Roman Cyprus was a small senatorial province within the Roman Empire. While it was a small province, it possessed several well known religious sanctuaries and figured prominently in Eastern Mediterranean trade, particularly the production and trade of Cypriot copper. The island of Cyprus was situated at a strategically important position along Eastern Mediterranean trade routes, and had been controlled by various imperial powers throughout the first millennium BC, including the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Macedonians, and eventually the Romans. Cyprus was annexed by the Romans in 58 BC, but turbulence and civil war in Roman politics did not establish firm rule in Cyprus until 31 BC when Roman political struggles ended by the Battle of Actium. After about a decade, Cyprus was assigned the status of a senatorial province in 22 BC. From then until the 7th century AD, Cyprus was controlled by the Romans. Cyprus officially became part of the Eastern Roman Empire in 293 AD.

Under Roman rule, Cyprus was divided into four main districts, Salamis, Paphos, Amathus, and Lapethos. Paphos was the capital of the island throughout the Roman period until Salamis was re-founded as Constantia in 346 AD. The geographer Ptolemy recorded the following Roman cities: Paphos, Salamis, Amathous, Lapethos, Kition, Kourion, Arsinoe, Kyrenia, Chytri, Karpasia, Soli, and Tamassos, as well as some smaller cities scattered throughout the island.

Cyprus had been a part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom prior to becoming a Roman province. Ptolemy X Alexander I bequeathed his kingdom, which at the time included Egypt and Cyprus, to the Roman Republic upon his death in 88 BC. However, the Roman Senate was reluctant to accept the kingdom as it was feared that whoever was sent to conquer the Ptolemaic Kingdom might become too powerful and threaten the democratic principles of the Republic. From 88 to 58 BC, Cyprus was ruled by King Ptolemy, son of the King of Egypt, Ptolemy IX Lathyros, who had succeeded Ptolemy X. After Ptolemy refused to put up ransom when Publius Clodius Pulcher was kidnapped by Cilician pirate, Pulcher accused the king of colluding with pirates. This accusation provided a pretext for the annexation of Cyprus by the Roman Republic. The Lex Clodia de Cyprus was passed by the Concilium Plebis in 58 BC and Cato was sent to conquer Cyprus and serve as its new proconsul. Cato sent envoys ahead to offer Ptolemy the distinctive position of the High Priest at the Sanctuary of Aphrodite in Paphos but Ptolemy refused and instead took his own life.

Cyprus was abruptly annexed by Rome and Cyprus was added to the Roman province of Cilicia. Cato sold much of the royal possessions and brought back 7000 talents to Rome after taking his share of the profits. During this time Cyprus was exploited by the Roman rulers who saw positions in the provinces as stepping stone in Roman politics.

In 51 BC Cicero was given the proconsulship in Cyprus and was more sympathetic to the Cypriot people. However, by the end of his proconsulship Rome was engulfed in Caesar's Civil War. In 47 BC, after coming to the aid of Cleopatra VII of Egypt in a civil war against her brother Ptolemy XIII, Julius Caesar agreed to return control of Cyprus to the Ptolemaic Kingdom. Caesar appointed Cleopatra's younger siblings Arsinoe IV and Ptolemy XIV as joint rulers of Cyprus.

Marc Antony and Octavian, later Augustus, were struggling for power after Julius Caesar's death and in 40 BC Marc Antony reaffirmed that Cleopatra was ruler of Cyprus at the Donations of Alexandria. The Battle of Actium in 31 BC marked the end of last war of the Roman Republic, resulting in Octavian gaining control of all of Egypt and Cyprus. Cyprus was left under control of Octavian's legate until it could be further dealt with. In 22 BC Cyprus was separated from the Cilicia and became a senatorial province without a standing army.

Cyprus was divided into four regions with thirteen known cities with Nea Paphos becoming the capital. Cyprus was allowed a large amount of autonomy remaining mainly Greek in culture while adopting and adapting Roman customs. No Roman colonies were settled on the island. During this time period there are very few primary literary sources that mention Cyprus, let alone provide a detailed history. However, epigraphic and archaeological evidence indicates thriving economic, culture and civic life in Cyprus throughout the Roman period.

In 45 AD Saint Paul and Saint Barnabas visited Cyprus as part of Paul's first missionary journey to convert the people to Christianity. St. Barnabas returned for a second visit in 49 AD but the spread of Christianity was slow, especially in the rural areas. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by Vespasian, the Roman Emperor, and his son Titus there was a large influx of Jewish refugees into Cyprus. In 115–117 AD a widespread Jewish revolt (Kitos War) resulted in tens of thousands of deaths in Cyprus and around the Eastern Empire and in the expulsion of Jews from Cyprus. In 269 AD there was a brief Gothic invasion (Battle of Naissus) throughout the eastern empire including Cyprus. In 293 AD Cyprus became part of the Eastern Empire as the Roman Empire was divided under the Diocletianic reforms.