Cyprus's history is marked by a dynamism of its own . The island is , if one disregards some exceptions , too small to be able to maintain real independence . It has therefore always been at the mercy of external power constellations . It is possible to observe alternations taking place in long cycles . Sometimes Cyprus was a border area and lay between power blocs ; then its strategic importance became significant . For long periods , however , it was to be found within a power bloc , dependent on the development of a foreign state . Under Roman and Byzantine rule , it experienced a lasting boom and prosperity , under Ottoman rule it was left to decline slowly in keeping with the agony of the empire as a whole . The island has never held a really decisive role , either militarily , culturally or economically . But it was important : rich in mineral and other resources , in principle capable of supporting itself , and with the tenacious way of life of an indigenous culture . Despite the regular domination of foreign elements , it preserved something of its own and assimilated the outside influences . In this ambivalence lies its strength and its tragedy .

In the case of all languages written in a different script , and especially in the case of languages such as Greek and Latin where there is already a long tradition with respect to the adoption of words from them into English , the question of transcription arises . It would be comparatively simple if it just involved certain letters . But many old names have themselves gone through a long history ; the names of ancient cities (e.g. Caesarea/Kayseri) or historical persons , for example . In the case of letters , it is possible to agree on a solution - in this work the Greek f is transcribed with ph instead of with f as is often the practice of late ; c as a rule with ch (Christ , Machairas) , etc . Admittedly , in the case of names there are always versions which have become accepted and , in view of such usage , there are great difficulties in consistently adhering to a form of spelling once selected . This present book thus represents a compromise . It does not succeed in maintaining a form of the transcription of sounds right down to the smallest detail ; the authors would ask the reader's forbearance for this .

With the Erimi Culture , Cyprus entered into one of the longest phases in its history ; an age in which metal was used and trade links with the mainland were developed , social structures formed and the Cypro-Minoan script introduced . Thus between 4000 and 2500 B.C. a very great deal must have happened , but we do not know how these changes took place . Objects made of copper have been found , but it is unclear whether they were imported or made out of Cypriot ore . Ornaments and cruciform female figures were made out of picrite , a greenish stone occurring in copper deposits . They were worn as pendants or used as grave-goods (cf . fig. 2).

The epoch was probably brought about by a period of destruction by the migratory movement of the Indo-Europeans . From the second millennium B.C. , they pushed south-westwards , thus setting off population shifts in several waves . One of the first of these led to the settlement of Cyprus . With it began the systematic exploitation of the copper deposits . Cyprus , which at that time was probably called Alashiya , became the most important supplier of copper - cyprium aes - in the old world , and for a time held an important position in maritime trade . The north , where the ore deposits lay , prospered . External relations with Egypt (at times as a vassal) , the Aegean Islands , Palestine , Syria (Ugarit) and Babylon can be shown to have existed .Minoan traders from Crete established colonies on Cyprus and conducted their trade from there . Towards the end of the epoch , fortresses were established close to the coast which show traces of violent destruction . It is not known whether internal disputes or attacks from outside were the cause of this .