AHC: Phoenician Cyprus

I observed here in AH.com that most of the topics concerning the island of Cyprus were mostly dealing with a Grecophone (Greek-speaking) Cyrpus (either the island as part of Greece, a surviving Crusader state of Cyprus, etc.), but I have yet to see a thread dealing with the island before its Hellenization... Until now.

Before the Hellenization of Cyprus, there are ethnic groups lived together in the said island: Phoenicians and Eteocypriot-speaking people, as well as Greek-speaking migrants. Phoenicians considered Cyprus for its once-abundant copper and forests; in fact, their goddess Astarte (Aphrodite/Venus) was the major deity of Cyprus. Furthermore, there are evidence of their presence through archaeological sites and in museums.

Here's the question: How could Cyprus remained Phoenician-dominated until the present times? How it will affect its history, as well as its neighbors?

Thanks!
 
During the invasions of Alexander the Great.

Well I guess the most obvious POD would be to not have Alexander's conquests happen. Now this is a problem to maintain it as Phoenician over the course of the centuries, but Alexander was unique in how he handled Phoenicia.All the other powers, including the Persians, were content to let the Phoenicians do their thing as long as they obeyed them and payed them a portion of the profits (gross oversimplification). Alexander wanted to place a garrison in Tyre essentially and get rid of Phoenician independence, something they weren't going to tolerate.

So if you remove Alexander, all the powers that come and go through the middle east are likely to continue the policy towards the Phoenicians that preceding empires did. Therefore the Phoenicians keep their independence and their colonization and trading, and by extension, keep Cyprus.
 
. So if you remove Alexander, all the powers that come and go through the middle east are likely to continue the policy towards the Phoenicians that preceding empires did. Therefore the Phoenicians keep their independence and their colonization and trading, and by extension, keep Cyprus.

I can't see Rome having that kind of hands-off policy, not without other major changes.

However, suppose Phoenician Cyprus goes into alliance with Rome during the Punic Wars, supplying a navy. Eventually, like many of Rome's other allies, it becomes part of the Empire, but remains Phoenician speaking, just as the east stayed Greek-speaking. When Rome finally falls (not exactly like OTL, but there are no eternal empires) Cyprus becomes independent.

The new state claims to be ancient Cyprus reborn, the last heir of Phoenecia, allegedly making it superior to all the new kingdoms around it. There's a lot more Roman influence on the state than it'll admit, but enough cultural and institutional continuity that its claims aren't completely absurd.
 
Eventually, like many of Rome's other allies, it becomes part of the Empire, but remains Phoenician speaking, just as the east stayed Greek-speaking. When Rome finally falls (not exactly like OTL, but there are no eternal empires) Cyprus becomes independent.
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That could be more interesting, especially for the historical development of this alternate Cypriot language.
 
I can't see Rome having that kind of hands-off policy, not without other major changes.

However, suppose Phoenician Cyprus goes into alliance with Rome during the Punic Wars, supplying a navy. Eventually, like many of Rome's other allies, it becomes part of the Empire, but remains Phoenician speaking, just as the east stayed Greek-speaking. When Rome finally falls (not exactly like OTL, but there are no eternal empires) Cyprus becomes independent.

The new state claims to be ancient Cyprus reborn, the last heir of Phoenecia, allegedly making it superior to all the new kingdoms around it. There's a lot more Roman influence on the state than it'll admit, but enough cultural and institutional continuity that its claims aren't completely absurd.

Or just prevent Romes' rise in the east at the very least.
 
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