The History of Cyprus Podcast

cyprusthepodcast

Welcome to The History of Cyprus Podcast -- a monthly series exploring the island’s past from 10,000 BCE to the 20th century. Each episode features in-depth conversations with leading scholars in archaeology, linguistics, political and social history, bringing academic insight to a wide audience. Together, we uncover the languages, cultures, conflicts, and legacies that shaped one of the Mediterranean’s most storied crossroads. Whether you’re a student, a history enthusiast, or just curious about Cyprus, this podcast offers something for everyone -- rooted in research, driven by storytelling. If you’d like to reach me, my name is Andreas. Please feel free to send me an email at cyprusthepodcast@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow The History of Cyprus Podcast Instagram and support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheHistoryofCyprusPodcast https://instagram.com/thehistoryofcyprus *The podcast image, ”Dressed for the Gods” (250BC) is from the British Museum taken by William Warby. Check out more of his work at flickr.com/photos/wwarby/

  1. 1 day ago

    *NEW EPISODE!* 54. From Sufis to Secularists: Identity and Religion amongst Turkish Cypriots with Mete Hatay

    In this episode, we explore the complex history and contemporary character of Turkish Cypriot Islam, a tradition often described as highly secular, private, or even residual. My guest, Mete Hatay (Senior Research Consultant from the Peach Research Institute in Oslo), helps me unpack the many explanations Turkish Cypriots themselves have given for this secularism -- from claims of Alevi or crypto-Christian ancestry to broader narratives shaped by modern Turkish nationalism and a long history of religious marginalization. We trace Islam’s arrival in Cyprus and examine how early patterns of settlement—including the banishment of heterodox or “undesirable” Muslim groups to the island—shaped the religious landscape. The episode examines how the mid-19th century Ottoman reforms began dismantling these traditions long before modern secularism took hold. We explore how efforts to centralize authority, suppress heterodox practices, and control waqf resources alienated Cypriot Muslims from their own religious institutions. British colonial rule, despite preserving formal autonomy through the Evkaf, further weakened Islamic infrastructure. We also look at how Cyprus became an unexpected refuge for Young Turks and how, in the early 20th century, Kemalist ideals found unusually fertile ground among Turkish Cypriots--shaping attitudes toward religion, education, and public life for decades to come.

  2. 15 Aug

    *NEW!* LIV: William Turner's Observations on Turkish Cypriots

    William Turner, a British traveller in the early 1800s, left one of the more vivid foreign descriptions of Cyprus under Ottoman rule. He claimed that Turkish Cypriots practiced a more relaxed form of Islam than he had seen in major Ottoman cities -- pointing to things like drinking, eating pork, and looser religious habits, though his comments reflect both his biases and limited encounters. He was also struck by how Turkish Cypriot women moved unveiled in public, which contrasted sharply with the norms he knew from Constantinople. While not a literal portrayal of the whole island, Turner’s observations show how outsiders already viewed Cypriot Islam as shaped by local custom, rural life, and cultural mixing. This sets the stage for next month’s episode on Turkish religion, secularism, and identity in Cyprus with Mete Hatay!

  3. 2 Aug

    53. Fragments of Faience, Glints of Gold: Cyprus and Egypt in Contact with Louise Steel

    Dr. Louise Steel is an archaeologist whose work focuses on challenging colonial interpretations of Cypriot history by emphasizing the agency of the local population. Through postcolonial theory, she encourages a re-evaluation of Cyprus not as a passive recipient of outside influence, but as an active participant in Bronze Age interconnectivity--especially through trade and cultural exchange. She uses the concept of the "Third Space" to frame Cyprus as a dynamic cultural middle ground, particularly during the Late Bronze Age, when the island thrived through the copper trade and maintained complex, often peaceful, relationships with powers like Egypt. Dr. Steel highlights Enkomi as a prime example of this hybridity: a site marked by elite tombs, Egyptian imports like scarabs and broad collars, and signs of status and identity shaped through interaction rather than domination. Her work invites further inquiry into how material culture reveals the identities and social lives of Cypriots in this pivotal era.

  4. 15 Jul

    Primary Source LIII: The Misfortunes of Wen-Amun

    In the early 11th century BCE, the Egyptian official Wen-Amun was dispatched on a diplomatic mission to Byblos to acquire timber for the sacred barque of Amun-Ra. His journey quickly unraveled -- pursued by the Tjekker, one of the Sea Peoples active in the region -- Wen-Amun was blown off course and landed in Alashiya (Cyprus). There, he faced a hostile reception, as the locals approached seemingly intent on violence. Brought before Princess Hatiba, Wen-Amun, desperate and stranded, called out to see if anyone could understand Egyptian. Remarkably, one man stepped forward to translate his plea. At this pivotal moment, the narrative breaks off, leaving Wen-Amun’s fate unknown. Yet his misadventure offers a striking glimpse into Egypt’s waning influence abroad and the diplomatic uncertainty of the time. At the same time, the presence of an Egyptian speaker in Cyprus points to the deep interconnectivity of the Late Bronze Age world -- an idea we’ll explore further in our next episode with Dr. Louise Steel, as we examine the ties between Cyprus and Egypt during this formative period.

