Cyprus: Kourion and Apollo
Kourioin was one of the three most important sanctuaries in Cyprus
in Roman times.
Roman buildings of first two centuries CE confused
and destroyed earlier structures particularly south of the temonos
boundaries. However, it is obvious tht Roman interest revived and
continued the religious traditions which made this sanctuary
important in archaic times. Its form and the nature of the finds in
the precinct suggest an even longer history of continuity of
tradition which began in the Bronze Age if not earlier.
The sancutary was not associated with any habitation or
settlement. Neolithic Sotira Teppes, some three to four miles to
the north, and the Chalcolithic settlement of Sotira Kaminoudhia,
which lies at bottom of eastern slope of same hill, not connected
with santuary.
Long history in Minoan and Mycenaean period with many changes
In archaic times (700-475 BCE) when sanctuary received its wall and
altars. Numerous cemeteries in sourronding district from the
Yerokarka region to At Meydan to the west and Kaloriziki south of
the modern road to Limassol and nearer the sea testify to the
density of contemporary settlement without revealing its exact
whereabouts. Perhaps there were several, and the earlier practice
of frequent moves to new sites continued without affecting common
bond of cultural tradition which had united entire area near
sanctuary since Bronze Age. Remarkably no settlement seems ever to
have covered the actual site of the sanctuary.
In the middle, between the Kourion bluff, one mile west of the
villge of Episkopi, and the sanctuary a mile further west, lies the
Roman stadium.
If you walk up there from the Kourion bluff and
continue to the sanctuary you can detect parts of the ancient way
which by the second century CE connected all three elements: city,
stadium, and sanctuary of Apollo. East of the stadium and slightly
above it the small Christian Basilica arose around a large ancient
water cistern. Amongst remains there was a fourth century BCE
marble statue base with a dedicatory inscription to Demeter and
Kore, whose cult in the area appears confirmed by find of a number
of terracotta votives of women.
Literary tradition records that Kourion was an Argeion ktisma
(Strabo 14, 683) Herodotus spoke of Kourians as Argive settlers
(5.113.1). These came in second wave of Achaean arrivals, i.e.,
some two or three hundred years after main body of colonists
bringing with them practice of cremating dead.
In 1983 was uncovered the solid limestone blocks, on bedrock, of
first archaic peribolos wall at northern end of temenos. Thus this
boundary, and perhaps original eastern limit near, but west of, the
later Roman water pipes, seem clearly defined. To west, wide Roman
street leading to temple of Apollo effectively obliterated any
trace of archaic peribolos. Same applies south of the temenos
where the so called East Complex may have covered over a part of
archaic precinct. Structures of this complex comprise the East
Building, a house and stoa. According to excavators, these were
erected in late fourth or third century BCE and so constituted
oldest extant post archaic buildings. Form and function of East
Complex have been much debated. Perhaps included house of priest
who administered cult and the sacred treasury. The impressive
buildings no doubt reflect an upsurge of interest at the time. At
southern end of East Complex and adjoining Kitchen McFadden
discovered a semicircular pit filled with hundreds of discarded
earlier terracotta votives which came from temenos during 8th and
7th centuries BCE. Such pits with deconsecrated votives can be
paralleled in most other sancturies. Frequently they were placed
just within or outside at the end of the first century CE.
Modern visitor sees sanctuary as it might have appeared in last
phase in 4th century CE. Remains of major Roman buildings to the
east, south and southwest dominate the site which hinges on the
street as its central axis leading to the temple. Roman temple of
Apollo stands out as most prominenet focal point of sanctuary.
Probably built under Augustus, though extant remains which are
being used in reconstruction came from a second temple half a
century latur during principate of Nero.
Romans preserved and respected past sacred traditions by
keeping archaic precinct as major feature of their own planning and
design and redefining its dimension by building a new perbolos wall
on top of the old in the north and possibly east, and partly by
constructing new walls at eastern edge of the street. Even the
conduits for water of early second century CE, which supplied the
Trajanic Baths east of the East Complex, were carefully laid to run
outside the temenos to east and north.
By end of first and early second century CE, if not earlier,
cult had expanded from that of the protecting city god to involve
figure of Roman emperor. Then Apollo was worshipped not only as
Hylates but also as Kaisar. Reached most resplendent period in
Cyprus under Trajan Venue for sports and chariot racing in honor
of Apollo and emperor. Evidence of this survives in an uncommon
number of lead defixiones from 3rd century CE disovered in a well
at Kourion. Curses inscribed on them and directed against unpopular
competitors record lively partisanship of the many sports
supporters who came to watch the races.
Sacrificial victims mostly young sheep and goats. God at Kourion
specially favored the right hind leg of goats as an offering
(curiously at the circular temple of Apollo in Nettleton,
Wiltshire, the god favored the right forelimb of a lamb(W.J.
Wedlake, The Excavation of the Shrine of Apollo at Nettleton,
Wilts., 1956-71, London 1982), 178)
Alongside one wall many broken offerings including bronze and iron
knives which may have been used for sacrifice and then dedicated to
the god. South of the altar small votive jugs came to light and
fragments of other archaic ware.
Meaning of Templum
Varro, De Ling. Lat (VII.8-10) Like Greek temenos, Latin templum
is understood as a sacred area rather than a building.
"In the sky, which is Jove's temple, there are four quarters, East,
West, South, North; but on earth templum means a place set apart by
the appropriate specific form of words for the purpose of augury or
of taking auspices or observations of the birds. The language of
the formula is not everywhere the same. On the Citadel it runs:
Temples and wild lands (i.e. sacred and secular areas) shall be
mine as far as I have declared them to be such by solemn
pronouncement.