A lecture with the title Nicosia before Nicosia enables me to talk of many things – the history of the studies about this capital city, the origins and significance of the place names associated with it, and above all the remains of Nicosia’s own past. Nicosia today epitomises the capital of all modern, sovereign, independent nation states. It is the seat of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus; the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Cyprus has his residence here; and national institutions such as the Cyprus Museum and the new University are also located in this centre. […] What makes this capital city abnormal in comparison with its equivalents around the world is that it remains physically divided and unable to exercise its authority over the whole country.