Cyrenaica

• Cyrenaica was a Roman Province which was located in eastern Libya.

1. History

• Pre-Roman history:
• Known to the Greeks as the Pentapolis (the five cities):
  1. Cyrene and its Port Apollonia (Marsa Susa) 631 BCE founded by Greek colonists from Thera.
  2. Arsinoe or Teuchira (Tocra)
  3. Euesperides or Bernice (near Benghazi)
  4. Balagrae (Al Bayda)
  5. Barci (Al Marj)
     • Inland was the Oracle of the Ammonium located in the Temple of the Oracle at the Siwa Oasis.
• After 332 BCE Cyrenaica was controlled by Ptolemaic Egypt.

• Acquisition by Rome:
  • 96 BCE Ptolemy Apion bequeathed the Pentapolis to Rome in his will since he died without heirs.
• Timeline of this Province:
• Under The Republic:
  • 78 BCE Cyrenaica officially became a Roman Province.
  • 69 BCE Ruled in conjunction with Crete, becoming Cyrenaica and Crete.
• After Augustus’ reconstituted the Republic into an Empire (27 BCE):
  • 116 CE the Kitos War: A Jewish Rebellion in Cyrenaica, Egypt, Cyprus, Mesopotamia and Judaea where small Roman Garrisons were massacred and the Grain Route from Egypt was threatened.
  • 117 CE A Jewish Rebellion in Cyrenaica was quelled by Marcius Turbo.
• After Diocletian’s Reforms (297 CE):
  • Cyrenaica was split into Libya Superior and Libya Inferior.
  • 365 CE Crete Earthquake and Tsunami of 21 July 365 CE An Earthquake and Tidal Wave devastated Cyrene. The Ruins are still standing today.
• After Death of Theodosius (395 CE) and the final split into Eastern Empire and Western Empire:
  • 435 CE the Vandals occupied Cyrenaica.
  • c.530 CE became part of the Byzantine Empire.
• Famous Persons from this Province:
  • Possibly St. Mark the Apostle was born here.
  • Callimachus of Cyrene
  • Arrian
• Chief archeological Finds:
  • Ruins of Cyrene: This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

2. Geography

• Capital City:
  • Cyrene (Ruins)
• Chief Cities:
  • Pentapolis: Arsinoe, Euesperides, Balagrae, Barci, Ptolemais
  • Tobruk (Antipyrgos, a Roman Fortress guarded the frontier with Egypt).
• Location Today:
  • Eastern Libya
• Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
  • Tripolitana (West) Egypt (East)
• Climate and Temperature Today:
• Two Climate influences:
  • Mediterranean (the coast):
    • Cool moist summers and mild warm winters along the sea coast.
  • Sahara: (the Interior).
    • Day Temperatures 40-50° C Night Temperatures 30-40° C. Cooler between October and April.
    • Sahara night temperatures can drop to sub-zero. Can receive rainfall between January and March, when flowers actually appear in the Desert.
  • The Ghibli:
    • This is a southern wind lasting 1-4 days and brings dust sandstorms, during Spring and Autumn.
• Geography
  • North African Plateau
    • Cyrenaica forms part of the North African Plateau stretching from the Atlantic to the Red Sea.
    • The Terrain consists of barren Plains, Depressions and Plateaus. The Jifarah Plain reaches 75 miles (120km) inland to the Nafusa Mountains.
  • Great Sand Sea
    • This stretches from eastern Libya to the Qattara Depression in western Egypt. Three quarters of the area is covered with Sand dunes, which run in a north-south direction.
• Main Oases:
  • Subterranean aquifers in the Desert produce springs such as the Kufra Oasis and Sabha Oasis.
• Mountain Ranges:
  • Nafusa Mountains 3,000 ft (1,000m) rise up to meet the Tripolitanian Plateau.
• Islands: None

3. Political Organisation:

• Province Type:
  • Senatorial Propraetorial Province
    • From 20 BCE officially united with Crete.
• Governor:
  • Propraetor
• Tribes and Population:
  • Berbers and Greeks
• Language:
  • Greek

4. Military Organisation:

• Legions:
  • None.
• Navy:
  • None
• Defensive Works:
  • None
• Main Threats:

5. Economy

• Chief Exports:
  • Silphium:
    • An aromatic and medicinal herb from Cyrene (used to induce Abortions). Used as the emblem on early Greek coins from Cyrene.
  • Wheat, Barley and Olive Oil, Wine, Horses.
• Agriculture and Fishing:
  • Wheat, Barley and Olives.
• Manufacturing:
• Mines:
• Mints:
  • Cyrene had a Mint in 4th century CE.

6. Transport

• Roads:
  • North African Roman Road
• Waterways:
  • None
• Ports:
  • Cyrene
• Ancient Trade Routes:
  • North African Roman Road from Morocco to Egypt
  • The Camel Caravans and their routes across the Sahara to the African Sahel.
• Number of Days taken to travel from this Province to Rome:

7. Relationship with Rome

• Wealthy and Peaceful Province until lost to the Vandals in 435 CE.

8. History of Christianity in this Province

• St Mark the Evangelist supposedly born in the Pentapolis.
• 325 CE First Council of Nicaea recognised this as an Ecclesiastical Province in the See of Alexandria.
• The Pentapolis is still included today as a Title by the Patriarchs of the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, as being under their jurisdiction.
• Arrian or Arius, creator of the heretical Arianism c. 310 CE came from Ptolemais.

9. Roman Authors describing this Province

Cyrenaica