18. Felis Cypria: Cat Domestication in Prehistoric Cyprus? with Jean-Denis Vigne
My guest this month is Dr. Jean-Denis Vigne, Emeritus Director of Research from the Natural History Museum in Paris. In this episode, we discuss the oldest farming village in a Mediterranean island (i...
2 Sep 202359min
Primary Source XVIII: Friar Francesco Suriano’s Observations on the Cats of Cyprus 1484
If you have ever visited Cyprus, you would have certainly noticed the abundance of cats on the island. On his way to Jaffa in 1484, the Venetian Friar, Francesco Suriano, noticed the same thing. His o...
15 Aug 20232min
17. Venexia e l’ixola de Zipro: Venetian Cyprus with Benjamin Arbel
The Venetian period in Cyprus has been characterized as one of decline and decay. But was it? In this month's episode, Benjamin Arbel (Professor Emeritus Tel Aviv University) and leading historian on ...
2 Aug 20231h 16min
Primary Source XVII: George Boustronios and the Last Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro
George Boustronios, in his Narrative of the Chronicle of Cyprus 1456–1489, documents the transition from the Lusignan dynasty to Venice. In this month's excerpt, you'll hear a dramatized reading of la...
15 Juli 20231min
16. Eύώδεα Κύπρον: Perfumery Production in Ancient Cyprus with Maria Rosaria Belgiorno
There are seven olfactory families to categorize fragrances. Yet of the seven, only one is named for a place: Chypre. It's no surprise, then, that Cyprus' importance in perfumery has been known throug...
2 Juli 202359min
Primary Source XVI: Hymn to Aphrodite
The Homeric Hymns -- named for their "Homeric" style -- are a collection of anonymously authored hymns dedicated to the major gods and goddesses in the Hellenic Pantheon. This particular excerpt, from...
15 Juni 20231min
15. Le Coeur de Lion: King Richard’s Conquest of Cyprus with Angel Nicolaou-Konnari
In 1191, during the Third Crusade, King Richard I of England, also known as Richard the Lionheart, led his army to capture the island of Cyprus. The island was controlled by an illegitimate, self-styl...
2 Juni 202359min
Primary Source XV: King Richard’s Letter on the Conquest of Cyprus 1191
In this primary source, King Richard of England (The Lionheart) addresses his judiciary, providing us a firsthand account of the events leading up to the capture of the Cyprus and sheds light on the p...
15 Maj 20232min
