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Bible Dictionaries
Cyprus
People's Dictionary of the Bible
or Cyprus (sî'prus). A large fertile island of the Mediterranean Sea, triangular in form, 150 miles long, and from 50 to 60 miles broad. Venus was its chief goddess—hence her name Cypria. It contained two prominent cities, Salamis and Paphos, and 17 towns. Salamis was at the east and Paphos at the west end of the island. Acts 13:4-5. Barnabas was a native of Cyprus, and its people are noticed in apostolic history. Acts 4:36; Acts 13:4; Acts 15:39. Sergius Paulus, proconsul of Cyprus, was converted by Paul on his first missionary tour, Acts 13:7 ff., and thus became the first Christian ruler on record. Cyprus was colonized by the Phœnicians at a very early date. It was the Chittim, or Kittim, of the Old Testament. Numbers 24:24. Copper mining and the production of swords, armor, and other articles in bronze were its principal industries. There was also an extensive commerce. In literature, Cyprus boasted of very early distinction. After belonging to Egypt, Persia, and Greece, it became a Roman possession 58 b.c., and is now under the English government.
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Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Cyprus'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/rpd/c/cyprus.html. 1893.
