History of Pafos

Pafos became the capital of Cyprus under the successors of Alexander the Great – Ptolemy’s, in antiquity, and was the main city of the island for seven centuries. Today it’s a charming town in the west of Cyprus with many breathtaking monuments.                                                              
Chronology
BC (Before Christ)
4th century BC: The town was founded at the end of the 4th century by Nicocles, the last king of Palaipafos (Kuklia).
3rd century BC: In the beginning of 3rd century BC, Nea Pafos (Kato Pafos) became the center of Ptolemaic (Hellenistic colony in Egypt) administration on the island. Cyprus was a part of Ptolemaic kingdom, Alexandria was the capital.
1st century BC: Cyprus was part of Rome; Nea Pafos continued to be the capital of Cyprus.

AD (Anno Domini /Medieval Latin Language – The year of our Lord)
4th century AD: Cyprus became part of Byzantine Empire. Capital of Cyprus transferred to Salamis (Famagusta) which was then renamed Constantia.
5th century AD: The harbor of Pafos began to acquire some importance again in the 5th century because of the export of silk.
7th century AD: After the Arab raids in the middle of the 7th century, Nea Pafos went through a period of decline, which lasted a few centuries, and was thus reduced in size.
10th century AD: The port of Pafos is becoming an important stop for pilgrims to the Holy Land.
15th century AD: Under Venetian rules, the coastal settlement of Nea Pafos was abandoned and the population began to move further inland where the present town of Pafos (Pano Pafos) developed.
1821 AD: Pafos, like the other towns and villages of Cyprus, paid a heavy toll to the Turks who had begun to suspect that a revolt would break out in Cyprus as had happened in Greece. For this reason they arrested the leaders of Cypriots in Nicosia, some of whom they beheaded and some they hanged.
1878 AD: British administration divided Pafos' sub-districts, Ktima, Polis Chrisochous and Kelokedara.
1922 AD: A lot of refugees came to Pafos after the Asia Minor disaster.