SALAMINA – City on the eastern shore of the island of Cyprus. It dates back at least to the 6th century B.C.
It was a flourishing Jewish colony and was evangelized by St. Paul and Barnabas (Act. 13:5), who was martyred there.
The city was destroyed after the Jewish revolt of A.D. 116–117, and later in the earthquakes of A.D. 332 and 342. Constantius II rebuilt S., which took the name of Constantia and became an episcopal see. The Arabs demolished it in 648. The best known of its bishops is St. Epiphanius (367–403), to whom a basilica was dedicated, the remains of which have been identified.
BIBL.: S. Murray, Excavations in Cyprus, London 1900; E. Oberhummer, Constantia, in Pauly-Wissowa, IV, cols. 932–957. Enrico Josi