Soli, Cyprus

For other uses, see Soli.

Soli or Soloi (Greek: Σόλοι) is an ancient Greek city on the island of Cyprus, 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 Turkish occupied territory of the Northern Cyprus.

Soli

Σόλοι
Map showing the 10 ancient city Kingdoms of Cyprus
Shown within Cyprus
Location	Cyprus
Region	Nicosia District
Coordinates	35.140°N 32.811°E / 35.140; 32.811

The swan mosaic at Soli

Originally, Soloi was located in a much more constricted geographical location. At its current location, the entire urban centre was designed by Solon 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.^[1] 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 floor of the basilica with its wealth of birds, animals and geometric designs and a picture of a swan. There is a theatre 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 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. The artifacts are on display at the Museum of Archeology and Nature in Morphou.^[2]

According to ancient written sources the city was supplying Athens with timber and copper and in return getting luxurious metal vessels from there.^[2]

Archaeological Excavations

The Swedish Cyprus Expedition, led by Einar Gjerstad, excavated Soli during October 1927. The ancient town of Soli was located on the Mesaoria plain which was a well-situated place, close to the sea and harbor in the north as well as cultivated plains to the east and Cyprus' richest copper district to the south. The very top plateau was surrounded by a strong wall of similar construction to the city wall. The entrance was probably to the north side. Within this area, the foundation of a temple (templum in antis) was found. The archaeologist's conclusions about this temple are very conjectural. The Acropolis Hill was probably the first to be inhabited. When the town grew larger the area between the hill and the sea was inhabited. The buildings were often repaired and rebuilt. The town of Soli has changed from time to time. The earliest potsherds are from the Cypro-Archaic periods but they are very few in comparison with the Cypro-Hellenistic and Cypro-Roman sherds.^[3]

Molded Roman lamp from Soli, ca. 50 BC-150 AD.

The necropolis of Soli is spread over an enormous area around the town. Thousands of the tombs had already been opened by modern tomb robbers and were therefore destroyed. The sherds from the robbed tombs make it possible to date them and most of them are from the Cypro-Archaic II period to the Cypro-Roman.^[3]

Temples at Cholades

According to the excavators many of the walls at Cholades were made of reused material found in the river below the sites. Sometimes even pieces of broken statues were reused in the walls. Several walls had been decorated with mural paintings, most of them were found on fragments of stucco, fallen to the floors close to the walls. In one room the paintings were better preserved, and the pattern could be studied. The other rooms seem to have had walls decorated with vertical and horizontal lines in red, blue, black, and green creating large squares. One room had fragments with wide red bands as well.^[3]

Naked marble sculpture probably depicting Aphrodite. Cypro-Hellenistic, IB. Found at Soli/Soloi. This sculpture can be found at the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia.

They also found water conduits, cisterns, stairs and altars. All the buildings create a temple complex consisting of different temples numbered from A to F. The temples were altered, changed, and rebuilt during four periods. Material from the temples displays a particularly rich material of sculptures made of marble and limestone. According to the archeologists temples A and B were conjointly dedicated to Aphrodite and Cybele. One or possibly both of temples C and D were sacred to Isis and temple E to Serapis Canopus and Eros. Temple F was dedicated to Mithras. During the first period, there was a loose connection between the cella and the irregular courtyards in front of it. In period 2 (temple B, C, and D) the shape is still irregular although the connection between the cella and courtyards is beginning to get closer. In the third period, temple E was reconstructed with the cellae and courtyards built together as a closed unit and it seems like the importance of symmetry improves. In period 4 are some courtyards roofed with several closed chapels. The temples date from the Cypro-Hellenistic period and the Roman times.

From the Swedish Cyprus Expedition's excavation at Soli Cholades. Construction of temples C-F.

The marble sculptures found during the excavation were probably made from imported marble. It seems likely that the heads were made separately from the body and fitted together with an iron pin. Some sculptures have been mended. All the sculptures were once painted although the colours are faintly preserved. Other sculptures were made of alabaster, terracotta as well as soft and hard limestone. Some of the sculptures were found in situ and these were always located in connection to the cellae. The archeologists proposed that they probably were placed on the altars in the cellae. Therefore the altars might have been used as iconostasis, or a stand for the various sculptures. This was only observed with the sculptures in the cella, not the ones from the courtyards or outside. The sculptures from period 1 (250 B.C.) were all found in temple A. From period 2 (end of 2nd century B.C.) all the sculptures were found at temples B, C, and D. From period 3 (middle of 3rd century A.D.) and 4 (beginning of 4th century. A.D.) all the sculptures were found in temple E. The sculptures and inscriptions were used as the foundation for the archaeologist's identifications of the temples, therefore they might be the correct identification but it is not completely sure.^[3]

Theatre

A reconstruction of the theatre at Soli during the Roman period by John Lindros.

Party at the theater's orchestra. Soli, 1927–1931.

Further on the Swedish Cyprus Expedition excavated an ancient theatre at Soli. They proposed that the theatre was planned and erected in one piece and they could not distinguish any building periods. The structure displays that the theatre is from the Roman period and coins exhibit an even more precise date, 42/3 A.D as well as 66-70 A.D.  It seems to have been in use until the fourth century. The theatre consists of three parts, orchestra, auditorium, and stage-building. The orchestra is cut out of the rock and has a semicircular shape with a rectangular addition in front. The floor of the orchestra was plastered with lime cement and the rainwater was carried off by a conduit of terracotta pipes. Two entrances, the western and eastern paradoi, lead to the orchestra. The auditorium was also semicircular and cut into the rock of the sloping hill. The auditorium is divided by a diazoma covered by limestone slabs.^[3]

Famous people from Soli

• Nicocles, son of Pasicrates, who accompanied Alexander to India (Arrian, Indica 18.8).
• Stasanor, 4th century BC general of Alexander the Great and later governor of Drangiana, Bactria and Sogdiana, following the partition of Triparadisus (Arrian, Successors 35).
• Stasander, 4th century BC general of Alexander the Great and later Satrap of Aria and Drangiana
• Hiero of Soli, who was sent by Alexander to circumnavigate the Arabian Peninsula, and went as far as the mouth of the Persian Gulf.
• Clearchus of Soli, 4th century BC peripatetician philosopher, thought to have been to Alexandria on the Oxus, in Bactria.

See also

• List of ancient Greek cities
• Solon

References

1. A.T Reyes, Archaic Cyprus (1993):124
2. Rare Treasures Discovered In Ancient Tombs On Cyprus
3. Gjerstad, Einar (1937). The Swedish Cyprus Expedition: Finds and Results of the Excavations in Cyprus 1927-1931, Vol. III Text. Stockholm: Victor Pettersons Bokindustriaktiebolag. pp. 1, 74–75, 21, 23–26, 74–75, 76–79, 82–84, 85, 93–97, 111–112, 238, 154–155, 17–174, 210, 225–228, 270–277, 264–265, 398, 340–345, 388, 394–396, 380–383, 398, 399–403, 404–405, 407, 416–419, 533–544, 582, 563–565. ISBN 978-9333341769.