NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The Department of Antiquities in Cyprus says work crews have accidentally uncovered a rare, Roman-era mosaic floor depicting the labors of Hercules along a street in the coastal town of Larnaca.

The department said in a statement Wednesday that the mosaic has only been partially uncovered during work on Larnaca's sewage system.

It said the mosaic's discovery offers important evidence that ancient Kition, on which modern-day Larnaca is built, played a significant role in the establishment of Roman culture in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. This is especially so because very few remains of Roman-era structures have been found in the city.

Cyprus was under Roman rule between 31 B.C. and the 4th century A.D.