According to tradition , Athenian Akamas, son of Theseus, disembarked near Polis after the Trojan war and gave his name to the Cape of Akamas and the city of Akamantis a legendary city which has never been found. In ancient times, Polis was known as Marion, and was probably founded by Akamas or a certain Marieus . Marion was one of the city-kingdoms founded by the Myceneans, or Archaens, were the creators of the Maycenean civilization in Greece , and they settled in Cyprus between 1400BC and 1100 BC. The greek presence and the cities linked to the settlement of the Myceneans in Cyprus can be verified historically by inscriptions found in neighbouring countries.
In Egypt at Medinet Habu in the temple of Rameses III, for example, there is a large 12th century BC, inscription which refers to Cyprus . the names of Cypriot towns mentioned include Marion. However , the first definite reference to Marion occurred in 449BC, when the city, as indeed other city kingdoms of Cyprus, were under Persian rule. During that year, Kimon, the great Athenian general, freed the city from the Persians. Later , the ancient geographers spoke of the town as “MarionEllinikon”. The Hellenic Marion. The kingdom was rich in gold and copper ore,mined chiefly in the nearby Limnimines. It was this natural wealth which led the city to a period of flourishing trade, especially with Athens, which in it is turn, exported many attic pots to Marion. Samples of this pottery can be viewed at Polis Archaeological Museum. The harsh battle for Cyprus between the successors of Alexander the great ,Antigonus and Ptolomy led Marion to destruction. Ptolomy, who finally prevailed, laid waste the city whose king had taken the side of Antigonus, and transferred it is inhabitants to Pafos. Later, another member of the pholemy dynasty, Philadelphus, founded a new city on the ruins of Marion, and gave it the name of his wife, Arsinoe. The city, under it is new name, prospered during the Hellenistic and Roman Ages. In early Christian times it was also an bishopric for some years after that, there was no mention of the city until the late Middle ages when reference was made to Chrysochou and later, Polis of Chrysochou. Nowdays, Polis is the administrative centre of the area which includes 23 communites.
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