According to Eratosthenes it was in the more ancient times richly wooded, but was gradually cleared by human labor.

Its soil was productive, and particularly well suited for the vine and the olive.
It grew also sufficient corn for its own use.

But its special value arose from its mineral products.

The copper mines near Tamasus were enormously productive, and the ore thence derived so preponderated over all other supplies that the later Romans came to use the word Cyprium for the metal generally--whence the names by which it is even now known in most of the languages of modern Europe.

On the whole Cyprus was considered inferior to no known island.