It was the evening of Monday 2nd October 2017 and audiences gathered at the British Museum to hear the story of the most famous Cypriot in recorded history, Aphrodite.
Organised by the Cyprus High Commission, the event was an exclusive preview of a new documentary – it presented research findings in collaboration with the AG Leventis Foundation and the British Museum with world famous Author, Historian and Broadcaster Dr. Bettany Hughes. Dr. Hughes is no stranger to the story of Aphrodite; being world renowned academic and classicist, she is well versed in Greek Mythology and has always had a strong pull to the powerful women of the Ancient world. What we describe as Mythology in the present day was actually historical truths in bygone times and the living memory of the ancient gods and goddesses was in the hearts of the populations of the entire Hellenistic world.
Aphrodite is a great analogy for what Cyprus stands for, and that is a union of cultures, the goddess was no exception, Near Eastern and Middle Eastern influences blending with the ideals of beauty and love brought by the Myceneans back in 12th century BC kick started the evolution of the modern representation of Aphrodite.
Although the goddess is still considered one of the most famous gods of Olympus, today the memory of her ‘worship’ is seen as a nostalgic representation of a connection between the people of Cyprus and Greece. Cyprus is often called the island of love or the island of Venus and that is testament to the important role she played both in pagan religion but also in economic matters. Pilgrimages from all over the Eastern Mediterranean brought trade and currency and offerings much in the way that the goddesses legacy does today. In the present day, however the temples, sanctuaries and of course the birthplace of Aphrodite are still visited today and although it is more of a historical, archaeological tour of Cyprus, the themes she embodies are still relevant in today’s world and people are not ready to give up that infatuation, that love affair with the Olympian.
Aphrodite’s Rock, known to Cypriots as Petra Tou Romiou, literally means the Rock of the Greek. Romios or Romioi was generic term used to differentiate Christian Greeks (as the Roman Empire had converted to Christianity) from pagan Greeks still referred to as Hellenes and followers of the polytheistic religion. The birthplace today almost acts like an interactive monument, a place when young lovers play homage to their relationships by ornamenting the cliffsides with messages of their love bordered in heart shaped white pebbles, where families can swim and play in the sand and where young men and women attempt the ‘Love’ challenge. The challenge however comes with a warning, as the seas are rough, but legend has it that swimming around Aphrodite’s Rock thrice, blesses you with eternal youth, beauty, good fortune, fertility and true love!
The documentary explores the multifaceted and diverse beliefs Aphrodite represents and she meant many things to many cultures. Today we see a much more refined and ‘classical’ version, however her origins stem back to the fertile plains of the Middle East and her depictions couldn’t be further from what we have grown used to. The classical world shape shifted the goddess to be more excepted in their world, the ancient Greeks were obsessed with beauty and often held beauty pageants. Beauty typically went hand in hand with knowledge and wisdom; obviously these ideals are downright absurd to us today. Just imagine the likes of modern day supermodels being considered the brains of our generation, just because they’re pretty? In fact, in our modern-day culture the opposite stigma is attached to the model men and women of our time. Aphrodite remains in the hearts and minds of the men and women of today’s world, known by many names this beautiful and cunning goddess, we prefer to remember her as Aphordite Kypris the Lady of Cyprus.
Although the dates have not yet been released, this insightful and creative documentary will be aired both on BBC Four and BBC World at the end of the month, stay tuned through our social media channels on twitter – instagram – facebook @CyWineFest for further information.