Caph´tor (; ; ) was the real and proper country of the Philistines. There has been a great diversity of opinion with regard to the exact situation of that country. The general opinion that Caphtor was Cappadocia is not founded on any sound argument. Others, again, have tried to prove that the Philistines derived their origin from the island of Crete. By far more probable is the opinion, that Caphtor is the island of Cyprus. From the geographical situation of that island, it may have been known to the Egyptians at a very early period, and they may have sent colonies thither, who afterwards removed, from some reason or other, to the southern coast of Palestine bordering on Egypt.