In the last column, it was mentioned that this would be written in Cyprus and here I am in the Mediterranean surrounded by water on a beautiful island. This column could be sub-titled "Further adventures of a conscripted tourist" as this is the start of another series of articles thanks to my military career. I can not complain about my job as it is one which has been eagerly sought by many who know about UNFICYP. The recent events (reported in US and other media in mid-August) may have discouraged some people from considering Cyprus as an ideal getaway spot; however, some of us have no choice right now and must take what comes along. There is some solace in that it is not quite as hectic as Croatia from where I wrote an article last year (in between Croatian Army offensives).

Cyprus for those who know about it, has had a long history of military activity and some very colourful characters have been associated with it. Two names that come to mind are Richard III of England and Shakespeare's Othello. These two figures mark high points in medieval Cypriot history and they find themselves in good company. There are many other characters who have had roles in local affairs dating back to Neolithic times.

For the benefit of the readership, only those periods of interest shall be address here. Additional information is available but there is not much of note after 1571 when the Turks conquered the island from the Venetians. The locals would disagree and the presence of UNFICYP since 1963 would strengthen their arguments, but then that is much too contemporary for this journal.

Rather than repeat the history of the island between 2000 BC and 1571 AD, I shall limit myself to highlights which would be of interest to visitors and historians. For those who have collected SAGA for years, I refer you to Vol VI, No. 3 (July, 1992) in which a short history of Cyprus under the Lusignan rulers and an army list were printed on pages 41 and 42. There are also some good travel books available and a home page on the Internet for those wanting to delve into Cypriot history in greater depth. These next few points will focus on what are planned to be the major study areas for the next nine months until I go elsewhere (unless this tour is extended due to budget constraints).

UN Passes

Some may wonder that I have not been busy exploring the island during the first three months, which is not quite true. I have had time to travel (between crises) and to see much of the island. This is a privilege available to few as Cyprus is a divided land where travel is restricted between the Greek and Turkish sectors. The UN personnel are not subject to the normal limitations that confront the tourist. The paying visitor must decide on either north or south with the possibility of limited access to the other sector for day trips only.

This is a problem as three of the best castles and one fortress are located in the north (St Hilarion, Buffavento and Kantara, and Kyrenia respectively). There is also the ancient city of Salamis north of the modern port of Famagusta which is accessible to those in the north.

In the south, there are several smaller castles and the remains of many ancient and medieval structures. One of the main features, the Venetian wall around Nicosia is unfortunately not open to visitors desirous of circumnavigating the 11 bastions and linking walls. That being said, my reason for not seeing and doing everything is that there is lots to see and do here of a non-historical nature. Cyprus has some beautiful beaches and countryside which is best enjoyed in the summer when it is very hot (35-40 Celsius). I for one do not enjoy hot museums filled with sweaty people. Besides I can wait until the tourists have gone to enjoy these places.

The time has not all been spent lounging on the waterfront. Driving in Cyprus requires much practice as the locals maintained the British method of driving on the wrong side of the road. The signs and roads often leave much to be desired as there are few signs on secondary roads and towns have two names (Greek and Turk) which makes map reading a challenge. There is usually two or three ways to get to the same place and no one seems to use the same route.

Maps are essential but the division of the island in 1974 meant that alternate roads had to be built or very roundabout ways used to get to some destinations. In the past months, I have logged many trips to various parts of the island to ensure that I can get to where I want to go. Certain locations require a combination of walking and driving. It is a good idea to study the guide books before setting out so that you know how to get there in one piece.

Of Interest

So what is here that would interest the average reader?

Cyprus has been a pivotal location in the eastern Mediterranean Sea since recorded history began. It has been occupied by Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Genoese, Mamlukes, Venetians and Turks between 500 BC and 1571 AD. Cities and towns have prospered and died in this long period because of natural and manmade disasters. There have been sea and land battles, and sieges fought to ensure its occupation by all of these groups.

One of the key periods (to us that is) was that of the Lusignan rulers in the late middle ages. It was the one Crusader kingdom that survived after the fall of the remaining portions of the Middle East which were lost in the 13th Century. It even survived beyond the fall of the Byzantine Empire (by more than 100 years) as a bulwark of Christian Europe to oppose the growing Ottoman Empire. During this time, there was plenty of intrigue and fighting which would be ideal material for campaigns or battles. The Lusignan army was one of the few Crusader armies to meet the Mamlukes in battle (unsuccessfully of course).

Much of what is of interest to the historical tourist dates from either the Crusader or Venetian periods. The castles and fortifications may have started life in earlier periods but their remains show mainly the developments of these two eras. Nicosia is a good example as the Venetians cleared much of the outlying area to ensure good fields of fire from the massive fortress built in what is now the centre of the divided city. The walls of Famagusta and Kyrenia are also reminders of the Venetian period. These places became strongpoints because Venice could not successfully defend the island against the much larger armies available to the Ottoman Turks.

Battle of Lepanto

Of note, the Battle of Lepanto was fought because of Cyprus. Venice was successful in encouraging a united effort by several European states to regain the island after its loss; however, the battle is usually remembered as a victory of Christians over Muslims and not as a failure to liberate Cyprus. This may have been different if the Turks had not been able to replace their naval losses so quickly and the allied fleet had continued its journey to Cyprus. It does suggest naval operations with possible siege activity for a Renaissance campaign.

The fortifications mentioned above are well worth a closer look in later columns. The many museums are of interest too as there is a large collection of Byzantine artwork and icons to study. Fortunately, the warm weather does not last all year and the interior of some of these sites will be seen on rainy days in the coming months.

The opportunity to live in Cyprus will allow for some detailed research of the Byzantine and Crusader periods, and study a bit of Greek (useful in reading Loeb Classics). There may even be time for some field trips abroad to see other regions (moving east is subject to negotiation amongst those nations of course). There is always something to do when one is a conscripted tourist with so much of the ancient and medieval world to explore just down the road.

This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com