. Unfortunately, convincingly recreating the sound of cuneiform being inscribed proved rather difficult, so I've opted for an approximation that hopefully conveys the spirit of the act, even if not its precise reality. Next episode, I invite Dr. Eric Cline to discuss the Bronze Age Collapse!

Glynnis Fawkes, a highly acclaimed cartoonist and illustrator, has made significant contributions to the field of archaeology by illustrating numerous excavations in the Eastern Mediterranean (and in Cyprus) since 1998. Some of her work is featured in the book, "Cartoons of Cyprus" -- with a wonderful forward from celebrated archaeologist, Vassos Karageorghis. In addition to her archaeological work, Glynnis has authored several graphic novels and has lent her artistic talents to various books such as "Kinyras the Divine Lyre," "Persephone's Garden" and "the Homeric Hymns." For this Special Episode, Glynnis and I discuss her time in Cyprus as a Fulbright Scholar, her role as an educator, and the publication of the graphic novel edition of Dr. Eric Cline's seminal work, "1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed,*" next month! (in which Cyprus makes a prominent appearance!) *1177BC can be purchased from major bookstores (e.g., Barnes & Noble in the U.S. or Indigo/Chapters in Canada) or you can order it from amazon.com by clicking here!

*My apologies; I had a broken microphone on the day of the recording. But thankfully John's audio quality is perfect!The Epic Cycle, also known as the Trojan Cycle, refers to a collection of ancient Greek epic poems that were composed between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE. It is a series of narratives that revolve around the events related to the Trojan War and its aftermath. Certainly most are familiar with The Iliad and the Odyssey. But there are other poems that exist today only in fragments or as references in other works including, of course, "The Cypria," which describes the origins of the Trojan War (e.g., the Judgment of Paris) and the events leading up to it.* But why is it called "The Cypria?" And then, of course, there is the King of Cyprus, Kinyras, mentioned in the Iliad. Who was he and where does he fit in this Homeric world? Join me as we discuss The Cypria and the mythical King of Cyprus, Kinyras** with John Franklin, from the University of Vermont. If you're interested in reading up on some of the existing fragments of the Cypria, check out this website. ------------------------------------------------------------------*For a full background to the Epic Cycle, refer to February 15th's Primary Source episode description**According to Apollodorus in The Library:"This Cinyras in Cyprus, whither he had come with some people, founded Paphos; and having there married Metharme, daughter of Pygmalion, king of Cyprus, he begat Oxyporus and Adonis, and besides them daughters, Orsedice, Laogore, and Braesia. These by reason of the wrath of Aphrodite cohabited with foreigners, and ended their life in Egypt. And Adonis, while still a boy, was wounded and killed in hunting by a boar through the anger of Artemis." You can read more on Kinyras here:

Bear with me. This is a long (but important!) episode description.Cyprus is mentioned only once in The Iliad. Kinyras, The King of Cyprus, gifts Agamemnon a breastplate as he prepares for war against Troy:"First [Agamemnon] strapped the splendid greaves around his shins, fitted with silver bindings around his ankles; Next he girt about his chest a breastplate, which in time before, Kinyras gave him to be a guest friend, for the great rumor had been heard in Cyprus that the Achaeans were about to sail out in their ships to Troy; for this reason Kinyras gave it to him, seeking favor with the king."-The Iliad 11:15-21However, Cyprus is more intertwined in the Homeric Epics than that sole reference would seem to suggest. According to the ancient scholar and historian, Apollodorus, Kinyras was a legendary King of Cyprus and Priest of Aphrodite who was known for his beauty and musical skill. Apollodorus describes Kinyras as the father of several notable figures in Greek mythology, including the handsome Adonis.In his most famous work, The Library and Epitome (Bibliotheca), Apollodorus informs the reader that in the prelude to the Trojan War, Menelaus and Odysseus visited Kinyras to solicit him for ships to send to Troy. However, the King of Cyprus, being the Priest of Aphrodite, deceived them. Though he promised to send 50 ships, Kinyras provided only one for Agamemnon's cause -- and the rest were made of clay:"Menelaus went with Odysseus and Talthybius to Kinyras in Cyprus and tried to persuade him to join the battle. But he [Kinyras] made a gift of a breastplate for Agamemnon, who was not present; and vowing to send fifty ships, he sent one, which [name lost] the son of Mygdalion commanded. And molding the rest out of clay, he launched them into the sea."-Apollodorus 3.9Kinyras technically fulfilled his obligation but drew the ire of Agamemnon. In later fragments and references, we learn that Agamemnon had, in fact, cursed the King of Cyprus, and drove him from his lands with his Achaean fleet (which some have said corresponds to the so-called Mycenaean Colonization that took place after the Trojan War). Kinyras would ultimately find refuge in Amathus -- the last "indigenous" city on Cyprus.*And then there is The Cypria -- one of the lost Epics that make up the Trojan Cycle.** It is possible that Apollodorus' story is referenced in its fragments but unfortunately, we know very little about The Cypria. The poem is thought to have covered the events leading up to the Trojan War, including the infamous Judgment of Paris and the Rape of Helen. It is believed to have been authored not by Homer, but by one Stasinus...of Cyprus.Next month I welcome John Franklin from University of Vermont to discuss the very Cypriot connections to this important lost Trojan Tale!---------------------------------------------------------------------* For more on Amathus' "indigeneity," see episode 2, "The Linguistic History of Cyprus with Pippa Steele" and "Amathus with Thierry Petit" on Patreon!** The Trojan Cycle (often referred to as the Epic Cycle) was a collection of the epic poems related to the Trojan War. Most readers are familiar with The Iliad and the Odyssey simply because they are the only works to have survived. Unlike the Homeric epics, these other poems exist only in fragmented pieces and summaries. There are, in fact, six other poems that made up the Epic Cycle. The order is as follows: The Cypria, The Iliad, Aethiopis, Little Iliad, Iliou Persis, Nostoi, the Odyssey and the Telegony.

