Marzipan was incorporated into the Cypriot cuisine in later years, although almonds were always one of the most common ingredients of the traditional sweets.
Name - Origin
Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar, honey, and almond meal (Wikipedia, marzipan and Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Μάρζιπαν, 80). Marzipan contains at least 70% ground almonds (and 30% sugar) and sometimes rosewater. The first mention of a similar dessert dates back to ancient Greece, where the culinary values of an almond and honey paste were already praised (Wikipedia, marzipan)
There are several theories about the origin of the name marzipan: from the Greek word μάζα (mass), to the Latin Marci Panis (Mark's bread) and the Persian marsaban (Wikipedia, marzipan).
Additional information and bibliography
Petrou-Poeitou E. (2013), Από πού κρατάει η σκούφια τους. Λέξεις και ιστορίες από τον κόσμο της γεύσης, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.
Web source: wikipedia, marzipan.
Argyro Xenophontos, Tonia Ioakim