New Paphos (Nea Paphos), the currently inhabited town, was founded on the sea, near the western end of the island, and possessed a good harbour. It lay about sixty stadia, or ca. twelve km northwest of the old city.

It too had a founding myth: it was said to have been founded by Agapenor, chief of the Arcadians at the siege of Troy who, after the capture of that town, was driven by the storm that separated the Greek fleet, onto the coast of Cyprus. An Agapenor was mentioned as king of the Paphians in a Greek distich preserved in the Analecta; and Herodotus alludes to an Arcadian "colony" in Cyprus. Like its ancient namesake,

Nea Paphos was also distinguished for the worship of Aphrodite and contained several magnificent temples dedicated to her. Yet the old city seems to have always retained the preeminence in this respect, and Strabo tells that the road leading to it from Nea Paphos was annually crowded with male and female votaries resorting to the more ancient shrine, and coming not only from the latter place itself, but also from the other towns of Cyprus.

When Seneca says that Paphos was nearly destroyed by an earthquake, it is difficult to say to which of the towns he refers. Dio Cassius relates that it was restored by Augustus, and called "Augusta" in his honour; but though this name has been preserved in inscriptions, it never supplanted the ancient one in popular use.

Paphos is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as having been visited by Paul of Tarsus, when it appears to have been the residence of the Roman governor; it is said that Paul converted the governor, Sergius Paulus, to Christianity.

Tacitus records a visit of the youthful Titus to Paphos before he acceded to the empire, who inquired with much curiosity into its history and antiquities. Under this name the historian doubtless included the ancient as well as the more modern city: and among other traits of the worship of the temple he records, with something like surprise, that the only image of the goddess was a pyramidal stone – a relic, doubtless of Phoenician origin.

There are still considerable ruins of New Paphos a mile or two from the sea; among which are particularly remarkable the remains of three temples which had been erected on artificial eminences.