In ancient times, Cyprus' strategic location between three continents guaranteed it a role in flourishing trade routes, and made it a coveted prize.
After Alexander's death, Cyprus was embroiled in the power plays of his generals, before enjoying a period of stability under the Ptolemy dynasty during which Greek culture became dominant.
From the middle of the 7th century, Cyprus suffered wave after wave of Arab raids before the Byzantine emperor re-established a firm grip on one of his prized assets toward the end of the millennium.
From the 11th century, Cyprus was embroiled in the Crusades, becoming a launching pad for Christian armies aiming to reclaim the Holy Lands from Muslims.
In 1489, the streetwise Venetians took control of Cyprus, maintaining the unpopular feudal system as they used the island as a defensive military base against the rising power of the Ottoman Empire, which had already captured Constantinople, the Byzantine capital, and much of mainland Greece.
Reprisals against those accused of conspiring with the Greek rebels fed a growing desire for union with the expanding modern Greece.
A series of attempts to reunify the island have all ended in failure, most notably in 2004 when Greek Cypriots voted in a referendum against a proposed peace deal.
The island's shadowy and outsized banking system and its over-reliance on Russian money have turned it into the latest country needing a bailout to avert collapse.
In an unprecedented move, the EU said last weekend that depositors would have to cough up funds for the country's bailout — effectively amounting to a seizure of savings.
The EU's calls for depositors to effectively pay for a large chunk of Cyprus' bailout have not only raised fears of disastrous bank runs; they have also put Europe on a political collision course with an increasingly assertive Moscow.
After Alexander's death, Cyprus was embroiled in the power plays of his generals, before enjoying a period of stability under the Ptolemy dynasty during which Greek culture became dominant.
From the middle of the 7th century, Cyprus suffered wave after wave of Arab raids before the Byzantine emperor re-established a firm grip on one of his prized assets toward the end of the millennium.
From the 11th century, Cyprus was embroiled in the Crusades, becoming a launching pad for Christian armies aiming to reclaim the Holy Lands from Muslims.
In 1489, the streetwise Venetians took control of Cyprus, maintaining the unpopular feudal system as they used the island as a defensive military base against the rising power of the Ottoman Empire, which had already captured Constantinople, the Byzantine capital, and much of mainland Greece.
Reprisals against those accused of conspiring with the Greek rebels fed a growing desire for union with the expanding modern Greece.
A series of attempts to reunify the island have all ended in failure, most notably in 2004 when Greek Cypriots voted in a referendum against a proposed peace deal.
The island's shadowy and outsized banking system and its over-reliance on Russian money have turned it into the latest country needing a bailout to avert collapse.
In an unprecedented move, the EU said last weekend that depositors would have to cough up funds for the country's bailout — effectively amounting to a seizure of savings.
The EU's calls for depositors to effectively pay for a large chunk of Cyprus' bailout have not only raised fears of disastrous bank runs; they have also put Europe on a political collision course with an increasingly assertive Moscow.
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