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Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
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GIOVANNI MARITI
Travels in the Island of Cyprus
page 162

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CHAPTER XXIX. OF THE SITE OF CITIUM. (Dissertazione istorico-critica suW antica Città di Citium. Livorno, 1787.) A FRIEND of mine, who passed some years in Cyprus, writes from Aix in Provence to challenge my opinion expressed in Chap. in. that in the town of Larnaca, and not in the village of Citi, is to be sought the site of the ancient city of Citium. I must see if I cannot strengthen and add to the arguments which already appear to me conclusive. I am inclined to believe that Citium, certainly one of the oldest cities in the world, was the first point of the island to be inhabited. We read in Genesis x. 4, 5 "the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. Of these were the isles of the nations divided in their lands, every one after his tongue ; after their families, in their nations." Kittim was probably the one who first reached Cyprus, and from him it took its name Cetima or Chetima. For the derivation of the Greek form Cition we have the testimony of Josephus, Ant. ι. п. "Now Chetimos possessed the island Chetima. This is now called Cypros, and from it all the islands and most of the seaside places were called by the Hebrews Chetim. I call as a witness one of the cities in Cypros, which has succeeded in preserving the name. For it is called by those

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