Amathus

Amathus is a Cyprus archaeological site that has the ruins of one of the island's earliest ancient settlements. It may have been founded by the Eteocyprians and has been inhabited since at least 1050 BC. The Greeks, Phoenicians, Persians, Ptolemies, and Romans all occupied it at one time or another. Amathus appears to have been abandoned in the late seventh century AD.

Amathus is linked to the Aphrodite religion as well as the Ariadne mythology. Several tombs, an acropolis with a 1st century AD Roman temple to Aphrodite, an agora with public baths, and the remnants of Amathus' 8th century BC palace are among the ruins of Amathus today.

The remains of the Temple of Aphrodite, as well as tombs dating from the Graeco-Phoenician early Iron Age era, are among the highlights at the Amathus site. In addition, new excavations have unearthed remains of the acropolis and agora, as well as parts of the upper and lower city. It's also worth noting that the world's largest stone vase was discovered at the Amathus site and is now on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. A huge limestone amphora, the stone vase dates from the 6th century BC. It stands 1.85 meters tall and weighs 14 tons.

Tourists and visitors may take a stroll around the old site and see unique and exquisite archaeological relics that have been buried for millennia. The site is fairly big, so visitors should plan on spending at least two hours there, and it is recommended that they bring a hat and plenty of water, especially if they visit during the summer months when the weather is particularly hot.

Address: Ancient Amathunta, Lemesos, Cyprus.