Archaeologists studying limestone fragments found near the ancient Greek city of Kourion (Greek: Koύριov) in Cyprus say the remains may belong to a previously unknown Roman temple dating to the late first century A.D. The research, published in the American Journal of Archaeology, examines 48 limestone objects discovered in the Latsithkia area near modern-day Episkopi. Researchers believe the fragments may have formed part of a monumental religious building, offering new insight into Roman-era architecture on the island.
Ancient limestone fragments discovered near Kourion
Cypriot archaeologist Eleni Procopiou discovered the fragments in 1997 alongside Anthea Garrod of the Western Sovereign Base Area Archaeological Society. The objects lay scattered across a hillside about 1.5 kilometers northwest of ancient Kourion, near the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates.
The collection includes column bases, shafts, Corinthian capitals, an Ionic architrave and decorative stone blocks. Researchers also identified a large cylindrical stone monument, known as a cippus, which may have served as an altar. The fragments attracted renewed attention in 2022 when Anna Urszula Kordas encountered them during doctoral research into stonemasons’ marks.
Digital reconstruction reveals clues to a Roman temple
Researchers subsequently used photogrammetry to create detailed digital models of the surviving pieces and investigate how they may have fitted together.
Archaeologists studying 48 limestone fragments near Kourion, Cyprus, believe they may have identified a previously unknown temple dating back nearly 2,000 years. pic.twitter.com/Yt03cZctLb
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) September 23, 2026
Their analysis suggests the fragments came from a single structure, possibly built by a local Cypriot workshop. Its decorative features combine influences from the Alexandrian architectural tradition with local designs. Researchers identified similarities with the Temple of Apollo Hylates at Kourion and the Temple of Aphrodite at
Amathous.
Based on the surviving stonework, researchers estimate that the building’s columns stood about 5.07 meters (16.6 feet) tall. The complete architectural arrangement may have reached 5.87 meters (19.3 feet). The team also considered whether the fragments belonged to a monumental tomb designed to resemble a temple. However, archaeologists have found no evidence of such a funerary structure at the site.
Did the Roman temple stand on the hillside?
The building’s original location remains uncertain. An earlier interpretation suggested the hillside may have housed a stonemason’s workshop supplying architectural pieces to the nearby Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates.
Although archaeologists recorded no building foundations at Latsithkia, researchers say the hill’s prominent position makes it a possible location for a religious monument. A structure there would have overlooked the surrounding countryside and a junction of ancient routes.
If confirmed, the temple could provide evidence of previously unknown religious construction in Roman Cyprus, where builders more commonly expanded existing sanctuaries. Researchers emphasize that further archaeological investigations are needed to establish the building’s identity, original location, and purpose.
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