Civic Identity

Central to this investigation of collective identity are the foundation myths, and their associated stories, of the Cypriot poleis. Assessment of their construction, and maintenance, in literary texts, followed by study of the celebration of myths in material culture in local contexts by insiders and outsiders, contribute to the evolving picture of local responses to Roman rule and collective identity formation. This chapter assesses evidence from Nea Paphos, Palaipaphos, Kourion, Amathous, and Salamis in most detail, as ample evidence from these contexts survives in comparison to other settlements. Study of a few chosen poleis, rather than every polis, avoids a repetitive and cumbersome review for the reader littered with frustrated caveats regarding the fragmentary and inconsistent nature of some of the evidence. Investigation of these poleis aids understanding of interregional identity, connectivity, and local difference as opposed to generic discussion of ‘East’ versus ‘West’—as implied by a strict focus on Paphos and Salamis alone. Given its fame and the prominence of its surviving material record, evidence from the Paphos region naturally occupies most space. The chapter surveys the foundation myths of the poleis, paying particular attention to the reception, use, and adaptation of narratives in literary sources produced during the Roman Empire. Assessment of the use of mythology and the preservation of local traditions and histories in local material culture follows, to investigate civic identity and to address the enduring stereotypes that have characterized the experience and identities of the Cypriot poleis under Roman rule