Ancient Nicosia

Greater Nicosia is probably the only area in Cyprus that can boast continuous habitation since the beginning of the Bronze Age, 2500 BC, when the first inhabitants settled in the fertile plain of Mesaoria.

It is this that makes Nicosia unique among Cyprus’ Bronze Age sites, the fact that settlements in Nicosia thrived and developed, while others ceased to exist.

During the first millennium BC, when Cyprus was divided into City-Kingdoms, Nicosia enjoyed neither the power nor the prosperity of other kingdoms, most of which lay on the coastline.

It became obvious that the Kingdom of Ledra was firmly under the political will of its neighbours until the Roman times, when Nicosia was nothing more than a small town.

It was not until the dissolution of the City-Kingdoms at the end of the 4th century AD that Nicosia managed to exploit its natural resources and geographical location at the centre of the island.