LAPETHUS, or Lepithus, in Ancient Geography, a town of Cyprus, about the middle of its north side, with a port or station for ships, and a cognominal river. It was built by a colony of Phoenicians, according to Scylax: by Belus king of Tyre, according to Alexander Ephesus. According to Strabo, it was built by a colony of Spartans; and one of the nine kings resided here, the last of whom was Pifistratus, who commanded the naval army of Alexander the Great. There was a temple here dedicated to Venus. The territory round it is called Lapithia by Diodorus and Ptolemy; Lapithi, the people, tainted with a degree of satiety; hence Lapathus denotes satiatus; (Helychius).—Now a village called Lapitha; but, according to the Abbé Mariti, the longest and most extensive in the island. Besides the advantage of a fine situation, it furnishes the best productions in the country; and Lapathus though Cyprus is in general not very abundant in fruits, Lapitha seems a favoured spot in this respect, and may be called the garden of the island.