Famagusta – Things to know
The city was founded around 274 BC by Ptolemy II after Salamis had been severely damaged by an earthquake. Arsinoe was described in the first century BC by Strabon in his Geographica as a „fishing town“. It remained a small fishing village for a long time. Later, when Salamis was gradually cleared during the Arab invasion under Muawiyah I, it developed into a small port.
The turning point for Famagusta from a small village to a town came in 1192 with the onset of Lusignan rule. It was during this period that Famagusta developed into a fully fledged town. It became increasingly important in the Eastern Mediterranean because of its natural harbour and the walls that protected its inner city. Its population began to grow.
