The Ptolemaic governors of Cyprus ruled the island on behalf of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, from the abolition of the traditional kingdoms on the island in 312 BC until the conquest of the island by the Romans.

First period (312–306 BC)

The governors in this period are referred to as ''

strategos ''Strategos'', plural ''strategoi'', Linguistic Latinisation, Latinized ''strategus'', ( el, στρατηγός, pl. στρατηγοί; Doric Greek: στραταγός, ''stratagos''; meaning "army leader") is used in Greek language, Greek to ...

'' (general) in literary sources, but as ''

basileus ''Basileus'' ( el, ) is a Greek term and title that has signified various types of monarchs in history. In the English-speaking world it is perhaps most widely understood to mean "monarch", referring to either a "king" or an "emperor" and al ...

'' (king) on their coinage. Ptolemy lost Cyprus to

Demetrius Poliorcetes 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 dynasty ...

after the

Battle of Salamis The Battle of Salamis ( ) was a naval battle fought between an alliance of Greek city-states under Themistocles and the Persian Empire under King Xerxes in 480 BC. It resulted in a decisive victory for the outnumbered Greeks. The battle was ...

in 306 BC.

Second period (287–217 BC)

Cyprus was regained by Ptolemy after the death of Demetrius Poliorcetes in 287, but there is no certain evidence for a governor of Cyprus for the rest of his reign, or during the reigns of his successors, Ptolemy II Philadelphus (283–246 BC) and

Ptolemy III Euergetes , predecessor = Ptolemy II , successor = Ptolemy IV , nebty = ''ḳn nḏtj-nṯrw jnb-mnḫ-n-tꜢmrj'Qen nedjtinetjeru inebmenekhentamery''The brave one who has protected the gods, a potent wall for The Beloved Land , nebty_hiero ...

(246–222 BC). The office may or may not have existed.

Third period (217–58 BC)

During this period, the governors of Cyprus bore the title of ''strategos kai

archiereus ''Archiereus'' ( grc, ἀρχιερεύς, Russian, ''arkhierei'') is a Greek term for diocesan bishop, when considered as the culmination of the priesthood. It is used in the liturgical books of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Cathol ...

'' (general and high priest). After 142 BC, they also bore the title of ''

nauarchos Navarch ( el, ναύαρχος, ) is an Anglicisation of a Greek word meaning "leader of the ships", which in some states became the title of an office equivalent to that of a modern admiral. Historical usage Not all states gave their naval ...

'' (admiral). Governors usually held the rank of ''syngenes'' (royal kinsman) in the aulic titulature. The order and dates are according to Roger Bagnall.

Fourth period (40s–30 BC)

References

Bibliography

* {{cite book , first = Roger , last = Bagnall , authorlink = Roger S. Bagnall , title = The Administration of the Ptolemaic Possessions Outside Egypt , year = 1976 *

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 ...