Event: Cyprus - Paphos

Paphos' Roman Mosaics

When:	Daily
Where:	Paphos Archaeological Park
Costs:	€3.42
Opening Hours:	8am-5pm (until 4pm Apr-May & Sep-Oct; until 7.30pm Jun-Aug)

Paphos' sumptuous Roman mosaics are some of the finest to have been discovered anywhere in the world. They decorated the homes of the imperial Roman commanders who governed Cyprus 2000 years ago and tell the stories of key mythological episodes, including Dionysus' gift of wine to man.

The Roman mosaics were stumbled upon by a ploughing farmer back in 1961. Following extensive excavations by Polish and Cypriot archaeologists, three separate Roman villas have now been unearthed and are open to the public.

Mosaics in the House of Dionysus show the God of wine, Dionysus, giving the secret of viticulture to Ikarios, the King of Athens. This is one of the earliest depictions of drunks ever found and the two peasants lie prostrate beside an empty amphora of wine in the final panel.

The second villa to see is the House of Aion, where a mosaic of the birth of Dionysus from the 5th century reveals how closely the early Christian artists drew on classical scenes to inspire their work.

The final villa excavated, the House of Theseus, must have been an enormous complex and well demonstrates the wealth and splendour of the Roman occupation of the Cypriot capital. Don't miss the particularly fine rendering of Theseus' fight with the Minotaur in the Labyrinth.

Don't waste your time before your flight home eating fish and chips in the harbour, when you could be enjoying these fabulous, and often overlooked, historical gems.