SOLI  , a

Greek city on the north coast of Cyprus, lying at Soliais in the, metalliferous country round Karavortasi near Lefka, on the south side of M6rphou Bay . Its kingdom was bounded by the territories of Marion, Paphos, Tamassus and Lapathus . It was believed to have been founded after the Trojan War (c . 1180) by the Attic hero Acamas; but no remains have been found in this district earlier than the Early Iron Age(c. i000-800) . The town of " Sillu," whose king Irisu was an ally' of Assur-bani-pal of Assyria in 668 B.C., iS commonly sup-posed to represent Soli-1 In Hellenic times Soli had little political importance, though it stood a five months' siege from the Persians soon after 500 B.C.; its copper mines, however, were famous, and have left copious slag heaps and traces of small scattered settlements . A neighbouring monastery is dedicated to " Our Lady of the Slagheaps " (Panagia Skourgi6tissa) . But the copper seems to have been exhausted in Roman times, and thereupon Soli became desert . See W . H . Engel, Kypros (Berlin, 1841; classical authorities) ; J . L . Myres and M .

Ohnefalsch-

Richter, Cyprus Museum Catalogue, (Oxford, 1899; antiquities): G . F . Hill, Brit . Mus . Cat . Coins of Cyprus (London, 1904; coins) . (J . L .