Petra tou Romiou, Sea stack in Kouklia, Cyprus.

Petra tou Romiou is a sea stack of pale tan limestone rising from the Mediterranean off Kouklia, between Paphos and Limassol. The main rock is blocky with a flat top and a steep, undercut face on its left side; its base is darkened brown and grey where it meets the water. Two smaller pale rocks stand to its right, one mid-sized and blocky, the other low and dark, at the end of a pebbled shore.

Ancient mythology places the birth of the goddess Aphrodite at this location, where she is said to have emerged from the sea. The rock formation has retained this legendary status over centuries and remains rooted in local history.

The name Petra tou Romiou means "Rock of the Greek" and refers to the Byzantine hero Basil Digenes Akritas, who according to the epic Digenes Akritas hurled a huge rock from the Troodos Mountains to drive off invading Saracens; a nearby rock is called the Saracen Rock. Local tradition holds that swimming around the rock three times brings immortality, eternal youth, fertility and true love.

The rock can be viewed from the main road between Paphos and Limassol, with designated parking areas nearby for convenient access. The formation is easy to observe from viewing points along the road without requiring special equipment.

The rock's name comes from Digenes Akritas, the half-Byzantine, half-Arab hero who, in the epic of that name, hurled a boulder from the Troodos Mountains to stop invading Saracens. A neighbouring stack is still called the Saracen Rock. The beach beside it, Achni, is linked in local lore to the Achaeans landing here on their return from Troy.