Why Rome Annexed Cyprus in 58 BC

The Roman annexation of Cyprus was less about the island itself than about settling scores in the Republic’s civil wars.

The Catalyst: Ptolemy XII’s Bad Bet

Ptolemy XII Auletes, king of Egypt and Cyprus, backed Pompey the Great against Julius Caesar. After Pompey’s defeat at Pharsalus (48 BC), Ptolemy fled to Cyprus, hoping to ride out the storm.

Rome’s Calculus

• Punishment: Supporting the losing side in a Roman civil war was treasonous for a client king.
• Strategic Value: Cyprus commanded eastern Mediterranean shipping lanes and produced copper, timber, and grain.
• Revenue: Annexation meant direct tax farming income for the Roman treasury—crucial after years of war expenditure.

The Outcome

Cato the Younger was sent to take possession. Ptolemy, realizing resistance was futile, committed suicide. Cyprus became a Roman province (initially attached to Cilicia), remaining under Roman/Byzantine rule for nearly seven centuries.

Irony

Ptolemy XII later regained Egypt’s throne with Roman military help—after paying a massive bribe to Caesar and Pompey’s heirs. Cyprus, however, stayed Roman.