Stars, EUROPA Issue, Republic of Cyprus

Stars, EUROPA Issue, Republic of Cyprus

Postage stamps--Cyprus--History

Γραμματόσημα--Κύπρος--Ιστορία

The traditions concerning Dighenis are normally connected to what is known in Greek as the Akritan Cycle. When the Saracen ships were approaching a deserted shore of the island, Dighenis saw them from the top of the hill and threw a huge boulder at them. Many Saracen ships were destroyed and the disembarkation was abandoned. Since then this rock has been known as "Petra tou Romiou" , as the Saracens referred to Dighenis as "Roman". Roman's Rock can be seen on the 20mils stamp of the 1955 definitive set. In Cyprus the legends of Dighenis did not remain in the Akritan Cycle, but merged with the ancient glorifications of the Goddess Aphrodite, who in the person of a beautiful young Queen possessed all, the island, her palaces and a hundred houses. This queen asked Dighenis to fetch water to her palaces and houses; Dighenis brought the water by means of a stone built channel. But the queen rejected him and in her anger threw at him her spindle, which missed and turned into a granite column as it fell in the fields of lower Paphos where it can still be seen today.

Cyprus Post, Republic of Cyprus

Κυπριακά Ταχυδρομεία, Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία

Cyprus Post, Republic of Cyprus

Κυπριακά Ταχυδρομεία, Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία

Library of Cyprus University of Technology

Digital Heritage Research Lab of Cyprus University of Technology

22nd May 1972

Designer: P. Huovinen

Απαγορεύεται η δημοσίευση ή αναπαραγωγή, ηλεκτρονική ή άλλη χωρίς τη γραπτή συγκατάθεση του δημιουργού.

www.cypruspost.gov.cy

TIFF

EL, EN

Image

1972-EUROPA-30M

35.160417, 33.346556

Aspioti - Elka, Athens