When we think of traditional Cypriot music, typically we picture the fiddle -- ubiquitous to both Greek & Turkish communities in Cyprus. But just what is "traditional" Cypriot music? And who exactly was the Cypriot Fiddler? My guest this month is ethnomusicologist, Dr. Nicoletta Demetriou, whose work and book, The Cypriot Fiddler, frames the bulk of this episode.More information on the Cypriot Fiddler can be found here including a NEW online resource called Cyprus Music Archive.
https://cyprusmusicarchive.elementor.cloud/ (Greek)**https://cyprusmusicarchive.elementor.cloud/en/home_en/ (English)**https://www.youtube.com/@TheCypriotFiddlerhttps://www.facebook.com/TheCypriotFiddler/https://www.instagram.com/thecypriotfiddler/
 
**Nicoletta Demetriou's new site will be moving over from elementor.cloud to cyprusmusicarchive.cy in the coming weeks/months so keep an eye out for that!

Magda Ohnefalsch-Richter was an ethnographer who lived in Cyprus in the latter part of the 19th century. Her published work provides us an invaluable insight into the customs and mores of Cypriots in the period. In this excerpt, Ohnefalsch-Richter notes the different instruments used in Greek and Turkish communities. However, we can't quite speak of "Greek" and "Turkish" music -- as only the instruments were/are different. If you're familiar with Cypriot music, you'll notice the Cypriot Zeimbekiko/Zeybegi played by both Greek and Turkish communities. Next month my guest is ethnomusicologist, Dr. Nicoletta Demetriou, who shares with us more information on the history of the 20th century Cypriot Fiddler!  

Aphrodite is associated with love, beauty and, I learn -- quite erroneously -- with fertility. Often through this sanitized lens, we lose sight of who Aphrodite was: the Goddess of Sex. But who was she? What are her origins? How was she understood in antiquity? And, perhaps more importantly, why is she so intimately associated with Cyprus? Join me as I interview historian and prolific author, Dr. Stephanie Budin, as we discuss "The Kyprogenes."

Cyprus has been intimately associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite for centuries. According to Hesiod, in a calculated act of violence, she was born from the severed genitals of Ouranos near the coast of Cyprus. It is one of the earliest surviving works of Greek literature and is considered a foundational text of Greek mythology.
But who exactly was Aphrodite that is so associated with Cyprus? Next month, my guest is prolific author and historian, Stephanie Budin, who discusses the origins of "The Goddess," of Aphrodite, our "Kyprogenes." 

Stavroula Varella (King's College London) joins me this month to discuss the origins of the modern Cypriot Greek dialect. We explore the meaning and origins of a myriad of words (e.g., ίντα, θωρώ, έσσω, ηὗρεν and έννε...) and their possible roots. We touch on all the parent languages that inform the Cypriot vernacular including French, Italian, Turkish & English and not only identify potential etymologies (which, I learn, is notoriously difficult) but also their mode and places of transmission. You won't want to miss this!