  5. 2 Jul

    52. When Kinship Failed: Cyprus & The Black Death with Tassos Papacostas

    "Out of necessary cruelty, fathers abandoned their sons, and sons fled from their fathers, as the evident danger overcame all the rules of kinship, love, and nature." - Francesco Loredano AKA Henry Giblet on the Plague in Cyprus, 1660. Historian Tassos Papacostas joins The History of Cyprus Podcast to unravel the devastating impact of the Black Death on the island of Cyprus. While many are familiar with the broader European toll of Yersinia pestis, Papacostas helps us trace the origins, symptoms, and staggering mortality rate of the plague — and brings the conversation home to the Eastern Mediterranean. We delve into the earliest known records of the plague’s arrival on Cypriot shores in 1348, including the vivid testimony of Giovanni Francesco Loredano and references in chronicles by Leontios Makhairas, Florio Bustron, and others. How did the plague spread? What parts of the island suffered most, and who were the victims? Papacostas guides us through the archival and textual evidence, including funeral slabs, tax records, and population data, while also addressing monastic donations that reveal the deep scars left by the pandemic. We explore one particularly fascinating manuscript, Parisinus Graecus, a Cypriot copy of the Synaxarion of Constantinople filled with marginal notes recording deaths and donations -- a testament to fear, faith, and survival.

  6. 20 Jun

    *BONUS!* Building and Living an Archaeological Fieldwork Project with Luca Bombardieri

    Luca Bombardieri, Associate Professor in Aegean and Cypriot Archaeology at the University of Siena in Italy and the scientific director at the Erimi Archaeological Project in Cyprus, explores what it really means to direct an archaeological excavation. He highlights his unique philosophy of living on-site at Erimi and walks listeners through the complex, behind-the-scenes work that goes far beyond digging -- surveying, soil sampling, conservation, documentation, and required coordination with institutions like the Cyprus Museum. He also tackles major challenges such as looting, the race to secure discoveries before the season ends, and growing development pressures that threaten even protected sites.

  7. 15 Jun

    Primary Source LII: Loredano & The Black Death

    The Black Death swept across Europe in the mid-14th century, killing millions and leaving entire regions devastated. No corner of the continent was spared, and Cyprus too fell victim to the deadly pandemic. Giovanni Francesco Loredano, writing under the pseudonym Henrico Giblet, claimed that the plague struck Cyprus in early 1348, spreading from Famagusta and lasting a full year. He described widespread devastation, the king’s withdrawal to the “Castello Dio d’Amore,” (Saint Hilarion) and the ennobling of foreigners to replace lost nobility. Next month, I welcome back Dr. Tassos Papacostas (King's College London) to discuss the Black Death and Cyprus! Click HERE to follow on Instagram or copy and paste this link: instagram.com/thehistoryofcyprus Click HERE to support on Patreon or copy and paste this link: patreon.com/thehistoryofcypruspodcast

  8. 2 Jun

    51. Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire: Cyprus Between Athens & Persia with Christian Körner

    After the failed revolt against Persian rule, Cyprus experienced a brief and uneasy calm. But that peace quickly unraveled, as the island was drawn into the heart of the renewed conflict between Athens and Persia, becoming a key battleground in a decades-long imperial struggle. In this episode, we explore the turbulent and often overlooked 5th century BCE in Cypriot history -- the period between the failed Cyprus Revolt and the rise of Evagoras I. Dr. Christian Körner joins the History of Cyprus Podcast once more to help us navigate a challenging historical landscape, where much of what we know comes from fragmentary, Athenian-biased sources like Diodorus and Thucydides. As the Greco-Persian Wars intensify, Cyprus is repeatedly drawn into the conflict. We trace four major Athenian-led campaigns culminating in the death of General Kimon. Were the Athenians seen as liberators or invaders? And is the idea of “freedom” for Greek cities in Cyprus truly about independence -- or merely the exchange of one overlord for another?

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About

Welcome to The History of Cyprus Podcast -- a monthly series exploring the island’s past from 10,000 BCE to the 20th century. Each episode features in-depth conversations with leading scholars in archaeology, linguistics, political and social history, bringing academic insight to a wide audience. Together, we uncover the languages, cultures, conflicts, and legacies that shaped one of the Mediterranean’s most storied crossroads. Whether you’re a student, a history enthusiast, or just curious about Cyprus, this podcast offers something for everyone -- rooted in research, driven by storytelling. If you’d like to reach me, my name is Andreas. Please feel free to send me an email at cyprusthepodcast@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow The History of Cyprus Podcast Instagram and support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheHistoryofCyprusPodcast https://instagram.com/thehistoryofcyprus *The podcast image, ”Dressed for the Gods” (250BC) is from the British Museum taken by William Warby. Check out more of his work at flickr.com/photos/wwarby/

Information

  • Creator
    cyprusthepodcast
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    125
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The History of Cyprus Podcast

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