Revaluing Roman Cyprus by Hussein Ersin;

Author:Hussein, Ersin; [Hussein, Ersin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oxford University Press USA - OSO
Published: 2021-06-16T00:00:00+00:00

3.3.4 Cypriots Abroad

Activities of individuals beyond the island have been alluded to through discussion of koinon-led activities, which saw ambassadors to the Emperor dispatched to Rome and monuments erected by the koinon Kuprion and individuals for Roman governors.124 A handful of inscriptions from a number of notable locations indicate the presence and achievements of Cypriots, hinting at the ways in which they participated in the broader interests of Empire.

The most significant group are four inscriptions from Delphi, dated to the second century ad, that document the conferral of honours upon individuals from Roman Cyprus. The earliest records the impressive career of the aulos player Publius Aelius Aelianus from Salamis.125 According to the inscription, he won contests at Rome, Naples, Nicopolis, Nemea (three times), Argos (twice), and Isthmus (twice). He was also victorious at the Pythian Games and the Hadrianeia at Athens (three times), amongst others, and secured silver 166 times. His participation and successes in these contests, which increased in popularity and flourished under Roman rule, symbolize how individuals cultivated and expressed belonging to the cultural unity of empire.126 In another monument, for reasons that are unclear, Fabius Falernos was granted ‘all other things that are usually given to good and honourable men’ (including the right to consult the oracle of Apollo, the treaty of friendship, the privilege of front seats at the games, and immunity from public service).127 The other two monuments are decrees granting proxeny (an honorific status bestowed upon individuals from external states by a city, often for services such as hosting foreign ambassadors at their own expense) to Cypriots by the Delphians.128 In one inscription, Bacchios (a Paphian), son of Tryphon and Caius (the latter by adoption), is granted the rights of citizenship and traditional honours at the same time as two fellow Athenians and another individual from Malios in Cilicia. All are noted as Platonic philosophers.129 Similarly, a Quintus Al[---]mus (a Salaminian), son of Gellius Pyrrhos, received traditional honours with his wife, sons, and daughter.130 The survival of evidence from earlier periods shows that Cypriots were always present and involved in the traditions of Greek culture, fully participating in proxeny networks and engaged in games and festivals.131

Another cluster of inscriptions naming Cypriots appears at Athens. Overall, the evidence dates from the fifth century bc to the second century ad and documents people from the following Cypriot poleis: Kition,132 Kourion,133 Marion,134 Paphos,135 Salamis,136 Soloi,137 or more generally from Cyprus.138 As few as eight individuals are attested in funerary monuments relevant to this investigation (i.e. dating from the first century bc to the second century ad). All individuals commemorated are identified simply by their names and one of the following poleis is named: Paphos,139 Kition,140 Salamis,141 and Soloi.142 Presumably the provision of a home city or ethnic in inscriptions in this context can often be taken as evidence of residency in Athens or Attica, and it is likely that the individual could also claim the privileges of their home city if registered there.143 That said, the brevity

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