Karpasia ( grc, Καρπάσεια and Καρπασία),

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

ized as Carpasia, and also known as Karpasion (sometimes mistaken for

Karpathos Karpathos ( el, Κάρπαθος, ), also Carpathos, is the second largest of the Greek Dodecanese islands, in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Together with the neighboring smaller Saria Island it forms the municipality of Karpathos, which is part o ...

), was an ancient town in

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

, situated in the northern shore of the

Karpas Peninsula The Karpas Peninsula ( el, Καρπασία; tr, Karpaz), also known as the Karpass, Karpaz or Karpasia, is a long, finger-like peninsula that is one of the most prominent geographical features of the island of Cyprus. Its farthest extent is ...

, at a distance of 3 km from the modern town of

Rizokarpaso Rizokarpaso ( el, Ριζοκάρπασο []; tr, Dipkarpaz) is a town on the Karpas Peninsula in the Northeastern part of Geography of Cyprus, Cyprus. While nominally part of the Famagusta District of the Republic of Cyprus, it has been under th ...

. According to tradition, it was founded by the Phoenician king Pygmalion of Tyre. It had a harbour, whose moles remain visible to this day. According to archaeological evidence, the earliest possible date for the foundation of the town is the 7th century BC. It was first mentioned in literature in 399 BC. The town was mentioned by the writers of antiquity, including

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

. The city is also mentioned in the

Hellenica Oxyrhynchia ''Hellenica Oxyrhynchia'' is an Ancient Greek history of classical Greece in the late 5th and early 4th centuries BCE, of which papyrus fragments were unearthed at Oxyrhynchus, in Egypt. The author, whose name is not recorded in the surviving fragm ...

, which is papyrus fragments in Greek with the history of ancient Greece. In 306 BC, the town was the site of landing for

Demetrius I of Macedon Demetrius I (; grc, Δημήτριος; 337–283 BC), also called Poliorcetes (; el, Πολιορκητής, "The Besieger"), was a Macedonian nobleman, military leader, and king of Macedon (294–288 BC). He belonged to the Antigonid dynast ...

, whose forces stormed Carpasia and the neighbouring town of

Urania Urania ( ; grc, , Ouranía; modern Greek shortened name ''Ránia''; meaning "heavenly" or "of heaven") was, in Greek mythology, the muse of astronomy, and in later times, of Christian poetry. Urania is the goddess of astronomy and stars, he ...

, before proceeding to Salamis. The architectural style as well as the techniques used in building the stone houses of the town incorporated elements of Phoenician influence. In the

Delphi Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracle ...

c Theorodochoi inscription (230 BC), which was published by

André Plassart André Plassart (24 August 1889 – 13 May 1978) was a 20th-century French hellenist, epigrapher and archaeologist. Selected bibliography * . * . * * . * . * . Studies on Plassart *. * . External links André Plassarton data.bnf.fr Pl ...

, there is a mention of a Karpasian man who was named Aristostratos ( grc, Ἀριστόστρατος). Its first known bishop, Philo, was ordained by

Epiphanius of Salamis Epiphanius of Salamis ( grc-gre, Ἐπιφάνιος; c. 310–320 – 403) was the bishop of Salamis, Cyprus, at the end of the 4th century. He is considered a saint and a Church Father by both the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches. He g ...

in the 4th century; he has left a commentary on the Song of Songs, a letter, and some fragments. Another bishop of the see, Hermolaus, was present at the

Council of Chalcedon The Council of Chalcedon (; la, Concilium Chalcedonense), ''Synodos tēs Chalkēdonos'' was the fourth ecumenical council of the Christian Church. It was convoked by the Roman emperor Marcian. The council convened in the city of Chalcedon, Bith ...

in 451. The chroniclers mention the names of three other bishops, and a fourth occurs on a seal, all without dates. Another is quoted in the "Constitutio Cypria" of

Pope Alexander IV Pope Alexander IV (1199 or 1185 – 25 May 1261) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 December 1254 to his death in 1261. Early career He was born as Rinaldo di Jenne in Jenne (now in the Province of Rome), he ...

(1260). No longer a residential bishopric, Carpasia is today used by the Roman

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

as a

titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...

.''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ), p. 859

References

Geography of Cyprus Archaeological sites in Cyprus Former populated places in Cyprus {{Cyprus-geo-stub