Amathous is one of the ancient city-kingdoms of Cyprus where, according to mythology, Greek hero Theseus left the pregnant Ariadne to be attended by local women. It was also an important site of worship of the Goddess Aphrodite-Astarte.

Amathous Harbour was constructed during the Hellenistic period by Demetrios Poliorketes and consisted of two parts; the outer and the inner port.

The outer port measured around 100 metres by 180 metres and was delineated by wharves in the east and a breakwater in the south. Access was through an opening on the east wharf. The port had a short lifespan as it soon silted up and the sea level dropped.

The inner port stood behind the outer port and was where mariners moored their ships in order to protect them from bad weather. It was abandoned quite early on due to the outer port silting up.

By the 3rd century BC, the harbour was used only by fishermen, and by the 1st century AD, it was completely dry. Today it lies below sea level, but is easy to distinguish.