[1] A drawing of an Egyptian cithara, similar to the Leiden
specimen, may be seen in Champollion, _Monuments de l'Egypte et de
la Nubie_, ii. pl. 175.
[2] See Plutarch, _Apophthegm. Lacon._
[3] Philostratus the Elder, _Imagines_, No. 10, "Amphion," and
Philostratus the Younger, _Imagines_, No. 7, "Orpheus," p. 403.
[4] Tibullus, _Eleg._ iii. 4. 39.
[5] _Le Antichita de Ercolano_, vol. iii. p. 5.
[6] _Idem_, vol. iv. p. 201.
[7] Thomas Hope, _Costumes of the Ancients_, vol. ii. p. 193; also
Edward Buhle, _Die musikalischen Instrumente in den Miniaturen des
fruehen Mittelalters_ (Leipzig, 1903), frontispiece.
[8] See _De Musica_, ch. vi.
[9] See Visconti, _Museo Clementino_, pl. 22, Erato's cithara, and
in the same work that of Apollo Citharoedus (fig. 3 above).
[10] See _Od._ i. 153, 155; _Il._ xviii. 569-570. In Homer the form
is always [Greek: kitharis].
[11] See Pausanias x. 7, Sec. 4 et seq.
[12] For a description of the _Nomos Pythikos_ in its relation to
Greek music see Kathleen Schlesinger, "Researches into the Origin of
the Organs of the Ancients," _Intern. Mus. Ges._ Sbd. ii. (1901), 2,
p. 177, and Strabo ix. p. 421.
[13] For a discussion of this question see Kathleen Schlesinger,
_The Instruments of the Orchestra_, part ii., and especially
chapters on the cithara in transition during the middle ages, and
the question of the origin of the Utrecht Psalter, in which the
evolution of the cithara is traced at some length.
CITIUM (Gr. [Greek: Kition]), the principal Phoenician city in Cyprus,
situated at the north end of modern Larnaca, on the bay of the same name
on the S.E. coast of the island. Converging currents from E. and W. meet
and pass seawards off Cape Kiti a few miles south, and greatly
facilitated ancient trade. To S. and W. the site is protected by
lagoons, the salt from which was one of the sources of its prosperity.
The earliest remains near the site go back to the Mycenaean age (c.
1400-1100 B.C.) and seem to mark an Aegean colony.[1] but in historic
times Citium is the chief centre of Phoenician influence in Cyprus. That
this was still a recent settlement in the 7th century is suggested by an
allusion in a list of the allies of Assur-bani-pal of Assyria in 668
B.C. to a King Damasu of Kartihadasti (Phoenician for "New-town"), where
Citium would be expected. A Phoenician dedication to "Baal of Lebanon"
found here, and dated also to the 7th century, suggests that Citium may
have belonged to Tyre. The biblical name Kittim, derived from Citium, is
in fact used quite generally for Cyprus as a whole;[2] later also for
Greeks and Romans in general.[3] The discovery here of an official
monument of Sargon II. suggests that Citium was the administrative
centre of Cyprus during the Assyrian protectorate (700-668 B.C.).[4]
During the Greek revolts of 500, 386 foll. and 352 B.C., Citium led the
side loyal to Persia and was besieged by an Athenian force in 449 B.C.;
its extensive necropolis proves that it remained a considerable city
even after the Greek cause triumphed with Alexander. But like other
cities of Cyprus, it suffered repeatedly from earthquake, and in
medieval times when its harbour became silted the population moved to
Larnaca, on the open roadstead, farther south. Harbour and citadel have
now quite disappeared, the latter having been used to fill up the former
shortly after the British occupation; some gain to health resulted, but
an irreparable loss to science. Traces remain of the circuit wall, and
of a sanctuary with copious terra-cotta offerings; the large necropolis
yields constant loot to illicit excavation.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.--W.H. Engel, _Kypros_ (Berlin, 1841), (classical
allusions); J.L. Myres, _Journ. Hellenic Studies_, xvii. 147 ff.
(excavations); _Cyprus Museum Catalogue_ (Oxford, 1899), p. 5-6;
153-155; Index (Antiquities); G.F. Hill, _Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins of
Cyprus_ (London, 1904), (Coins). (J.L.M.)