The city of Amathus, or as it is called Amaphunteia, is one of the oldest settlements of Cyprus. It was located in the southern part of the island on the coast of the Mediterranean sea.

The history of Amathus has more than 2 thousand years, and its founder is considered the Cinyrus – the first king of Cyprus and the father of Adonis. He is also the founder of the cult of Aphrodite on the island. According to one version, the city was named in honor of his mother Amata (Amathus), according to another version, on the site of the city before was the same grove, where he died during child birth and was buried Ariadne after dumped her lover Theseus.

Thanks to its extremely convenient location Amathus almost immediately after its inception, developed into a commercial and economic centre of the island. In a convenient natural harbour, the harbour was constructed, which contributed to the development of trade with the Levant (present-day Palestine, Syria and Lebanon) and Greece – basically they traded grain, copper and wool.

Later the city became a battlefield, and after its conquest by Alexander the great had gradually lost their economic significance. With the advent of Christianity to the island the cult of Aphrodite and Adonis also came to nothing.

At the moment on the site of this ancient city remained only ruins. The first excavations there were begun in the late nineteenth century, American archaeologist and military Luigi Palma di Cesnola, who gave all his finds to the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum. More seriously, archaeologists undertook Amathus only 100 years later, and still this ancient city never ceases to amaze them with her treasure. So, scientists have discovered the temple of Aphrodite (the city was built two temples in honour of this goddess, which was considered as the patroness of Amathus, but, unfortunately, one of them was never completed), the Acropolis, the port, the Basilica and the city wall. Found values have been added to the collection of the Museum of Cyprus, located in Nicosia.