| Kition Κίτιον |
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| Location of Ancient Kition | ||||
| Capital | Not specified | |||
| Language(s) | Mycenaean Greek | |||
| Religion | Polytheism | |||
| Government | Not specified | |||
| Historical era | Classical Antiquity | |||
| - Established | 13th century BC | |||
| - Disestablished | 10th century BC | |||
Kition (Ancient Greek: Κίτιον), also known by its Latin name Citium, was an ancient city-state centered on the southern coast of Cyprus, in today's Larnaca. The state was originally established by the Greeks as Kittim in the 13th century BC but was re-established and historically defined by Phoenicians as Kition in around 800 BC.
Mycenaeans first settled in the area for the purpose of the exploitation of copper, but the settlement eventually faded two centuries later as a result of constant disarray and inquietude of the time. Few centuries after, however, some Phoenican merchants who were believed to come from Tyre colonized the area and expanded the political influence of Kition. The city had an advanced sea port which was destroyed in the 332 AD earthquake.
In modern times Kition was first excavated by the Swedish Cyprus Expedition in 1929. Subsequent excavations by the Cyprus department of Antiquities started in 1959. A French team also excavated in 1976. [1]
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