Paphos

Paphos, two ancient cities in Cyprus. Old Paphos (now Kyklia) was situated in the western part of the island, about 1½ mile from the coast. It probably was founded by the Phœnicians, and was famous, even before Homer's time, for a temple of Venus, who was said to have here risen from the sea close by, whence her epithet Aphrodite, 'foam-sprung.' This was the home of the 'Paphian Venus,' and hither crowds of pilgrims used to come. The other Paphos (Papho or Buffa) was on the seacoast, about 8 miles west of the older city, and was the place in which the apostle Paul proclaimed the gospel before the proconsul Sergius.