The Political and Administrative Systems

of the Classical Cypriot City-Kingdoms

Dr. Beatrice Pestarino

The Haifa Center for Mediterranean History (HCMH)

The lecture will examine the political and administrative systems of the Cypriot city-kingdoms during the Classical period, as analyzed in the book Kypriōn Politeia, The Political and Administrative Systems of the Classical Cypriot City‑Kingdoms (brill, leiden 2022). It will compare data on Cypriot officials and institutions obtained from inscriptions written in different languages and scripts, such as Cypriot-syllabic Greek and Eteocypriot, alphabetic Greek, and Phoenician, with information coming from literary sources and archaeological reports. It will demonstrate that the Classical Cypriot city-states shared common administrative systems, the hubs of which were the palaces located in the capitals. The political system was similar but more diverse with magistracies varying from city-state to city-state. The lecture will also discuss the presence of assemblies beyond the king and his entourage.

Monday, 27th November 2023, 19:30 (EET)