Period

Event

8,500 - 8,000 BC

Hunter Gatherers - Ancient bones of elephants found in a cave near the city Limassol.

7,000 - 5,300 BC

First settlers in Cyprus were The Khirokitians, where also known as the Neolithic Period. The settlement at Khirokitians in South ofCyprus, dates back to before 6,000 B.C.

4,000 - 2,500 BC

Copper (Chalcolitic) Age - Copper was used for the first time and evident is still across the island, the settlements are all kind of sizes and can still been see today.

2,700 - 1,600 BC

The Cypriot Bronze Ages, Early and Middle - Cattle, horses, and bronze making are introduced as well as pottery. After the Chalcolitic Age, dating from 3,000 to 2,500 B.C. years.

1,600 - 1,050 BC

The Late Bronze Age – This was a sophisticated period and they made literate city-states, such as Enkomi-Alasia and Kition. Now in Cypriot archaeology they treat the late Bronze age separately from the Chalcolitic and which lasted for about 1,500. The Late Bronze Age (1600-1050 BC) was one of the most formative periods of the life of ancient Cyprus. The island's international contacts extended from the Aegean Sea to the Levant and the Nile Delta.

1,500 - 1,450 BC

Hittite rule in Cyprus - During the period between 1,500-1050 B.C. the rival Hittite and Egyptian empires exercised authority over the rulers of the Cypriot cities

1,450 - 1,000 BC

Beginning of the Egyptian domination of the island - Thutmose III of Egypt claimed Cyprus as one of his conquests in about 1450 BC. Writing, in the form of a linear script known as Cypro-Minoan, was borrowed from Crete. Cypriot craftsmen were distinguished for fine jewellery, ivory carving, and bronze figures.

1,200 - 1,000 BC

Establishment of the city-state of Salamis, which was the capital at the time, and also the states of Marion, Paphos and Kyrenia.

1,000 - 850 BC

Iron Age - Cypro-Geometric Period. The coming of Iron, the Dorians and a Dark Age also known as Cypro-Geometric II and I. This is when mass immigration of Greek-speaking people from the Peloponnese started entering Cyprus. At the start of the 1st millennium the Greek language dominated Cyprus.

850 - 750 BC

Iron Age - Cypro-Geometric Period. The Phoenician-led Renaissance and Assyrian rule on the island. Phoenician merchants were responsible for the restoration of trade routes and cultural contacts that had been severed during the fall of the Late Bronze Age civilisations.

750 - 475 BC

Iron Age - Cypro-Archaic Period. Time of the city-kingdoms despite the island being ruled by a succession of foreign countries for much of the period (Assyrians, from 709 BC; Egyptians, from c.570 BC; and Persians, from 545 BC).

568 - 525 BC

Egyptian domination - When the Assyrian Empire finally broke up at the end of the 7th century B.C., Egypt, under the Saite dynasty, became the predominant power in the eastern Mediterranean. In about 569 B.C. the Cypriot kingdoms recognized the pharaoh Ahmose II as their overlord.

525 - 333 BC

Iron Age - Cypro-Classical Period sees the Persian occupation and the rule of the island and the duel between the city kingdoms of Kition and Salamis. - In 525 B.C. the Cypriot kings transferred their allegiance to the Persian conquerors of Egypt. The Cypriots retained their independence until the accession of Darius I

333 - 58 BC

Hellenistic rule - Alexander the Great rules the island - Freedom from the Persians finally came in 333 B.C. when Alexander the Great defeated the Persians.

58 BC - 395 AD

Roman Empire ruling Cyprus: Emperor Constantine of Byzantium had officially recognised Christianity in 313 AD. In the late 4th century AD Emperor Theodosius ordered the closure of all pagan temples. This put an end to the rituals at the Temple of Aphrodite in Paphos, though worship of Aphrodite continued.

395 - 649 AD

Island becomes a part of the Byzantine Empire when Cyprus is gradually converted from paganism to Orthodox Christianity (Early Byzantine period)

649 - 965 AD

A second Dark Age: the island is caught on the frontier between the two warring empires of Byzantium and Islam

965 - 1191

Return of the island to Byzantium (Late Byzantine period) - Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas of Byzantium, having conquered the coast of Cilicia and defeated the Egyptian fleet, was able to reoccupy Cyprus peacefully in AD965.

1191 - 1192

Rule of the island by Richard I (the Lionheart), of England and later by the Knights Templars

1192 - 1489

Rule of the island by the Frankish Lusignan Dynasty

1489 - 1570

Venetian domination of Cyprus

1571 - 1878

Conquest of the island by the Ottoman Empire

1878 - 1925

The administration of Cyprus is passed to Britain - In 1878 the West returned, when Britain took over Cyprus with the agreement from the Ottoman government. They needed to protect the outbreak of war with the Ottoman Empire in 1914, becoming a Crown Colony in 1925. One of the reasons for occupying Cyprus was to protect the Ottoman Sultan against Russia.

1925 - 1960

Cyprus is annexed by Britain when Ottoman Empire enters into the World War I on the side of Germany; subsequently the island becomes a Crown Colony and under the British rule

1960

Foundation of the Republic of Cyprus (by the Turkish and Greek-Cypriot communities) The Zurich Agreement (1959) between Turkey and Greece produced a bi-communal constitutional framework for Cyprus, which recognised the equality of the two `communities’ in many important matters, and a large degree of political and cultural divides.

1963

The collapse of the constitutional rule - The 1960 Constitution proved its inadequacy soon after the Republic was established. The Greek-Cypriots wanted to end the separate Turkish-Cypriot municipal councils permitted by the British in 1958, but made subject to review under the 1960 agreements. 
For many Greek-Cypriots these municipalities were the first stage on the way to the partition they feared. Moreover, they complained that a Turkish-Cypriot veto on the budget (in response to alleged failures to meet obligations to the Turkish-Cypriots) made government immensely difficult, indeed well nigh impossible.

1974

Coup d'etat by the Greek army officers stationed on the island to overthrow the President (Makarios) with the aim of uniting the island with Greece; subsequent Turkish Military intervention (under the provisions of the Treaty of Guarantee of the Republic of Cyprus)

1974

Division of the island into Turkish-Cypriot North and Greek-Cypriot South

1975

Declaration of the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus, to pave way for a federal settlement on the island

1983

Foundation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

1990

The 'Republic of Cyprus' (effectively the Greek-Cypriot South Cyprus) applied for full membership to the EU on 4th July 1990. This application was made without the consent of the Turkish-Cypriot Community as was required by the Constitution of the 'Republic of Cyprus'.

2002-3

Dialogue and negotiations between Denktash & Klerides to unify the North & South before EU entry

2003

After 30 years borders open between North and South Cyprus on 23 April 2003, following the Turkish-Cypriot Authorities' ease the border restrictions.

2004

Twin-Referendums on uniting the island under the UN Annan's Plan - accepted by Turkish-Cypriots, but rejected by Greek-Cypriots. Island (effectively Greek-Cypriot Southern Cyprus) becomes a member of the EU.