The
recorded history of
Cyprus extends to the 8th century BC. The local town of
Kition, now
Larnaka, recorded part of the
ancient history of Cyprus on a
stele that commemorated a victory by
Sargon II (722-705 BC) of
Assyria there in 709 BCE. Assyrian domination of Cyprus (known as
Iatnanna by the Assyrians) appears to have begun earlier than this, during the reign of
Tiglath-Pileser III (744-727 BC), and ended with the fall of the
Neo Assyrian Empire in 609 BC, whereupon the city-kingdoms of Cyprus gained independence once more. Following a brief period of
Egyptian domination in the sixth century BCE, Cyprus fell under
Persian rule. The Persians did not interfere in the internal affairs of Cyprus, leaving the city-kingdoms to continue striking their own coins and waging war amongst one another, until the late-fourth century BCE saw the overthrow of the Persian Empire by
Alexander the Great.