2-333-183 - Peter Thompson/Heritage Images

Fresco showing St Elias, Roman gymnasium, Salamis, North Cyprus. Archaeologists have found remains at Salamis dating back to the 11th century BC. Evidence of Phoenician and Assyrian settlement has been found and it later became the capital of a Greek city-state. In Roman times Salamis was an important city and most of the ruins that can be seen today date from the Roman period. This fresco in the gymnasium dates from the 3rd century. Salamis was badly damaged by earthquakes in the 4th century and was eventually abandoned after it was sacked in the 649 during the Arab invasion of Cyprus.