Soli or Soloi ( el, Σόλοι) is an ancient Greek city on the island of

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ge ...

, located next to the town of Karavostasi, southwest of Morphou (Guzelyurt), and on the coast in the gulf of Morphou. Since 1974 the site has been within the territory of the

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Northern Cyprus ( tr, Kuzey Kıbrıs), officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC; tr, Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti, ''KKTC''), is a ''de facto'' state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. Reco ...

. Originally, Soloi was located in a much constricted geographical location. At its current location, the whole urban centre was designed by

Solon Solon ( grc-gre, Σόλων; BC) was an Athenian statesman, constitutional lawmaker and poet. He is remembered particularly for his efforts to legislate against political, economic and moral decline in Archaic Athens.Aristotle ''Politics'' ...

during his 10-year trip, after whom the name Soloi is commonly attributed. Reyes, however, disputes this etymological origin, as the name Soloi appears on the Esarhaddon prism predating Solon's visit. Soloi was one of the ten city-kingdoms into which Cyprus was divided at the time. What remains today is mainly from the Roman period, most notably the

mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

floor of the

basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's Forum (Roman), forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building ...

with its wealth of birds, animals and geometric designs and a picture of a swan. There is a

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

but it has been renovated to the point that it no longer has any atmosphere of its original age. A trio of ancient underground tombs has been discovered near Soli. The tombs were excavated in 2005 and 2006. Two of the

tombs A tomb ( grc-gre, τύμβος ''tumbos'') is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called ''immureme ...

contained many findings, but the third tomb was empty as a result of looting. According to archaeologists the findings indicate a high level of wealth and power. Some of the vessels found are similar to items typically produced in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

. The artifacts are on display at the Museum of Archeology and Nature in Morphou. According to ancient written sources the city was supplying Athens with timber and copper and in return getting luxurious metal vessels from there.Rare Treasures Discovered In Ancient Tombs On Cyprus
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Famous people from Soli

* Nicocles, son of Pasicrates, who accompanied Alexander to India (Arrian, Indica 18.8). *

Stasanor Stasanor ( grc, Στασάνωρ; lived 4th century BC) was a native of Soli in Cyprus, who held a distinguished position among the officers of Alexander the Great. Stasanor, officer of Alexander Stasanor probably entered the service of Alexander ...

, 4th century BC general of

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...

and later governor of

Drangiana Drangiana or Zarangiana ( el, Δραγγιανή, ''Drangianē''; also attested in Old Western Iranian as 𐏀𐎼𐎣, ''Zraka'' or ''Zranka'', was a historical region and administrative division of the Achaemenid Empire. This region comprise ...

, Bactria and

Sogdiana Sogdia ( Sogdian: ) or Sogdiana was an ancient Iranian civilization between the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, and in present-day Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Sogdiana was also a province of the Achaemenid Empi ...

, following the partition of Triparadisus (Arrian, Successors 35). * Stasander, 4th century BC general of

and later Satrap of

Aria In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...

and

* Hiero of Soli, who was sent by Alexander to circumnavigate the Arabian peninsula, and went as far as the mouth of the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bod ...

. *

Clearchus of Soli Clearchus of Soli ( el, Kλέαρχoς ὁ Σολεύς, ''Klearkhos ho Soleus'') was a Greek philosopher of the 4th–3rd century BCE, belonging to Aristotle's Peripatetic school. He was born in Soli in Cyprus. He wrote extensively on eastern cul ...

, 4th century BC peripatetician philosopher, thought to have been to Alexandria on the Oxus, in Bactria.

References

Cities in ancient Cyprus Archaeological sites in Northern Cyprus Former populated places in Cyprus Archaeological sites in Cyprus {{Europe-hist-stub

Famous people from Soli

See also

References