Evagoras, another Greek Cypriot, establishes himself as…

Evagoras, another Greek Cypriot, establishes himself as king of Salamis in 411 BCE and works for a united Cyprus that will be closely tied to the Greek states.

By force and by guile, the new king brings other Cypriot kingdoms into line and leads forces against Persia.

He also allies the Cypriots with Athens, and the Athenians honor him with a statue in the agora.

As the Salamisian king gains prominence and power in the eastern Mediterranean (even attacking Persian positions in Anatolia), the Persians try to rid themselves of this threat and eventually defeat the Cypriots.

Evagoras manages through diplomacy to retain the throne of Salamis, but the carefully nurtured union of the Cypriot kingdoms is dissolved.

Cyprus remains divided at the end of his thirty-seven-year reign, but Evagoras is revered as a Greek Cypriot of uncommon accomplishment.

He has brought artists and learned men to his court and fostered Greek studies.

He has been instrumental in having the ancient Cypriot syllabary replaced by the Greek alphabet.

He has issued coins of Greek design and in general furthered the integration of Greek and Cypriot culture.